Tatuaje-The 7th Reserva

Tatuaje-The 7th Reserva - Much to chagrin of Tatuaje fans everywhere, Pete and Pepin have released a handful of cigars, that are in continuous production.  In other words, you'll be able to get your hands on them.  One of these cigars is the Petit Reserva.  A delicious little 4"x 40 ring - read the review HERE.  The other selections are the 7th and 7th Reserva.  These cigars are part of the "Cazadores" or "Brown Label" series and while they share the same blend - the Reservas are wrapped in a Connecticut Broadleaf. 
The 7th got its namesake because it happens to be the 7th vitola in the line.  A great balance of length and gauge - the cigar sits at 5 5/8" x 46 ring.  I love slimmer ring gauges, and unless you're smoking a lancero - smaller ring gauges usually means shorter cigars - and with shorter cigars comes less smoke time.
However, the 7th is slim and has enough length to make this a nice, relaxing smoke.
As I mentioned before, the 7th Reserva is wrapped in a Connecticut Broadleaf, bound by Nicaraguan and filled with a Nicaraguan blend. 
Prelight
Shocker!!!! - This cigar is extremely well-made.  From the triple cap to the full and firm feel of the cigar, the 7th beams rolled perfection.  I know, I know; that is not shocking at all.  Tatuaje's products are consistently quality. 
The wrapper is colored like dark chocolate, seemingly veinless and shines with a light layer of oil.  There are no noticeable flaws, and it is obvious these wrapper leaves were groomed for display; alhtough the thick aroma suggests taste was the goal.  Either way, this wrapper leaf is impressive.  I'm a big Broadleaf lover, and when I saw the 7th available, I grabbed the Reserva without even thinking.
With the cap clipped, I find a smooth and effortless prelight draw.  The cigar puts off a strong smell of roasted coffee.

Sparking it
The first few puffs are in your face and strong.  Very peppery and extremely full bodied.  After about 1" the strength tones down a bit with smoother flavors prevailing.  The pepper moves to the background a bit, all the while being a prominent characteristic in the flavor profile.  I taste roasted coffee and burnt chocolate. 
The ash burns to a whitish gray and holds on strong for about 3".  The cigar has a lot of nuances in flavor and each drag yields a huge cloud of full-bodied smoke.

Smoking it
I've never smoked a Cazadores Reserva, and the Broadleaf really takes the brown label blend into a different dimension.  The cigar is very full-bodied, but never over powers.  After the halfway point the cigar smoke thickens and the strength, which had been gradually declining, is now picking back up.  The pepper picks up a tad, but this cigar is not a spice bomb.  The 7th Reserva is a beautiful balance of strength and smooth flavor. 
Thankfully, I had eaten a ncie dinner before smoking this cigar.  I would advise you to do the same.  I had a little bit of water with my cigar, but a hot chocolate or sweetened coffee would offer an amazing compliment to the strength this cigar has.
The final third of the cigar really got interesting as some smoked dark fruit flavors became part of the profile.  While it is complex, it is consistently flavorful and strong.  This cigar is not for medium smokers.  I don't know if this is because of the Broadleaf or the qualities of the 7th size, but this cigar felt fuller than other brown labels I've had.  Even though they feature the same blend, this cigar and the Petit (which I've smoked several recently) seem like completely different cigars.  A perfect display of how ring gauge and length can alter the flavor.

I highly recommend smoking the 7th.  That 46 ring gauge brings out the brown label's mean side.

Overall - A