A good time was had by all!
We’ve been trying to get Tatuaje’s Pete Johnson on the show for quite a while now but he’s one of the busiest guys in the cigar world and it wasn’t until he executive produced tonight’s film that the stars finally aligned. We have a long conversation with Pete about the documentary Hand Rolled obviously, cigars and the state of the industry, but we also touch on his musical past, his passion for wine and how that has influenced several of his blends, and at the end of the night it was just a damn fun chat. So click the links below and join the party!
THE CIGAR – LA VÉRITÉ 2013 by TATUAJE CIGARS
Size: 7 x 47 (churchill)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $20.00 when released in 2016 ($18 nowadays)
In 2010, Pete Johnson took the concept of a single vineyard wine and applied it to his cigars with a special project called the La Vérité. The La Vérité is of course a Nicaraguan puro as it features tobacco from a single vintage and farm, the cigars are rolled and then aged for at least a year in master cabinets before their release. To learn far more about this process just watch the interview below!
Aesthetics are very important when judging the character of a cigar and this cigar scores brilliantly in that area. It’s a beautiful, elegant light brown wrapper that upon toasting the foot immediately has light grey smoke traveling slowly up the body of the cigar. There’s a light, fairly mild pepper on the nose with a distinct and memorable breadlines present on the draw. Yak Boy also picked up a chocolate component throughout the first two thirds that unfortunately the rest of us didn’t get. Fuck you Yak Boy.
In the final third that Nicaraguan earthiness and mineral arise from the ash and they are glorious, plus the bready toasty note is still present (Yak Boy, that asshole, said the chocolate note turned towards a warm dark chocolate) and it’s certainly a strong finish to a highly enjoyable cigar. If you can track down a 2103 La Vérité we highly encourage you to do so.
THE BEERS – ENTER NIGHT & BLANCHE DE CHAMBLY
So… a 45 IBU pilsner, how heavy metal is that?!? Unfortunately not very, they should have named this beer Enter Disappointment (you’ll have to watch the show to see just how disappointed we truly were). How you gonna write a classic song like “Seek & Destroy” and then put your name on a beer with a 5% ABV? It’s crisp and all that but cmon dude… you couldn’t do a Trapped Under Hops Double IPA, a Damage Incorporated Porter, Ride The Lager, or a Master of Imperial Stouts 13% ABV asskicking monster? Jesus Christ, where’s Jason Newstead when you need him?
Our second beer, the Blanche de Chambley from our beloved Unibroue, was exceptional. Even with a severe head cold I got flavors out the whazoo from this sucker. It’s sweet without being too sweet, it’s floral without being obnoxiously floral, it’s simply delicious. No surprise there at all – we all loved this subdued yet delicious and crisp offering from one of our longtime favorite breweries.
THE FILM – HAND ROLLED (2019)
“I wanted to be a part of something that gave back to an industry that’s been so great to me”
Pete Johnson
After talking with Pete about tonight’s film, it’s clear that this film was a passion project for him in every sense of the term. Hand Rolled is a very important documentary in this very turbulent time period for the cigar industry and its ongoing struggles with the FDA. The film expertly showcases the craftsmanship involved in this product we love dearly as well as the familial aspect of the factories that produce premium cigars.
Pete Johnson on the set of “Hand Rolled” with co-director Jesse Mariut
The Hand Rolled team has admirably delivered a film that given a wider and wider audience over time will change some minds and hopefully open up some otherwise closed dialogue among those who maybe swore they were against all things evil tobacco and we really believe that the extremely personal stories in the film from those within the industry (some of their involvement spanning across multiple generations like the Padrons and the Fuentes) hopefully will sway some opinions. Any viewer of the film will be hard pressed to ever lump premium cigars into the same conversation as cigarettes ever again. That’s the power of an effective documentary and, on that note, I can’t see how any cigar virgin can watch Hand Rolled without immediately wanting to run out and try a cigar for the first time. The filmmakers just make it all look so damn sexy. Three big thumbs up!!!
THE NUB
Sayonara motherfuckers!!!
Please leave us comments on the YouTube episode page, provide us with a review on iTunes, or be a real stud and do both! All these seemingly small gestures would be greatly appreciated as they let us know exactly what you’re thinking about this sweat soaked tidal wave of hardbodied insanity we like to call The Tuesday Night Cigar Club.
Below is tonight’s full episode for both your viewing and listening pleasure. Thank you for checking out The Tuesday Night Cigar Club and we’ll see you next time when we review another cigar, adult beverage, and film. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather…
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