The Tatuaje ME II Belicoso smacks you with Nicaraguan firepower wrapped in a Mexican San Andres cloak. This 5"x52 figurado packs serious nicotine punch, dripping with that signature Tatuaje maduro swagger. At roughly $8.70 per stick in 15-count boxes, it's prime territory for bold-flavor chasers.
Cold draw hits like espresso grounds dipped in blackstrap molasses. Initial puffs unleash pepper spray through the nose - we're talking red chili flakes and asphalt. The San Andres wrapper contributes bitter cocoa dust that sticks to your teeth.
Burn stabilizes into leathery undertones with charred oak dominance. Noticeable nicotine buzz creeps in around the 30-minute mark. Retrohale reveals hidden sweetness - think burnt caramel struggling through the smoke cloud.
Last inch turns into a nicotine gauntlet. Earthy notes morph into mineral-heavy soil profile, like licking a wet river rock. Tar buildup demands purging past halfway point. Not for the faint-hearted - I clocked 75 minutes to nub with shaky hands.
The triple cap unraveled cleanly with my Xi2 cutter. Burn line needed two corrections - typical for box-pressed maduros. Ash held firm in 1" chunks, charcoal gray with black speckling. Wrapper oils left residue on fingers that smelled like a blacksmith's forge.
Pair with strong black coffee or peated Scotch to match its intensity. Best enjoyed after heavy meals - attempted morning smoke left me needing orange juice and a lie-down. Aging potential shows in 2020 boxes developing plum undertones beneath the brute strength.
