Tatuaje Pork Tenderloin (2025)

The Leaf

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua

• Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.

• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

• Binder: Nicaragua

• Filler: Nicaragua

• Size: 5 1/8 x 52

• Body: Full

• Strength: Full

• Personal Rating: 8.75 / 10 – Solidly in the “Box Worthy” range

• If you like this, you might also enjoy: Black Label Trading Co. Bishop's Blend, Crowned Heads Juarez, Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust Mi Querida.

  
  

What We Do Here

The beauty of cigars isn’t just in the smoke... it’s in the ritual, the memory, the lore. Each review starts with the basics: how it smokes, how it tastes, and whether it’s worth lighting up again or buying a box. Then, for those chasing the full story, we peel back the layers, deeper notes, subtleties, and the craft behind the leaf. At the end, we leave you with a little folklore to match the mood. Because around here, the smoke always carries a story.

Casual Take

This one hits different from the jump. There’s a rich, almost brothy quality that settles into your mouth, like savory meat drippings and charred wood. The wrapper looks rustic and slightly oily, and the cold draw gives hints of cocoa powder and salt. Once lit, the smoke is thick and chewy. The flavors come in bold but balanced, earthy leather, bitter dark chocolate, and something savory and salty, kind of like soy sauce or miso. It’s full but not overwhelming. If you like cigars that feel like a full course meal, this one is worth your time.

Deep Burn

The first third wastes no time. A strong umami note rises right away, riding next to leathery richness and salty mineral earth. There’s a bold bitterness in the background that leans toward 90 percent dark chocolate, but it stays restrained. The smoke is dense, almost oily, coating the tongue like a reduction sauce. The retrohale offers a peppery sting layered with bitter espresso and a hint of burnt sugar.

Moving into the second third, the leather deepens and the saltiness lingers in a really satisfying way. It starts to feel less like a cigar and more like a culinary experience. The dark chocolate and espresso continue, and the body stays full without being sharp. Construction is top-notch. Razor burn, no touchups needed. Draw is just right with plenty of smoke output.

The final third leans more into its strength. Black pepper creeps forward, but not too far. The umami note hangs on and shifts slightly into something more like grilled meat. A clean bitterness wraps it all up, with dark cocoa and burnt cedar leading into a long, savory finish. You don’t exactly get “sweetness,” but you also don’t miss it.

The Heart of the Leaf

The Tatuaje Pork Tenderloin is one of those smokes that doesn’t bother trying to charm you with sweetness or fancy transitions. It’s here to be bold, to fill your mouth with flavor, and to leave you thinking about it long after the nub’s in the ashtray. It’s salty, leathery, meaty, and dark. But never clumsy. If you’re after something with full-bodied flavor, top-notch construction, and a no-nonsense attitude, you’d be hard pressed to find a better option at this strength. It earns its 8.75 "Tale Worthy" rating easily. Box worthy? For me, absolutely!

---

The Lore

In the forests of northern Europe, they spoke of a beast that didn’t just haunt your dreams, it ate them. The Mara, an ancient spirit, was said to crawl onto the chests of sleeping men and women, pressing down until their breath slowed and fear filled their lungs. Some believed it was a cursed woman. Others said it was a shape shifter, something older than memory that wore the face of your regrets. It wasn’t a demon, not exactly. The Mara wasn’t evil just for evil’s sake. It fed on pressure, on weight, on the tightness that lives behind your ribs when the room is too quiet. A nightmare given form. When you woke, if you woke, the room would still taste of smoke and salt. And you’d know it had been there.

That’s what this cigar reminds me of. It isn’t here to comfort or coddle. It presses in. Fills the room. Demands your attention with dark chocolate bitterness, leather, and that strange, savory pull in the back of your throat. It’s not frightening. But it is powerful. Heavy. Like something that means business. You don’t smoke this one lightly. You let it weigh on you. And maybe that’s the point. Some stories linger. So does this.

The cigars in this review were purchased by me

Find It Here!