Tatuaje, where to start?

So I have been smoking cigars about 1 and a half years at this point, and have at least tried a few most of the big/good names in cigars. At tjis point My Father, Oliva, and AJ Fernandez are trending as my favorites, though I also like a few Alec Bradley's, other odds and ends and the occasional smoke from some island south of Miami. I have gradually worked my way down ring gauge and now prefer cigars in the 46-52 range, indiscriminate of length.

This brings me to the subject, Tatuaje, I have only smoked one, and for some reason I can't make sense of the offerings as I have with other brands. So I am looking at getting a good sampler to give the brand a try.

One thing I have seen is this: http://www.cigarsinternational.com/s...-box/#p-153552. A bit steep on the per stick price, but it does cover 10 Tat's and lancero's are a great vitola for tasting.

So does this seem a good value, or should i look to some other Tatuaje sampler to get started?

Bob, I'm sure you'll get a flood of answers on this; Tatuaje is a popular brand among smokers here. There is a thread called Tatuaje Tuesday http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/showth...atuaje+tuesday that you could check out and see what guys are smoking.

Myself, I've never been crazy about Tatuaje. However, I do enjoy and smoke their lancero. http://www.neptunecigar.com/pr/tatua...6_712__38.aspx

I like a lot of stuff from Tatuaje. In fact one of the first cigars that really did it for me was a 7th Capa Especial. I think if you like lanceros that sampler is a good place to start and if you aren't in a hurry I've seen them cheaper. Smallbatch has a little sampler right now as well http://smallbatchcigar.com/tatuaje-t...f6-p-1918.html Might even be worth a call a call or e-mail to see if they have any lance samplers in stock just not listed on the site. Don't forget we get discounts from them

@DrBob - I had never had a single Tatuaje until joining this board's predecessor last October. Since then I've turned into a full on Tat Whore curtosey of @WNYTONY getting me started. The Havana VI has been one of favorites and you can get for $5 on cbid. The La Riqueza and La Casita Criolla are also great smokes at that price point. The only Tat I've had so far that I haven't liked is the Tattoo but I know a lot of people like them. Also check out L'Atelier maduro and La Duena. Those are about $5 as well.

I haven't really moved up to the higher end Tats yet - Monster series, Black, etc. though I do have a couple at home I've recently picked up waiting on a nice weather day to smoke.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

The lancero sampler isn't a bad place to start. Otherwise try the Black, Brown, and Red labels as well as the Reservas which are sort of an extension of the Brown label. The Monster releases and TAA releases have all been fantastic as well.

I've had a few, all have been good. My favorite so far has been the Black label petite lancero.

Tatuaje Petit Reservas are some of my favorites. Of course if you can acquire any of the OR Blacks you should jump right on them. I for one am a Tat whore so I will say that you pretty much can't go wrong with any of them. Just find the size/sizes you enjoy and smoke away!

Try the red labels first and then move onto the brown label & then you'll be a Tat whore like the rest of us! Meet ya at the blacks.:stogie:

I have become a big Tat fan over the past year. I love the Miami and anything Monster. The Pudgy Monsters box can still be found for well under msrp and is a great place to start if you like the stronger stuff. The Reserva is great as well. In my short experience they all seem to require a few months rest at minimum though.

I would start with that tat lancero sampler as it is the best way to try all the major blends. Find one you like and hone in on your size. You should search a bit more I got my sampler for $75 so there is a better price out there

I'd personally start with the brown label line. Noella or Noella Reserva, SW Reserva, and the Belle Encre. Great smokes.

Then I'd give the Black Petit Lancero and Black Corona Gorda a try.

Doubt you'll need any further push after that.

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Originally Posted by defetis

I would start with that tat lancero sampler as it is the best way to try all the major blends.

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Joel beat me to it^^^

I have had a la Duena, and enjoyed it, also a Surrogates or two. So I have flirted with the line... Lots of great advice, I can also work through these as I hit B&M's on business trips. Something sexy about that lancero sampler though :)

Thanks everyone! Especially @Old Smokey and @AlanS for Pm's encouraging me to contact small batch. Within minutes of my email they put two up on their site and using a coupon code I ended up paying $68 for the lancero sampler!

Now I just have to let them rest....

My first Tat was a La Casita Criolla and I HATED IT!!! And I tried the second of a fiver and HATED IT!!! Things tasted like a lead pencil, literally like sucking on a pencil.......However, I came across the Tattoo line (probably considered their budget stick) and it isn't anything overly complex but solid construction and solid performer. And then I tried the Petite Cazadores (mentioned in an earlier post) and liked those too.

So I guess my attempt at a point is they have great offerings, but like anything else you may have to go through something you hate first to find what you really enjoy.

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Originally Posted by MattyMatt

My first Tat was a La Casita Criolla and I HATED IT!!! And I tried the second of a fiver and HATED IT!!! Things tasted like a lead pencil, literally like sucking on a pencil.......However, I came across the Tattoo line (probably considered their budget stick) and it isn't anything overly complex but solid construction and solid performer. And then I tried the Petite Cazadores (mentioned in an earlier post) and liked those too.

So I guess my attempt at a point is they have great offerings, but like anything else you may have to go through something you hate first to find what you really enjoy.

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Can't be any worse than working through two Ghurka samplers when i first started... Found two good cigars out of about 30. I just about quit cigars by the end of that experiment.

Try anything with a sumatra wrapper, Tatuaje/Pepin are masters of the the Sumatra. Ambos Mundos Sumatra is a fantastic entry level(cheap and easy to find) cigar to show this off. There are very few Tatuajes that I haven't cared for so have fun smoking through them :)

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Originally Posted by BMack

Try anything with a sumatra wrapper, Tatuaje/Pepin are masters of the the Sumatra. Ambos Mundos Sumatra is a fantastic entry level(cheap and easy to find) cigar to show this off. There are very few Tatuajes that I haven't cared for so have fun smoking through them :)

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That's great to hear, I am a big fan of Sumatra wrappers!

