IPCPR 2019: Tatuaje

There is always a lot to talk about with Pete Johnson as far as new products are concerned. It’s not the overwhelming amount that comes from someone like General Cigar Co., but it’s consistently a half dozen or so items and 2019 is no different.

Tatuaje is once again in its own booth, one that is now four-years-old. I honestly thought the booth had only been around for a couple of years but time is flying.

Tatuaje The Chuck

The Monster Series isn’t dead yet. After some nudging—err, complaining—by some—including yours truly—about how there were only 11 dress boxes, Pete Johnson has decided to add The Chuck and The Tiff, the last of the Monster Series, formally, probably. Who knows, though Johnson said—like last year—he was happy to be done with it and has plans for something different next year.

One interesting note is that the dress boxes for these two releases connect and to preempt concerns about things breaking, Johnson says he will ship the boxes separately.

In addition—rather than having an Unlucky 13, the 13 retailers that receive the bulk of the dress boxes for a Monster Series release, there will be an Unlucky 26. Also worth pointing out is that some of the retailers in the Unlucky 26 will be retailers that were previously selected as Unlucky 13 accounts, something that hasn’t happened outside of one store that no longer exists.

Johnson said each store will receive a mixture of The Chuck and The Tiff. Furthermore, more than 200 dress boxes of each will be sold to non-Unlucky retailers.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Tatuaje The Chuck (5 7/8 x 52) — $13 (Box of 13, $169; Box of 10, $130)

Production: 700 Boxes of 13 Cigars & 2,190 Boxes of 10 Cigars (31,000 Total Cigars)*

Release Date: October 2019

*Only 666 dress boxes are released. The remaining 34 are kept by Pete Johnson.

Tatuaje The Tiff

And if The Chuck happens, so does The Tiff.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Tatuaje The Tiff (5 7/8 x 52) — $13 (Box of 13, $169; Box of 10, $130)

Production: 700 Boxes of 13 Cigars & 2,190 Boxes of 10 Cigars (31,000 Total Cigars)*

Release Date: October 2019

*Only 666 dress boxes are released. The remaining 34 are kept by Pete Johnson.

Tatuaje Limited Series Mexican Experiment (2019)

The Mexican Experiment is back. For those unfamiliar, this was a cigar that was released in 2012 in a variety of sizes, each limited to either one retailer or a specific part of the country. Now it returns for a national release, each size limited to 1,000 bundles.

• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Tatuaje Mexican Experiment Robusto (5 x 54)
• Tatuaje Mexican Experiment Toro (5 3/4 x 50)
• Tatuaje Mexican Experiment Churchill (6 1/2 x 48)
• Tatuaje Mexican Experiment Belicoso (5 x 52)

Production: 4,000 Bundles

Release Date: August 2019

Tatuaje ME II

And there’s also a new, regular production Mexican-wrapped cigar called ME II.

It also comes in boxes as opposed to bundles like the original and the 2019 version of the original Mexican Experiment.

• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Tatuaje ME II Robusto (5 x 54)
• Tatuaje ME II Toro (5 3/4 x 50)
• Tatuaje ME II Churchill (6 1/2 x 48)
• Tatuaje ME II Belicoso (5 x 52)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: August 2019

Tatuaje Gran Cojonú Series A

This is a Miami-made cigar that is slightly shorter than the regular Gran Cojonú. The Series A refers to Arnold, the dog who served as the mascot for Tatuaje’s Oh F*ck I’m Lost Tour, who passed away last December.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Tatuaje Gran Cojonú Series A (5 x 60) — $14 (Box of 12, $168)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: May 2019

Tatuaje Cojonú 2003 Series L

The Series L is a smaller version of the Cojonú 2003. I smoked this cigar a few months ago and can assure you, it is strong. The L refers to Loki, a puppy who passed away in January. Like, the Series A, this soft-launched in May at Ambassador Fine Cigars and will be sold on a limited, but ongoing basis to as many as 50 stores.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Tatuaje Cojonú 2003 Series L (4 x 50) — $13 (Box of 25, $325)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: May 2019

Tatuaje Escasos

The Escasos is once again on display though still not for sale. Johnson said there’s a chance the cigars might be released around the holidays, but it could be until 2020, though the cigars are rolled.

Pricing is still not set, but he estimated $40-60 per cigar.

• Wrapper: n/a
• Binder: n/a
• Filler: n/a

• Tatuaje Clos L’Église (5 x 52)
• Tatuaje Petite Église (5 x 50)
• Tatuaje Gran Cazador (8 x 52)
• Tatuaje Gran Tatuaje (9 x 55)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: 2020

Tatuaje El Triunfador Favorito

It’s banded as an El Triunfador and uses the same filler, but the wrapper is a different varietal and the new 4 x 50 size is made at the García family’s TACUBA factory in Estelí as opposed to My Father Cigars S.A.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• El Triunfador Favorito (4 x 50) — $4 (Box of 50, $200)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: June 2019

Tatuaje Tattoo Favorito

The Tattoo blend also gets the new 4 x 50 size, also made at TACUBA. It will begin shipping in July.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Tatuaje Tattoo Favorito (4 x 50) — $4.50 (Box of 50, $250)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2019

Tatuaje Tattoo Packaging Update

The boxes for Tattoo have been updated to cabinet-style boxes, which Johnson says will save some money and means the line can avoid a price increase. Those boxes will begin to trickle out in August.

Update: The original listing for Monster Series dress boxes and El Triunfador Favoritos wrapper info was not correct.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.