Tatuaje Verocu No. 4 Cigar Review

I’ve been in a serious funk lately when it comes to smoking cigars. I’ve had a hard time finding my comfort zone and it concerns me. You see I used to be that guy that chased everything new. Now with FDA Regulations in place nothing new has been coming out. Yes, some things have been sprinkled to the masses since August 8th, but they were all introduced prior to that point. So to me they aren’t new because I’ve sampled them before.

So as a result I’ve been all doom and gloom, a negative Nancy. But yesterday my palate was awakened once again with the review of Tabernacle. So today, I decided to turn to a cigar that has long been a favorite of mine. As luck would have it, while I have reviewed a different size in the past today I had to review the No. 4.

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Verocu
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5.25″
Ring Gauge: 50
Vitola: Robusto (No. 4)

The Look: Tatuaje Cigars have long had a Cuban feel to them. The cigars come packaged in wooden cabinet style boxes. The band, simple. The name, spanish but rolls off the tongue. Even the way the cigar is rolled right down to the triple cap. One thing Two things are different though. The flavor and consistency. The cigar is exquisitely rolled with a chestnut colored wrapper that has one noticeable vein and an abundance of oil. In the hand the cigar is void of soft spots, and the foot is well packed. Just as you would expect a Tatuaje to be.

The Notes: My palate is instantly awakened as soon I touch the cigar to my lips and pull in the first cold draw. An abundance of identifiable notes come to mind including mocha, cinnamon, graham crackers and an ever so subtle citrus note that lingers on the palate ever so slightly. Taking in the aroma off the foot of the cigar are notes of cedar shavings, earth and hay that takes me back to days of an old butcher shop.

Once the cigar is toasted and lit there is some pepper notes that are associated with the My Father factory that seems to be synonymous with their cigars. Once we get past the first quarter-inch the cigar opens up to notes of mocha and cedar that offer a baseline while there are hints of cedar and citrus that are especially noticeable on the finish. The retrohale of the cigar has a lingering sweetness that mixes in with the aroma

Moving on to the middle of the cigar notes of cedar and mocha stay and as we reach the halfway point the mocha becomes more of a chocolate sweetness. Pepper remains on the finish of the cigar with a slight citrus that lingers into a moderate finish. As the second third comes to a close the cigar begins to change ever so slightly.

The last third sees the addition of some coffee notes as if you were sipping a strong espresso. I’ll be honest that I was hoping for a hint of licorice to develop but that never materialized. The cigar continues with hints of cedar and earth with an abundance of pepper on the retrohale. The finish which is a tad lengthy has some sweetness.

The Finish: I’ve long been a fan of the Tatuaje Red Label, and the Verocu seems to take things up a notch in performance in my opinion. It also boasts some more strength. The word Verocu is a slang Cuban word that means ballsy, and that sums up this cigar. Rich in flavor with a nice little kick. Definitely a cigar that is in my rotation throughout the year.

Score: 91
Price: $9.00 / $161.99