Tatuaje 20th Anniversary Grand Chasseur

Among the cigar companies that celebrated anniversaries in 2023, Tatuaje marked its 20th year in business, doing so with a number of new cigars, including a new line just for the anniversary.

The Tatuaje 20th Anniversary line uses an Ecuadorian habano-seed wrapper, and Nicaraguan tobacco is used for the double binder and filler. While Pete Johnson, owner of Tatuaje, hasn’t compared the blend to any of the blends in the company’s portfolio, it does use a similar list of tobaccos to that of the Seleccion de Cazador line, otherwise known as the Brown Label line due to the color of its bands, and which is generally thought of as the company’s signature core line.

The line is offered in two sizes, both of which are produced at My Father Cigars S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua, and both of which have a covered foot:

• Tatuaje 20th Grande Merveille (6 1/8 x 46) — $13 (Box of 20, $260)
• Tatuaje 20th Grand Chasseur (6 3/8 x 54) — $14 (Box of 20, $280)

The cigars wear the same band style as the 10th and 15th Anniversary releases, though now in a black and gold combination, a design that carries over to the boxes. The Tatuaje 20th is a regular production line.

• Cigar Reviewed: Tatuaje 20th Anniversary Grand Chasseur
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 6 3/8 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Vitola: Toro Extra
• MSRP: $14 (Box of 20, $280)
• Release Date: October 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The Tatuaje 20th Grand Chasseur is certainly a grand cigar, long and fairly beefy, though an increasingly average size within the larger cigar industry. Each of the three cigars are rolled firmly, with my fingers picking up just a slight bit of oiliness on the wrapper leaves. All three cigars also look great with no visual imperfections or distractions, an average number and size of veins, clean seam lines and well-constructed heads. If anything, the most distinctive aspect is the band, which is noticeably different from the bands on the majority of Tatuaje’s other cigars. The foot has an aroma that reminds me of leaves and newspaper—wet and dry versions of both, depending upon the sample—then a bit of creaminess and pepper finish off the sensation. The cold draw is slightly firm with a drier sensation of Cheerios and some more dry leaves, then a bit of subtle sweetness on the finish.

After a couple of milder first puffs with some sweet corn flakes and white pepper on the palate and an almost fluffy retrohale with a sprinkle of pepper, the Tatuaje 20th Grand Chasseur gets to work with a bright and lively combination of wood and pepper. It’s one that immediately leads my mind to the Ecuadorian habano wrapper as the profile is almost textbook for the varietal. One cigar really embraces that flavor, another adds some creaminess to provide a bit of a softener as well as some complexity and a third distinct flavor, and the third adds a bit more creaminess that seems to mute the habano flavors. Once the first clump of ash drops off, pepper moves into a lead role, sharpening its focus, while also adding a flavor that reminds me of the final sips of a bowl of ramen: a little bit starchy but also driven by the pepper and other seasonings that didn’t fully dissolve into the broth. Flavor ranges from medium to medium-full, body is medium and strength is fairly mild. Construction is very good thus far.

In whatever way they develop in the first third, the profiles stay remarkably consistent as the burn line gets into the second third. The most notable change is that the overall intensity—or better yet, vibrance—has been turned down just a tick or two on the palate, while retrohales stay fairly bright but have tightened up how much widespread stimulation there is in the nostrils. A slightly damp and rather rich woodiness emerges around the midway point, which makes for a good combination with the retrohales. Other than a bit of creaminess rising to the top of the profile, the flavor doesn’t change very much, though given where things are at, that’s not a complaint or a knock; if anything, it’s a compliment to the blend getting to a very good place and staying there. Flavor is medium, body is medium and strength is mild. Construction remains solid as long as puffs are taken on a regular basis, with an even burn line and good smoke production.

The final third starts by bringing back some more of the creaminess into the profile, as well as some of the wood and pepper flavors from the first third. In some puffs, those habano flavors come with a touch of sharpness, which elicits a different physical reaction than what I’ve experienced thus far. Some fresh baked pretzel eventually emerges in the slow progression of flavors, while a bit of dry crackers and a bit of char join a few puffs later. The finish develops a bit more lingering pepper, though it’s subtle and not an overpowering sensation. Flavor finishes at medium-plus, body is medium and strength is medium-minus. Construction remains very good, though this final third needs a bit quicker puffing rate to avoid going out.

Final Notes

• In August 2023, Tatuaje shipped a new version of its 10th Anniversary line, this time with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper as part of its Tuxtla series.
• I reviewed the Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Grand Chasseur TAA 2013, while Brooks Whittington reviewed the Tatuaje 15th Anniversary Habano Rosado Belicoso Fino in 2018, one of four cigars released for the company’s 15th anniversary.
• Those 15th Anniversary cigars were made in Miami at My Father Cigars’ fairly small facility.
• The Tatuaje 15th Anniversary also made an appearance in CRA’s Summer and Fall 2023 Freedom Samplers, though with a different spin. Called the Tatuaje 15th Anniversary Plus One Escasos, the cigar was a Nicaraguan puro with a corojo 99 shade-grown wrapper, but still made in Miami.
• I didn’t get any real strength from the Tatuaje 20th Anniversary Grand Chasseur. One of the three cigars got kind of close but never really took a full swing at my system.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was all over the place, averaging just under three hours, but with the quickest at two hours and 30 minutes and the longest at three hours and 20 minutes.
• Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co., Cigars Direct, Corona Cigar Co. and Famous Smoke Shop carry the Tatuaje 20th Anniversary Grand Chasseur.