Lil Monster reviews

[icehog3]

Bought a 5'er of the Lil Monsters by Tatuaje, figured to earnestly join the conversation I better smoke them.

Tonight was the first, the Lil Frank.

Started off with a pepper blast. Might have been in my wheelhouse 8-9 years ago, but not a flavor I enjoy much anymore.

A little less than 1/3 of the way through, the profile changed, but unfortunately not for the better. The cigar took on a very sour profile for several draws, almost citrus-like but without any sweetness. It was not a flavor I enjoyed, and I thought about putting the cigar down.

1/2 way through, it changed to the flavor that it would retain the rest of the way through...sort of a smooth, leathery profile. Much more pleasant that the sour taste, but nothing groundbreaking nor earthmoving here.

Smoked it to the nub, needed a few touchups for uneven burn but the draw was good and the smoke was plentiful.

Would I seek out another Lil Frank? No.

Only full sized "Monster" cigar I ever smoked was The Face, so I have no way to compare this cigar to the full-size Frank.

I am sure there will be some feedback, and that is fine, but I will use this thread to review the other 4 Lil Monsters as I get to them.

[fencefixer]

Tom smoking an NC.. one might think you're going through a midlife crisis! Thanks for the review, haven't tried any of the monsters yet. Sorry you had a bad experience.

[icehog3]

It wasn't terrible, DC, it just wasn't that good. Smoked an Illusione 88 last night, my crisis must be serious! :lr

[longknocker]

Thanks For The Review, Tom! I'm Letting My Little Monsters Rest Awhile.:)

[688sonarmen]

When I saw you were going to review these it perked my interest. Subscribed:tu

[icehog3]

I may smoke another tonight, Jake, I am hoping to find at least 1 that I can give a positive review to .

[363]

I may smoke another tonight, Jake, I am hoping to find at least 1 that I can give a positive review to .

I have only smoked 2 a wofie and babyface, everyone has put babyface at the bottom but I enjoyed that one over the wofie

[kelmac07]

Tom doing a Tatuaje Limited Release review??? You know I got the popcorn out and watching. :D

[688sonarmen]

I've only smoked the baby face. It would have been better but like the big version it had a tight draw.

[T.G]

Tom, with the exception of the sour part, that's pretty much what I got out of the Lil' Frank that I smoked a week ago at Ratter's house while herfing with Steve, Bob & Amos. I can't honestly say I remember a sour part to the cigar I smoked though, it might have been there, it might not have been, but if it was, it didn't last very long.

Steve & Bob both tried a few puffs off the cigar at various points too. None of us really found the pepper enjoyable, and Steve smokes basically nothing but full bodied Nicaraguan and Honduran cigars. Steve did comment that the latter part of the cigar was similar to how he remembered the Frank.

[icehog3]

Adam, the sour part was short-lived, maybe 4 or 5 draws, but very pronounced.

[T.G]

Since I wasn't smoking it to review it, I wasn't paying that close an attention to the cigar - I might just have lumped it in as tongue bite from the pepper.

[icehog3]

Since I wasn't smoking it to review it, I wasn't paying that close an attention to the cigar - I might just have lumped it in as tongue bite from the pepper.

I wasn't implying that you missed anything, Brother, I have had cigars out of the same box with different profiles, so you never know. :)

[NCRadioMan]

Just like all other monster series and special edition Tats, I don't bother as they can't beat the original Brown line, imo. The original Frank was and still is the most boring cigar I have ever had.

[CigarGuy88]

I noticed the first inch or so of the lil frank sucked as well.... it seemed to get much better closer to the middle of the cigar tho

[T.G]

I wasn't implying that you missed anything, Brother, I have had cigars out of the same box with different profiles, so you never know. :)

I realize that and I never thought you were implying anything, my friend.

My previous post should be read as more of a "thinking out loud" comment than anything else.

[icehog3]

Saw someone raving about the Lil Mummy on another thread, maybe that one is next, Adam. :)

[T.G]

Looking forward to reading your thoughts on whichever one you choose to smoke next, Tom.

[icehog3]

Next up in my Lil Monster reviews is the Lil Mummy.

Again great construction, no touch-ups needed throughout this smoke.

No pepper blast...we are off to a better start.

Early on, I can't stop thinking of the '01 Vegas Robaina Classicos from "the sale". Mild, somewhat muted flavor with a hint of cola taste. Each time I concentrate on the taste, I can't help but come back to this comparison. Odd, but much more pleasant than the mace in the face start of the Lil Frank.

About a third of the way in, the flavor changes and the taste reminds me of oak...the way a beer or liquor aged in an oak barrel has that woody hint to it. Still mild, this profile lasts most of the rest of the smoke. A couple more hints of the Classico near the end, and one strange draw where I thought I could taste Sprite...sort of a sweet citrus, but it was gone almost as soon as it arrived.

