Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu No. 5

Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu No. 5 Petite (4" × 40) is a compact, flavorful petit corona from Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje line, delivering a bolder take on the classic Havana VI blend. Handcrafted at My Father Cigars in Nicaragua.

Stogie at a glance

Review

First Third

On the initial puff I’m reminded of a short story, though that could just be my head messing with me. Lots of pepper with some spices and woodiness. Great aroma right out of the gate. The woodiness quickly evolves into cedar, with just a little sweetness peeking through before the pepper dominates the finish again. Medium finish. There’s a solid amount of pepper throughout this section.

Second Third

The pepper dies down, leaving the cedar with leather notes and a touch of chocolate. Black coffee shows up on the finish. Still medium in length, and the smoke starts to clean up. The aroma begins to sweeten, and a slight almond note appears on both the palate and the aroma. For a darker stick, some lighter characteristics keep coming through. Every time I expect it to ramp up, it stays smooth and consistent, very interesting compared to some of the other offerings from Tatuaje. More almond and pepper develop, along with increased sweetness and nuttiness on the aroma.

Final Third

Cedar and nuttiness take the lead, with pepper still present on the palate. The smoke heats up a little (expected with the size of the stogie), but nothing crazy and still very enjoyable. Even more almond comes through, the finish lengthens, and earthiness plus black coffee appear as it winds down. The aroma remains excellent. As the cigar finishes, it delivers its best flavors yet, alternating between earthy-woody pepper and a slightly sweet nuttiness, finished with spices and pepper. The versatility packed into this small smoke is truly impressive.

Final Thoughts - If you’re looking for a short smoke to walk the dog (or yourself), you can’t go wrong here. It’s just interesting enough to smoke again, but not so complex that you’ll miss anything if you’re preoccupied. Reminiscent of the Fuente Short Story, but with a little more punch and a different flavor profile, also half the price ($4.25). Highly recommended for a quick, enjoyable, and surprisingly versatile short smoke.

Final Score 86/100