BACKGROUND: It started in the year 2000 At that time, Pete Johnson of Tatuaje cigars released the first of the Tatuaje Cojonu line of cigars. The Tatuaje Cojonu is released once every three years and only in one size.
The original cigar was called the Gran Cojonu, which was released in 2000 and was the only cigar in the line to come without a cigar band. The cigar was a 6 -inch by 60 ring gauge Toro Gordo that shipped in boxes of 12 cigars.

Then came the Cojonu 2003, a 6 x 52 Toro that was displayed in boxes of 25. This cigar sports the original Tatuaje brown cigar band and also has a secondary band that is very similar to the Edición Limitada bands found on many Cuban cigars.

This secondary band displays the name Cojonu and also has the year of release. Since the 2003 edition, all subsequent Cojonu cigars come in this double-banded format. I started my journey with the Cojonu line with this 2003 and I just smoked the last of my first batch a couple of weeks ago.

The Cojonu 2006 was a 5 x 52 Belicoso, also shipped in boxes of 25. I put this cigar through an entire review cycle on Stogie Fresh and the average score of the 4 reviews was a 90 out of 100. I'm happy to report that I still have some of these fine cigars awaiting future smoking in my humidor.

The 2009 Cojonu is the most recent revelation of this line and it sports an unusual shape. I like to call it a Belichurchill as it's roughly the size and shape of a Churchill, but also has the sharply sloped head of a Belicoso.

I recently purchased a box of the 2009 Cojonu and I've been happily conducting research on my way to featuring this cigar in this episode. So, today on Stogie Fresh 5 I am proud to feature the 6 inch by 48 ring Cojonu 2009.

TASTING NOTES: This cigar is Spicy, earthy and has a rich, long finish. This cigar displays nuances of roasted Angus, mesquite, and savory BBQ chicken. There is also a tangy zest on the palate and an undertone of dark roasted coffee, which reminds me, my son is back from Iraq and is once again stationed at Ft. Hood in Texas. Well he got a couple of weeks off and came home for a visit. The first cigar we smoked together was this Cojonu 2009 and we had it with some French Pressed coffee. It was a great match with coffee; a good after dinner smoke with a fine brew. This cigar has some horsepower and might scare away some folks. Nevertheless, this Cojonu is not nearly as strong as were the original Cojonu 2003 and 2006. Perhaps it's the Ecuadorian Habano that is making the difference, but whatever it is, this cigar is no slouch and it is a very flavorful smoke. In fact, I think it shows way more complexity than either the Cojonu 2003 or 2006 in the original blends.

As the second half rolled around, this cigar became more intense with flavors of coffee, bakers chocolate and tobacco sweetness. The retrohale really heated up with a good dose of pepper spice that threatened to melt my nasal mucosa.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a delicious and yet challenging smoke. Challenging because I don't think that everyone will enjoy it. I think this cigar is really best reserved for those with experienced palates and a hankering for adventure.

~Doc