I mostly prefer Tatuaje's other lines rather than their main line. Try the Cabaiguan and L'Atelier cigars. Both are great smokes. The Cabaiguan may be difficult to find at a shop but you can always buy them online. The L'Atelier line is on the mild side, so if you want a very strong kick in flavor try their Maduro. It's excellent and explodes with extreme flavor but without the harshness or heavy strength.

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Originally Posted by BMack

Try anything with a sumatra wrapper, Tatuaje/Pepin are masters of the the Sumatra. Ambos Mundos Sumatra is a fantastic entry level(cheap and easy to find) cigar to show this off. There are very few Tatuajes that I haven't cared for so have fun smoking through them :)

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Yes, the Tatuaje Cojonu 2012 Sumatra is one of my all time favorite cigars. Spectacular smoke!

I can't really offer anything that my fellow tatwhores have not said. What I will say is your timeframe matches mine. I had my first tat roughly 18 months after starting to smoke seriously and that one cigar made me dive head first into tatuaje and spend WAY too much money. Just be warned, because it's not even a slippery slope. That shit is covered in astroglide.

I started with a Miami Noellas.

Okay, this thread has made me reevaluate Tat. It's been years since I've had any (beside the El Triunfador lance), so I'm going to explore again.

Thanks to the OP for the thread and thanks for the answers everyone.

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Originally Posted by DrBob

Thanks everyone! Especially @Old Smokey and @AlanS for Pm's encouraging me to contact small batch. Within minutes of my email they put two up on their site and using a coupon code I ended up paying $68 for the lancero sampler!

Now I just have to let them rest....

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Your welcome Bob. I hope you enjoy exploring the lance sampler as much as I did.

I have been trying to give Tats more room and enjoy this thread.
As for my experience, I started with a red label and enjoyed it as a good smooth medium, then tried the 10th anniversary that didn't really do much for me.

Hope to try a L'Atelier very soon, I've heard good things about this stick, and hope to give a brown label another shot with a Miami.

Thanks for starting this thread and the earnest replies.

Not sure where you start but I know where I finished. I have smoked 4 different Tat's so far. A Black label, Reserva, Ambos Mundos Sumatra, and a Red label. All have been really good but I didn't consider myself a whore not until the Red label. Smoke my first any only one today thanks to @WNYTONY and I am now officailly a whore. Since I came back to cigars about 4 months ago this is the BEST cigar ever! I have to get more ASAP!

Everyone has mentioned the key lines, what I will say is.... Stay away from the 2 bundles cigars: El Suelo (black label) and the other one (red label)... can't think of the name.... If you are feeling frisky grab a Gran Cojonu and enjoy the ride. Oh, the one that got me started on Tats was the J21!

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Originally Posted by Sweet Cigars

Not sure where you start but I know where I finished. I have smoked 4 different Tat's so far. A Black label, Reserva, Ambos Mundos Sumatra, and a Red label. All have been really good but I didn't consider myself a whore not until the Red label. Smoke my first any only one today thanks to @WNYTONY and I am now officailly a whore. Since I came back to cigars about 4 months ago this is the BEST cigar ever! I have to get more ASAP!

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Glad you enjoyed it buddy.
So you want more you say ????? :biglaugh:

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Originally Posted by WNYTONY

Glad you enjoyed it buddy.
So you want more you say ????? :biglaugh:

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I am getting some more today at my local B&M. I want to try the different vitolas. Jokes on you too so you better be ready, you will have no mailbox here shortly!

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Originally Posted by Sweet Cigars

I am getting some more today at my local B&M. I want to try the different vitolas. Jokes on you too so you better be ready, you will have no mailbox here shortly!

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I really don't think you have to visit that B&M to try the different vitolas :wink::wink:

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Originally Posted by WNYTONY

I really don't think you have to visit that B&M to try the different vitolas :wink::wink:

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Well I went today and they did not have any red labels. All they had was one size of browns and one size of black. They told me nobody really buys them so they don't carry them. I thought Tat's were popular, especially after smoking the red label.

Yes the Tat. They were set-up Friday during Cigarfest & the spokes chicky was HOT....cigar was primo too.

I too am about the 18 month mark in my cigar smoking journey and purchased only my 2nd Tat today.
The first was a Tattoo and while it wasn't anything really special, it was a solid stick and good for the money.

Today, I bought a Fausto. I've heard good things about them.

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Originally Posted by Sweet Cigars

Well I went today and they did not have any red labels. All they had was one size of browns and one size of black. They told me nobody really buys them so they don't carry them. I thought Tat's were popular, especially after smoking the red label.

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I gotcha bro - friendly bomb in the N/S battle and a payback for the nice package you hit me with today.
I'll send out Monday

I would have to agree with many of the prior posts about enjoying all the Tats I have had to date. They one little golden nugget that was mentioned was to try some of his other lines. For example I am very found of the surrogates. The Animal cracker has to be my favorite so far. In fact I made the mistake of having my wife try it and after she did she never gave it back.

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Originally Posted by Cool Breeze

I too am about the 18 month mark in my cigar smoking journey and purchased only my 2nd Tat today.
The first was a Tattoo and while it wasn't anything really special, it was a solid stick and good for the money.

Today, I bought a Fausto. I've heard good things about them.

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My first Fausto underwhelmed me. I like both Tattoo and Fausto but they are nowhere near my favorite for the brand.

Look for a brown label or a black label. You shan't be disappointed!

I'll do that.
My B&M has a nice selection of Tats. I'd guess 8-10 different ones. I'll check them out.