Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial is dark tan and carries some lightly raised veins that are outlined in a lighter shade of tan. The seams are raised in some areas while the caps are very well applied. There are two bands, with the primary being gold, black, red, white and blue and carrying the initials of the owner. The secondary is the traditional gold and black Escasos band. The aroma from the wrapper is cedar, earth and cardboard, while the foot brings cedar, earth and stone fruit sweetness. The pre-light draw brings aged cedar and dusty earth.
Seth: The Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial is lovely in hand. The cigar is finished with a wrapper that is between Natural and light Colorado, and it has this fine sandy earth coloring. There are medium sized veins present throughout, and present in the texture. The cigar has a silky and leather like texture. The aroma on the foot is that of rich earth, warm spices and barnyard, while the wrapper gives off leather and tobacco notes.
John: The Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial does not come in cellophane and lacks a UPC sticker. There was a primary Tatuaje band and a secondary Escasos band. I weighed the cigar at 18.5 grams and measured the humidity at 67.6% using the CigarMedics HumidiMeter Pro. Smelling the wrapper, I could pick out aromas of sweet wood, bread and a faint vegetal/grassy note. The foot was mostly comprised of sweet tobacco and wood.
Jiunn: The Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial has a Colorado claro wrapper shade. Wrapper quality feels and looks good, providing an even layer of oiliness and uniformity. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Pre-light aromas consist of heavy barnyard, cheese, cedar and natural mixed nuts sweetness.

Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with aged, toasted cedar, earth and some black pepper. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper becomes pretty bold. The retrohale is toasted cedar, zingy black pepper and earth. At an inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit and a mild creaminess joins the profile. At an inch and a half in, the pepper mellows a bit more. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is up front, with earth and black pepper in the middle of the profile and some creaminess in the background. The strength was slightly below medium.
Seth: The PJ 50th begins with salted wood and musty barnyard notes. There are faint dry earth qualities on top of leather and tobacco notes. There are faint spices present with the cigar, but nothing too peppery. Bits of toasted nuts are present as well. In terms of strength and body, the cigar was at a medium to medium-full level.
John: The first third opens with light wood and sweet tobacco at the front, followed by mild wood on the post draw. The retrohale introduces mild pepper that builds in intensity and lingers on the finish. As the third settles in, the pepper note rapidly fades, replaced by creamy tobacco on the front of the draw. A light cinnamon note joins at the end of the puff. As the third progresses, a lemon citrus sweetness emerges in the center of the profile, adding an intriguing brightness.
Jiunn: The first third captures full flavors beautifully. Richness in all aspects of barnyard funk, cheesy funkiness, sweet and creamy roasted nuts, and nostril and rear palate hitting dried red pepper spice. The finish is clean with lingering aged cedar and subtle red pepper spice. Strength is medium-full and body is medium.

Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the earth increases a bit. At a half inch in, the creaminess picks up a bit. The retrohale is now just toasted cedar and earth. At an inch and a half in, the earth is now right behind the toasted cedar. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper in the middle of the profile and creaminess in the back half. The strength bumped up to medium.
Seth: The second third of the cigar shows a continuation of the flavors in the first third. Salted wood and musty barnyard notes. Faint dry earth, leather and tobacco notes with a finish of nuts and soft spices. The flavor profile is subtle, and not in your face. Dryer flavor profile. Like before, the strength and body are between a medium and medium-full level.
John: The second third begins with creamy baking spices, light-plus musty wood in the center, and mildly tannic wood on the finish. Delayed baking spices linger on the post draw at light-plus strength. As the cigar moves toward the halfway point, the center becomes wood-forward, and light-plus earth joins the finish. In the bottom half, lingering wood dominates the post draw.
Jiunn: The second third continues to show boldness in flavors while also capturing good balance. Still the same richness in barnyard funk, cheesy funkiness, sweet and creamy roasted nuts and nostril and rear palate sticking dried red pepper spice. Strength and body continues to be medium-full and medium, respectively.

Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the black pepper has now mellowed to become even with the creaminess in the back half of the profile. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. At three quarters of an inch in, the black pepper picks back up a bit. At an inch and a half in, the toast level increases a bit. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper in the middle of the profile and creaminess in the back half. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The final third delivers the similar flavor profile that was present in the first and second third. Salted wood with musty barnyard and dry earth flavors. Earth, tobacco, nuts and soft spices are present as well. Strength and body are between medium and medium-full to the end. Faint spice notes.
John: The final third starts with creamy tobacco and tannic wood, followed by medium-minus earth and minerality on the finish. Tannic wood continues into the post draw but begins to soften as dryness increases. By the halfway point of the last third, the cigar presents creamy wood up front, mild mustiness in the center and tannic wood finishing the profile.
Jiunn: The final third loses a lot of the boldness and complexities of the first two thirds. The profile has been reduced to mainly cedar and dried red pepper spice. Strength and body finishes the same medium-full and medium, respectively.

Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial

Burn

Aaron: The burn was wavy throughout, but always self-corrected. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.
Seth: The burn was good throughout. Not perfect, but solid.
John: The burn started unevenly but corrected about ¼” in. As it continues, it becomes wavy in the second third and went out at the halfway point, requiring a re-light. The cigar went out twice more in the final third, totaling three re-lights during the review. It’s always possible something like this is down to user error, I am a notably slow smoker.
Jiunn: Burn performance was fair. Two entire re-lights within the second third.

Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: The draw was solid from start to finish.
John: Measured at 50 inches of water with the CigarMedics draw machine. Subjectively, the draw was 1½ to 2 notches toward the resistant side, offering a firm but functional draw.
Jiunn: Draw performance was great, giving the ideal balance of air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with aged, toasted cedar, earth and some black pepper. The black pepper ramped up and then mellowed and some creaminess joined in. The second third saw the earth and creaminess both increase a bit. The final third saw the black pepper mellow and then pick back up to the middle of the profile. Later, the toast level increased. The Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial had a nice start, with a good combination of flavors. It dropped a level in the second third as the earth picked up and the pepper mellowed. It remained at that level through the remainder of the cigar. I liked the concept of the aged nature of this cigar, but past the first third, that profile didn’t really deliver. The price is really high, but regardless of that, the profile didn’t deliver enough to make me want to come back to it.
Seth: The Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial was an enjoyable cigar from start to finish. It was a balanced blend that was consistent. It may not have been overly complex, or deliver a lot of transitioning, but it was just good throughout the entire smoking experience. It was a blend that I would come back to over and over, and it’s a cigar that I would enjoy aging as well to see how it changes over the years. The salted wood notes were lovely with the dry earth, and musty barnyard notes. The cigar had a flavor profile to my liking.
John: The Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial starts strong with a bright and flavorful first third, showcasing sweet tobacco, citrus, cinnamon and creamy textures. However, as the cigar moves into the second and final thirds, the profile shifts toward wood-forward and tannic earthiness, with the earlier complexity fading. While the draw was very good, burn issues plagued the experience, including three re-lights and persistent burn irregularities. Despite its promising start, the cigar ultimately settled into a more muted and uneven performance. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 47 minutes.
Jiunn: I found the Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial to be a good representation of Tatuaje but a deviation of the typical brand. The flavors showed both richness, depth and cohesiveness without being aggressive (sort of like the wisdom and knowledge you get being older). While I hate the ridiculous price point, I need to give props to the tasty smoking experience. Someone please buy me more.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$9.17

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$8.25

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.55

Cost/Point

$9.91

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.87

Cost/Point

$8.01

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Tatuaje PJ 50th Toro Especial