Tatuaje Cojonú 2012
📌 Brand: Tatuaje
📌 Line: Cojonú 2012
📌 Size: Toro Box Press (6 1/2" × 52)
📌 Weight: 15.3g
📌 Age: 4 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua
Tasting Notes
Espresso – Dark roasted foundation with plenty of body
Cocoa – Rich and slightly dry through the middle
Black Pepper – Typical García-family spice and intensity
Cedar – Woody backbone with an earthy finish
First Impressions
The Tatuaje Cojonú 2012 immediately feels like a serious cigar. The box-pressed 6 1/2 × 52 format has plenty of presence, with a dense feel and excellent presentation. Pre-light aromas bring cedar, cocoa, coffee, and pepper, while the cold draw offers good resistance and hints at the richer profile to come.
Smoking Experience
First Third – Opens with espresso, cedar, and plenty of black pepper. Cocoa quickly develops underneath, giving the profile a darker sweetness and helping balance the spice. The smoke is dense and satisfying with plenty of character.
Second Third – The pepper settles slightly while cocoa, coffee, and earth become more prominent. There is good richness and enough progression to keep things interesting. Unfortunately, the cigar goes out and requires a relight, interrupting an otherwise enjoyable section.
Final Third – The profile becomes darker and earthier, with espresso, cedar, and pepper returning strongly. A few more relights are needed, which increasingly disrupt the rhythm of the smoke and prevent the cigar from delivering the seamless performance it should.
Pairings
Alcohol – GlenAllachie 18 Year Single Malt Scotch - Dried fruit, dark chocolate, spice, and mature oak complement the cigar's espresso and cocoa richness beautifully.
Tea – Dian Hong Golden Needle Black Tea - Malty sweetness, cocoa, and gentle honey notes work particularly well against the darker Nicaraguan tobacco.
Music Pairing
“If You Want Me to Stay” – Sly & The Family Stone
Deep groove and effortless character suit the cigar's richer middle section.
Final Thoughts
Tatuaje Cojonú 2012 delivers the bold character you expect from the line: espresso, cocoa, cedar, earth, and plenty of pepper wrapped into a rich Nicaraguan profile. There's plenty to enjoy here, and when the cigar is burning properly, it shows real depth and personality. Unfortunately, the need for several relights repeatedly interrupts the experience and pulls the score down considerably.
Final Score: 7/10
Why not a 10?
The cigar needed a few relights throughout the smoke, repeatedly breaking the rhythm and preventing an otherwise rich and enjoyable Cojonú from delivering a consistently strong performance.
Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.