Has anyone purchased or tried the new Tatuaje Havana Verocu Regional Editions. I received an e-mail from a shop saying they have the west version in stock, but aside from the brief mention they got on this website, I haven't heard much about them. Does anyone know if they are a limited production cigar and/or if the blend is any different from the regular Havana VI line?

The Havana IV line is actually the red-band version that is made in Nicaragua. The regional releases are brown band, made in Miami, which is a much stronger blend than Havana IV.

I'm sure the regionals aren't much different than the regular Tatuajes but like you, I'd still like to hear from anyone who's tried them.

The regional releases that I saw pictured on the ca website had red bands with a second silver band below it, so I just assumed they were Havana VI. Here is the link with the pic.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Features/CA_Fea.../0,2344,1851,00.html

You're right, I'm wrong. Thanks for the correction. Here's more info from CA:

TATUAJES FOR EAST AND WEST
BY DAVID SAVONA
Pete Johnson, creator of the Tatuaje cigar brand, is taking
a page from the Cuban cigar industry and coming
out with a regional version of his popular brand.
Tatuaje Verocu, which is expected to be on sale by the
end of June or in early July, will come in two sizes, one
available only in the Eastern half of the United States, the
other in the West. The Eastern size, which measures 5 1/2
inches by 54 ring gauge, goes by the name Zona del Este,
for Eastern zone. The Western size is longer
but thinner, measuring 6 1/4 by 52, and is
called Lado Occidental, or Western side.
Each will have a suggested retail price
of $10.
The cigars are made by Tabacalera
Cubana S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua, under
the tutelage of Pepin Garcia. They are
extensions of the “red label” Tatuaje
being made in Nicaragua.
Verocu is a Cuban slang term meaning
ballsy, similar to the term cojonu, which
Johnson uses on a particularly strong
Miami-made Tatuaje.
The previous releases of Tatuaje
Havana VI, or Tatuaje red labels, are not
quite as powerful as those made in
Miami. They are made without ligero,
the strongest form of filler tobacco. The
Verocus will be the first Tatuaje Reds
made with ligero, to dial up the strength.
“It’s my Cojonu from Nicaragua,” said Johnson, “like the red label on steroids.” They are made
entirely from Nicaraguan tobaccos.
The cigars have the red-label Tatuaje band, with a second
band reading Exclusivo Zona del Este or Exclusivo
Lado Occidental, depending on the size. The second bands
will look familiar to smokers of Cuban cigars—they are a
near carbon copy of Cuba’s Regional Edición bands,
which also have the word “Exclusivo.”
“I love what the Cubans do,” said Johnson. “I think
their packaging is simplistic, but it gets the point across. I
like to emulate what they do.”

For anyone in the DC area, Curtis Draper has both the East and West sizes.

Cheers!

I have had two of these so far, I really like them. Very spicy and strong. If you put these down for 6 months, I bet it would be one of the best out there for sure.

Tobaccoworldcigar.com Kris Braso did a review of both versions of these.You might want to check out his website to see what he says about them. (Hope I have not violated any policies on AC by mentioning this.)

[QUOTE]Picture of TMFIII

Posted July 13, 2007 06:00 PM Hide Post
For anyone in the DC area, Curtis Draper has both the East and West sizes.

Cheers!

You know i went to there web site did a search the cigars did not come up.

Hey SB,

Draper's website is horrible!!! They only list less than, I'm guessing, 5% of the brands and sizes they sell. Most of their business is walk-in and I think they save all the good stuff for that purpose.

I've heard that they may expand mail-order/internet business if profits start to decline due to the DC/MD (GOD NO Virginia) smoking restrictions.

Sorry for all you internet folks.

Cheers!

SB,

Jack Schwartz just got a shipment of the East version in if you are looking for some. They have singles and boxes listed on their website.

From what I understand, in order to get the limited editions, retailers must buy a big quantity of the regular red-band Tatauje. If you find them, might as well get them, since you probably won't see them at many tobacconists.

quote:

Posted July 27, 2007 02:51 PM Hide Post
Hey SB,

Draper's website is horrible!!! They only list less than, I'm guessing, 5% of the brands and sizes they sell. Most of their business is walk-in and I think they save all the good stuff for that purpose.

I've heard that they may expand mail-order/internet business if profits start to decline due to the DC/MD (GOD NO Virginia) smoking restrictions.

Sorry for all you internet folks. Wink

Cheers!

Hey thanks for the heads up TMFIII I guess i will check out Jack Schwartz.

I got one of these from a semi local shop. He said it was the east coast version, and production was only 1000 boxes supposedly.

This was the first of the marque I have tried, and it lived up to the reputation these cigars perpetuate here on this forum. I will positivly try some of their other cigars next time I frequent this shop, but I couldn't remember which were short filler and the guy working there said none of them are which I know to be wrong.

Anyway it was an enjoyable hour and a half fishing and toking.

I smoked my East Coast version on Wednesday night. It burned beautifully and was definitely on the strong and spicy side. I agree with the above post re: letting them sit in the humi for a while. I'll wait until the new year to smoke the West Coast version.

Ummmmm. . . .

Cheers!

I've been smoking a lot of the East Coast lately. The blend hits a sweet spot for me right between the red band and brown band Tats: full flavor that I can handle on an empty stomach.

I tell you i love both versions.

quote:

Originally posted by SHEEPSHEAD BAY:
I tell you i love both versions.

The blend is the same, correct? I just ordered a cab of 50 West Coasts so I could have some of both for aging.

where did you get the west ones if you dont mind me asking i would love to try one since i do live in fl didnt think i could get them..

quote:

Originally posted by rrtree:
where did you get the west ones if you dont mind me asking i would love to try one since i do live in fl didnt think i could get them..

tobacco barn or newhavancigars are both good sources for tatuajes. the blend in both sizes are the same, only the size is different. both are very good cigars, just as you'd expect form a tatuaje.

I was just doing a little snooping around and it looks like newhavanacigars.com has some of these. There is actually a sampler that looks pretty good and it contains both the east and the west.

http://www.newhavanacigars.com/Tatuaje_HAVANA_Sampler_p...i-havana-sampler.htm