Those in the know, know that San Andrés Tuxtla (a city in the Los Tuxtla region of the Mexican state of Veracruz) is where most of Mexico’s premium cigar industry is located. This is where Mexican San Andrés comes from. Pete Johnson blended the Tuxtla line to stand up to the strong flavors of the Mexican San Andrés leaf. Which would explain the double Nicaraguan binder in the 7th Tuxtla.
I have a love/hate relationship with Mexican San Andrés. There are some blends that use the leaf to compliment the flavors and provide a rich and nuanced experience. Other cigars with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper fall short and the heavier notes of the wrapper dominate the experience. Where will the the 7th Tuxtla fit into this relationship?
OVERVIEW
VITOLA: 7th
SIZE: 5-5/8″ x 46
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
FACTORY: My Father Cigars S.A.
WRAPPER: Mexican San Andrés
BINDER: Double Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan
STRENGTH: Medium – Full
SOURCE:
Oxford Cigar Company
ENVIRONMENT
WHERE:
In the garage
WHEN:
Noon on Nov. 7
DRINKS:
Simply Stogies Coffee
WEATHER:
45° and 46% humidity
HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:
3
PRODUCTION
RELEASE TYPE Limited Release
ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE June 2022
TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size: Boxes of 25
Production Totals: 2,000 boxes of 25
VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o Corona Gorda/7th (5-5/8″ x 46)
o Petit Robusto/T110 (4-3/8″ x 52)
o Perfecto/Avion 13 (6-7/8″ x 52)
BAND DESIGN
My normal complaint with Tatuaje, that their plain bands make it hard to tell one blend from another, still stands strong with the 7th Tuxtla. The plain brown Tatuaje cigar brand adorns the 7th Tuxtla, along with a green and white second band that has the word “Tuxtla” written on it. My opinion, for whatever that’s worth, is that it’s too plain.; especially for a limited release. While there are only three vitolas in the Tuxtla line, making it infinitely easier to determine which size is which, it still feels plain and kind of cheap. It just isn’t the presentation I would have gone with.
PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
The 7th Tuxtla’s Mexican San Andrés wrapper is toothy as hell, leaving it rough to the touch. Rustic is the perfect word for the 7th Tuxtla. The wrapper on one that I smoked for this review was two different shades of dark brown; so much so, I thought it was a barber pole at first glance. Pockets of oil darken the parts of the wrapper like pot holes on a street. Veins run the length of the 7th Tuxtla, adding to its rustic look. There are no hard or soft spots along any of the cigars.
AROMA
The aroma of the Tatuaje Tuxtla 7th is intoxicating. The Mexican San Andrés wrapper has hints of freshly cut grass, barnyard, and cedar. The foot of the 7th has a much sweeter note of fruit, a hint of a floral note, and tobacco.
COLD DRAW
There is a rich note of fruit that shines through the cold draw. It is followed up with a slightly sour aftertaste and a subtle mix of delicate baking spices.
SMOKING EXPERIENCE
LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Les Fines Lames LE PETITE cigar knife
Fire: ST Dupont Hooked
The initial light has notes of burnt bread, baking spices, roasted nuts, and leather. Pepper stings my nostrils and adds to the spicy light. A hint of slightly burnt butter finds its way into the profile.
SMOKE
The smoke output of the 7th Tuxtla is spectacular. A never ending stream of white, creamy smokes pours out of the 7th. Each draw fills my palate with an seemingly never-ending supply of smoke. It coats my palate and has a very pleasant mouthfeel.
FIRST THIRD
>> Chocolate, Baking Spices, Floral, Black Pepper
As the inital light calms down, the flavors begin to calm down. A herbaceousness lingers on the palate. Notes of chocolate, hay, and leather are immediately noticeable. The retrohale is a strong black pepper and baking spices that sting my nostrils. The smoke remains plentiful and creamy. A buttery caramel note is accompanied by coffee. The first third of the Tuxtla 7th is already full of rich and complex flavor notes that compliment one another. The burn is razor sharp and the ash compact. There is a hint of floral floating in the background. Roasted nuts return to the symphony of flavors.
SECOND THIRD
>> Mushroom, Wood, Cayenne Pepper, Citrus
The middle third begins with notes of cream, mushroom, and black pepper. The baking spices have completely faded, replaced by a musty wood note that reminds of walking through a forest during Fall. Salted nuts and bit of cayenne pepper linger on my palate. White pepper on the retrohale. The herbaceous note from the initial third, is now distinctly floral. Dark chocolate lurks in the background. I have to note that I am impressed by the Tuxtla’s construction. The 7th burns razor sharp and the ash is cohesive and gorgeous. There is a shift in flavor that makes me take notice. Tea with lemon brightens up the rich flavors and adds a nice juxtaposition to the richness. Wood is the dominate flavor now. A touch of citrus brightens it up.
FINAL THIRD
>> Toast, Nuts, Baking Spices, Leather, Caramel
The final third of the Tuxtla 7th is straight chocolate and cayenne pepper. A wood note from the middle third lingers. Toast and roasted nuts mingle as black pepper returns to the retrohale. A touch of avocado oil on the finish. There are some baking spices that come and go with each draw. The smoke output is still magnificent, as is the burn line. Leather wraps around the chocolate note, somehow making it work with the musty wood. Reminiscent of a campfire being put out by a light drizzle. Caramel and butter soften the rough edges.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
FLAVOR PROGRESSION
The 7th Tuxtla provides a rich and complex smoking experience. The first third begins with creamy and herbaceous notes that transition into an almost floral experience. The second third steals the show. The flavor transitions to dark and spicy notes that grab you and make you pay attention. The 7th Tuxtla ends in a symphony of musty, woodsy, and nutty flavors.
BURN EXPERIENCE
First, the smoke on the 7th Tuxtla is absolutely amazing. The construction is pretty damn good, too. The burn line is almost razor sharp throughout the experience. There were only a few times it went a bit wonky, but always self-corrected. There was no need for a touch-up or re-light.
RATING BREAKDOWN
0.60 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.50 / 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
- A complex and nuanced smoking experience.
- The construction was almost perfect.
- I'm just not a fan of the presentation. Tatuaje's bands leaving me bored.
THE TATUAJE 7th TUXTLA DOES RIGHT BY THE REGION.
Color me pleasantly surprised. The Tatuaje 7th Tuxtla did exactly what Pete Johnson said it would. The blend not only stood up to the Mexican San Andrés wrapper, but it allowed the wrapper to shine. Rich notes of chocolate, leather, spices, and pepper melded together with creamy notes of mushroom, wood, nuts, and a herbaceousness. There was even a hint of floral notes. The 7th Tuxtla was anything but overpowering or off-putting; instead, it took those characteristics that can sometimes be too much and made them work for it. For me, the star of the show was the middle third, but that doesn’t mean the other two weren’t good. They were. When I’m deducting points for presentation, you know the cigar is a banger. The Tatuaje 7th Tuxtla is just that.
