The 25 Best Cigars of the Year 2004

Tatuaje Cabinet Especiales

It's rare to find a cigar made by hand in the United States and rarer still to find a great one. Expensive labor and a limited number of trained cigarmakers have caused most American-based cigarmakers to leave for offshore factories or to automate. That's one of the reasons the Tatuaje brand is so interesting. It's a very small brand, made in a small Miami factory, but the real draw here is the quality of the cigars, made from a rich blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos. These are medium- to full-bodied smokes, made for the seasoned smoker. The Especiales size—7 inches by a slim 38 ring—is modeled after Cuba's Cohiba Lancero and Trinidad Fundadore. Good now, these gran panetelas are likely to become great with age. If only there were more.

MADE BY: El Rey de los Habanos
FACTORY LOCATION: U.S.A.
WRAPPER: Nicaragua
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua
PRICE: $9.75
RING GAUGE: 38
LENGTH: 7 1/2"
RATING: 90

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