Tatuaje’s Monster Series was introduced in 2008 with a cigar called The Frank, which came packaged in boxes designed to look like coffins and with branding based on the Frankenstein character from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. The next year, Tatuaje released The Drac, inspired by Dracula. In total, the company released 13 full-sized Monster Series cigars, each inspired by a different monster character.
The Monster Series has been one of the most successful limited edition series created, with Tatuaje creating smaller versions of the different Monster blends that have been released in samplers. In 2019, the final full-sized Monster was released, and in 2021, the company began revisiting the original Monster Series with these redux releases, which create new versions of the original cigar, in the same original vitolas. The 5 in the name implies that this is the fifth release for the Monster Redux Series; it is the 100th different commercial release for the larger Monster Series family.
– Halfwheel
Bought from –
Tobacconist of Greenwich
Information:
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Criollo)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Aging (if any): N/A
Single (MSRP): $13
Box (MSRP): $169 (Coffin of 13)
Availability: Limited to 5,000 coffins
Size:
7 x 47
Band/Packaging:
Another awesome Coffin from Pete Johnson, this one in all white with the Mummy printed on the face of the coffin, surrounded by what seems to be “blood splatter”. The band on the cigar continues to follow the Monster trend of a simple two color slim band with the text “Tatuaje” and “MONSTER” printed. The Mummy sports a light grey and white band.
Wrapper:
Chocolate brown in color, veiny
Construction:
Well packed with a slight give when squeezed
THE REVIEW
Cold draw:
Mineral, wood, baking spice, slight coffee
First third:
Mineral, spice, earth, cardamom, dry wood, grapefruit citrus
Retro:
Nuttiness, cinnamon, cardamom, wood
Second third:
Slight cocoa, dry wood, mineral, nuttiness, bitter coffee, chocolate
Burn:
Excellent, no issues
Smoke:
Large clouds of thick smoke
Final third:
Chocolate, coffee, mineral, wood, slight grapefruit
Retro:
Bitter dark chocolate, dark fruit, black coffee, mineral
Duration:
1 hour 58 minutes
Conclusion:
The most recent release, The Mummy, starts off very mineral forward with a dry earthy wood, and unique notes of cardamom and grapefruit citrus. Some spice floated in and out at the start and mellowed out. Not my favorite start to a blend. The second this took a positive turn as it became chocolate forward with a nice nuttiness and coffee note. Still some minerality and dry wood, but it’s made its way to the back end. The final third continued to get better and better as the coffee and chocolate with a really nice fruit chocolate note on the retro. The grapefruit citrus floated in and out which wasn’t my favorite, and a sharp black coffee put me off a bit, but overall a very nice final third. This is one I definitely will smoke again, especially after some aging. If you were lucky to get a single, 5 pack, or box, you have a pretty decent blend on hard.