So with two down, my ranking is:

1. Lil Mummy
2. Lil Frank

Would I buy another Lil Mummy? While it wasn't a bad smoke at all, it certainly doesn't warrant an 8 to 9 dollar pricetag for this Hog.

[688sonarmen]

Sounds good Tom! I think I'll let mine sit a while.

[Blak Smyth]

Thanks for doing this Tom, you got balls!

[WittyUserName]

awesome review Tom. I am looking forward to your wolfie and face reviews. Those are the two I have smoked so far. I think I am going to start next monday's herf with the mini mum.

[CRIMPS]

Thanks for sharing, Tom. This has been fun to read, so far. Your last statement, regarding the price tag, has been ringing in the back of my head as well.

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

Thanks for taking one for the team Tom:D

[icehog3]

#3 tonight after work....the Lil Face.

This one started with a pepper blast, but unlike the Frank it wasn't on the tongue...right in the throat. Not pleasant.

After a few draws, the pepper settled down, and the smoke took on a leathery, earthy profile. More pleasant than the pepper, but pretty boring (just like the full sized Face, the only full size Monster I have smoked) . I smoked it down to about an inch and a half before setting it down.

The lighter part of the wrapper didn't want to seem to burn...disappointing, because I wanted to see if it might change the flavor.

I will say that this one was fuller bodied than the previous two.

Ranking them so far:

Would I buy another one? Absolutely not.

1. Lil Mummy
2. Lil Face
3. Lil Frank

Wolfie and Drac left to go.

[longknocker]

Thanks For The Reviews, Brother!:D:tu

[STEVE S]

Thanks for this interesting review, I am letting my box rest for a little while.

[icehog3]

#4 was the Lil Wolfie, which I just finished.

Started off with...you guessed it, a pepper blast. Mellowed out after a few draws to a relatively pleasant earthy profile, and did not deviate from there. About 2/3rds of the way through, I was completely bored and underwhelmed, and I set Wolfie down.

Sorry for the short review, but there really isn't much to say about this one....needless to say, at $8-9 bucks, I would not buy another.

So the rankngs through 4:

1. Lil Mummy
2. Lil Wolfie (tie)
2. Lil Face (tie)
3. Lil Frank

[Coach Deg]

Thank you for the reviews. Never been a Tat fan, but I thought I would give these a shot. Now I might just pass.

[icehog3]

I understand, Mike.... I have no plans to revisit any of the first 4.

It's bumming me a little, I truly went into this with an open mind, as I have enjoyed several NCs that I have smoked this year....but these have done little for me so far.

[Ogre]

Admiral, I honestly believe these cigars will need some rest before reaching peak. I have smoked the full size of these sticks and liked them. I am going to let mine sit for at least the next 6 months.

[Silound]

Tom,

I agree with Larry on this one. Most of the other October Tats that I've smoked were FAR and away better with a little time on them. The pepper mellows out quite nicely and it has a far more earthy profile.

If you'd like one, I think I still have a Boris or two and a couple Wolfmans left I'd send you to try.

[icehog3]

Admiral, I honestly believe these cigars will need some rest before reaching peak. I have smoked the full size of these sticks and liked them. I am going to let mine sit for at least the next 6 months.

Maybe I will grab another batch down the line and do this again, Larry, that makes sense.

Tom,

I agree with Larry on this one. Most of the other October Tats that I've smoked were FAR and away better with a little time on them. The pepper mellows out quite nicely and it has a far more earthy profile.

If you'd like one, I think I still have a Boris or two and a couple Wolfmans left I'd send you to try.

If you would like to do a trade, I would love to try one of each....PM me if there is something you would like to try that I can send your way. :)

[icehog3]

Tonight was the final Monster, the Lil Drac.

Like most of the others, it started with some pepper...but I wouldn't call it a "blast", just more of a pepper spice. That faded relatively quickly with the Drac, and became a smooth, earthy profile. A little more complexity in this one kept me interested, got some sweet bready notes in the middle before the earth took center stage again. This one I smoked to the nub, it was a relatively pleasant cigar.

All the Lil Monsters were well constructed, with good draws and the need for only a couple minor touch-ups on a couple of them.

Perhaps, as Larry and Adam implied, I erred by smoking them fresh, and they will mellow with age and become cigars I might enjoy more. I have seem some glowing reviews for some of them "fresh", so I wanted to see what the hype was myself.

Would I buy another Lil Drac? Much like the Lil Mummy, the Lil Drac wasn't a bad cigar, I just don't think it warrants the price tag.

I look forward to trying the full sized Drac and Wolfman to see if I enjoy them more than I did the Face.

