Late last year, Tatuaje released the Boris Karloff Robusto. It’s a 5-1/2″ x 52 that features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over binder and fillers from Nicaragua. Made at My Father Cigars S.A., it is actually the second size of the Boris Karloff to be made in 2025. The first was a 5-5/8″ x 49 size that I was able to try, but could not get enough to review; I was determined to not allow that to happen with the Robusto release.

Tatuaje has had massive success with the Monster Series. To be clear, the Boris Karloff releases (there have been several over the years) are not part of the Monster Series. Our friends over at Halfwheel do a great job breaking this down. I would say that Boris Karloff is “Monster adjacent.” I have had the opportunity, thanks to the generosity of fellow cigar smokers, to try a few of the other Boris releases and have always found myself wishing I had one more…okay, maybe a lot more. Will the Boris Karloff Robusto be the same?

OVERVIEW

VITOLA: Robusto
SIZE: 5-1/2″ x 52

ORIGIN: Nicaragua
FACTORY: My Father Cigars S.A.

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

STRENGTH: Medium-full to Full

SOURCE:
Small Batch Cigar

ENVIRONMENT

WHERE:
Studio/Lounge

WHEN:
February 18th @3pm

DRINKS:
Bottled Water

WEATHER:
Indoors

HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:
3

PRODUCTION

RELEASE TYPE Limited

ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE November ’25

TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size: Boxes of 20
Production Totals: 1,000 boxes

VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o Robusto (5-1/2″ x 52)

BAND DESIGN

The band is an elegant black and white. A fitting color scheme for a cigar named after a movie star known for his roles in black & white horror films such as Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Bride of Frankenstein. He also voiced the Grinch in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas…but I digress. The band features the name “Boris Karloff” in black using a Times New Roman-esque font. It stands out next to the “Tatuaje” that is in a cursive font.

PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS

CONSTRUCTION

The Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed wrapper is rough to the touch. It is also a darker-than-milk-chocolate shade of brown. Each cigar smoked for this review had several veins and small raised areas that were easily felt. There was a bit of give when squeezed between my thumb and index finger, but nothing concerning. The closed foot added to the appeal of the Boris Karloff Robusto.

AROMA

The Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper offered little in the way of aroma. Faint hints of cedar and barnyard had to be sussed out. The closed foot had the same faint notes coming through. Two of the Boris Karloff Robustos did have a good amount of sweet tobacco and fruit wafting from the foot.

COLD DRAW

The draw is surprisingly open for a cigar that has a closed foot. Notes of cocoa powder, earth, and minerality come through with each cold draw. The cocoa powder is prominent.

SMOKING EXPERIENCE

LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: S.T. Dupont x Fender Cutter/Stand
Fire: S.T. Dupont x Fender Ligne 2 Lacquered Lighter

The initial light brings heavy notes of red and black pepper, baking spices, powdered cocoa, damp earth, and wood. There is a good bit of coffee in the initial light, too. Butter and sweet cream linger on my palate, while spices dance on my tongue.

SMOKE

The Boris Karloff’s smoke is thick and somewhere between chewy and dry. More than dry but less than creamy, if that makes sense. It is, however, plentiful. The smoke pleasantly coats my palate with each draw.

FIRST THIRD
>> Wood, Baking Spices, Butter, Black Pepper

As the initial light fades, the first third begins with notes of wood, butter, baking spices, and red pepper. Black pepper rules the retrohale. The smoke remains thick and chewy. Avocado oil and cedar linger on my palate. The Boris Karloff robusto begins very wood forward, but there is a salty and buttery note that really pops. The burn line is a bit wavy, but nothing that needs my attention. The ash is gray with a few black streaks running through it and compact. The buttery note ramps up as the cocoa note begins to weave its way back into the mix. Earth, salt, and pepper are three great descriptors for the first third. They are complimented by subtle notes of spice, chocolate, and wood. The ash falls near the end of the first third, but much sooner than anticipated on one of three cigars smoked for this review.

SECOND THIRD
>> Chocolate, Sweet Cream, Wood, Baking Spices

The middle third begins with notes of caramel, chocolate, coffee, and a hint of wood. The retrohale has baking spices and white pepper. The intensity seems to have let up a bit, but the profile remains medium-full. Wood and sweet cream on the finish. The burn line has evened up and the ash remains compact and gorgeous. The smoke remains plentiful and satisfying, while becoming more creamy. Subtle notes of earth, wood, and butter continue through the middle third, complimenting the sweeter notes dominating. The Boris Karloff robusto has a minerality that runs through it adding depth. Still nuanced, still spicy.

FINAL THIRD
>> Espresso, Chocolate, Wood, Butter

The final third starts off with notes of coffee, charred wood, and baking spices dominating the profile. A mushroom funk permeates the flavors now, in lieu of butter. Red pepper returns to the profile, flanked by that salty minerality. Black pepper rules the retrohale once more. The sweeter notes play hide and seek as the earthiness of the Boris Karloff robusto is in full effect. Earth and espresso battle it out for supremacy as wood and spices playfully compliment them. Butter returns, as does a note of dry cocoa powder. Cayenne pepper, butter, dry peanuts, and charred wood on the finish. The ash has a few small, stray flakes while it refuses to hang on in two of three cigars smoked for this review. Butter, cream, wood, pepper, and chocolate all come through in big ways near the end.

RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS

FLAVOR PROGRESSION

The flavor progression of the Boris Karloff robusto is earth forward with notes of chocolate, funky earth, and spicy cedar all flanked by notes of pepper, baking spices, butter, and dry nuts. It is well-balanced from start to finish and vacillates between medium-full to full. The flavors seem to jockey for dominance, making sure the smoking experience is never boring.

BURN EXPERIENCE

The burn was near flawless in each Karloff robusto smoked for this review. If there was a negative, it would be that two of three cigars did not want to hold their ash past an inch.

RATING BREAKDOWN
0.80 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.40 / 0.50 … Pre-Light Characteristics
0.50 / 0.50 … Lighting Process
7.10/ 7.70 … Smoking Experience
0.48 / 0.50 … Personal Enjoyment

COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES

“THE MONSTER WAS THE BEST FRIEND I EVER HAD.”

Well-balanced, complex, and nuanced flavors kept me engaged throughout the smoking experience. Subtle notes of dry nuts, cream, and butter are easily picked up against the heavier earthy notes. During my last conversation with Pete Johnson, he had said that cigar reviewers should think about not publishing low cigar review scores. My thought is that if reviewers did that, then scores for cigars like the Boris Karloff Robusto would not stand out. And this score deserves to stand out.

SIMPLY STOGIES RATING: 9.28 / 10.0

Cigar Review: Boris Karloff Robusto from Tatuaje