My final ranking of the Lil Monsters (smoked fresh):

1. Lil Mummy
2. Lil Drac
3. Lil Wolfie (tie)
3. Lil Face (tie)
5. Lil Frank

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

I think this song pretty much sums up Tats, especially the monsters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1tiLOMjSiQ

[icehog3]

I think this song pretty much sums up Tats, especially the monsters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1tiLOMjSiQ

I can't speak for anyone but myself, Nate, that's why I wanted to try them.

I can certainly say that for me personally, they aren't worth the price.

[maverickdrinker]

Nice reviews Tom. Was curious about the lil monsters seeing the excitement surrounding them Looking forward to seeing if your reviews of their Elder siblings.

[icehog3]

Admiral, I honestly believe these cigars will need some rest before reaching peak. I have smoked the full size of these sticks and liked them. I am going to let mine sit for at least the next 6 months.

Looks like I will get to re-do the Lil Monster reviews in 6 months thanks to Black Coral (John), Larry (Ogre) and the FLA Crew. :)

[longknocker]

Looks like I will get to re-do the Lil Monster reviews in 6 months thanks to Black Coral (John), Larry (Ogre) and the FLA Crew. :)

:banger:D:tu

[Hem]

Nice review Tom! Looking forward to hearing an update on the semi-aged ones!

[icehog3]

Nice review Tom! Looking forward to hearing an update on the semi-aged ones!

If I can remember, they will start about February 2013, Bill. :)

[icehog3]

Tom,

I agree with Larry on this one. Most of the other October Tats that I've smoked were FAR and away better with a little time on them. The pepper mellows out quite nicely and it has a far more earthy profile.

If you'd like one, I think I still have a Boris or two and a couple Wolfmans left I'd send you to try.

Adam not only sent me a Boris and a Wolfman, but added in an '07 Tat Noella, an '09 Cabiguan Guapa Guapa, a mysterious mystery stick, and some of Louisiana's favorite coffee. Look like a couple (not Lil) Monster reviews are coming before Feb.:)

Thanks a bunch, Adam, very cool of you! :D

[Silound]

No problem, hope you enjoy them! Reviews, por favor!

[Black Coral]

Looks like I will get to re-do the Lil Monster reviews in 6 months thanks to Black Coral (John), Larry (Ogre) and the FLA Crew. :)

You are so welcome Icehog. Look forward to smoking them and seeing a new review.

We know you loved the first round!!

:r

[icehog3]

You are so welcome Icehog. Look forward to smoking them and seeing a new review.

We know you loved the first round!!

:r

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa73/icehog3/SHIVGurkha-1.jpg

[VirtualSmitty]

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa73/icehog3/SHIVGurkha-1.jpg

Is that a Ghurka Tom!?

[icehog3]

Is that a Ghurka Tom!?

Yes, Joe, and it turned me into a newt.


I got better.

[icehog3]

Looks like I will get to re-do the Lil Monster reviews in 6 months thanks to Black Coral (John), Larry (Ogre) and the FLA Crew. :)

OK, took 8 1/2 months, but I finally broke open the "rested" Lil Monster stash tonight.

First up was the Lil Drac, the last one I smoked on the first go-round.

The pepper has faded, so that is the good. So has the complexity, that was the bad. Most of the cigar was a mild, mainly straight tobacco profile. About half way through I got an unpleasant sour flavor for a bit, which thankfully faded after a few minutes. Got one of the strangest flavors I have ever gotten from a cigar at another point, tasted like a McDonalds regular hamburger. Unfortunately, I don't like McDonalds. ;) :r

Frankly, I remember enjoying the Lil Drac more when it was "fresh"....though I am not a big fan of pepper, it smoothed out with some decent complexity last time, and all the things that were enjoyable about it last time were gone.

So far, the theory that resting these for 6 (or more) months will improve them isn't holding true for me.

I will try to get to the next one early next week.

[bighairlogo]

thanks for giving us an update Tom! I have been curious how these were going to age.

[ironchefscott]

I really loved the drac and the wolfie I had when they were fresh. But I don't know if it is my palate changing to mostly love CC's or them changing but I have tried a wolfie and was alot less happy with it this go around last week.

[FUEL]

Adam, the sour part was short-lived, maybe 4 or 5 draws, but very pronounced.And even though it was short lived the part that sucks is now every time you think of that stick when its mentioned that is what your mind will revert back to.

[Mattso3000]

I liked some of these but pitched the Drac about halfway through and made it that far through willpower alone. I have another sitting if you want it, Tom :D

[icehog3]

And even though it was short lived the part that sucks is now every time you think of that stick when its mentioned that is what your mind will revert back to.

No worries, I will never smoke another one of these again. ;)

I liked some of these but pitched the Drac about halfway through and made it that far through willpower alone. I have another sitting if you want it, Tom :D

Refer to my above comment, Matt. :lr