The Tatuaje La Vérité is a special and revolutionary collaboration between Pete Johnson (Tatuaje Cigars) and Jose “Pepin” Garcia (Don Pepin & My Father Cigars).  The cigars are composed exclusively of tobaccos grown at Don Pepin’s La Estrella Farm (vega) in Esteli Nicaragua. 

The La Vérité cigar is a true vintage cigar because all of the tobaccos in it are part of the same crop - grown during the same year.  Furthermore, it is an Estate (or Farm) Vintage cigar because all of the tobaccos in it come from one farm.  To our knowledge, this is the first time a premium or super-premium cigar has been produced in this manner; similar to Vintage and Estate wines.  As a Farm Vintage, the La Vérité cigars provide a snapshot of taste and aroma that captures a specific time and place.   

By creating a true Farm Vintage cigar with the La Vérité, Pete Johnson and Jose “Pepin” Garcia managed to elevate the standards and values of the cigar industry.  But, apparently that was not enough.  The La Vérité cigar also includes revolutionary processing and aging (añejamiento) methods.  Traditionally, cigar tobacco is fermented and then the different tobacco leaves (seco, ligero, volado and wrappers) are aged separately (tobacco añejamiento) for months or years before they are rolled into cigars.  The La Vérité cigars are distinguished by the fact that they are rolled after fermentation, skipping the tobacco añejamiento phase.  This unique process allows all of the component tobaccos to start aging together, as opposed to individually.

Until now, no cigar maker had ever attempted [or admitted] to rolling cigars right after fermentation.  Tradition and logic tell us that the tobacco needs to rest and age before it is blended into a premium cigar.  But, that was before Pete Johnson and Don Pepin.  By skipping the tobacco añejamiento phase, these cigar makers are showing a mastery of their tobacco fermentation skills, techniques, and processes.  Furthermore, this true Farm Vintage brings to life the flavor of a specific time and place, creating cigars that are honest, sophisticated, hard-core, revolutionary, and traditional, all at once.  

“… The Body and the tobacco flavors were magical in this thing… It has complexity of flavor… I loved it… I thought it was a great cigar… this is a great light up your palate, celebration cigar…“

-Bob McDuffee, CST - DogWatch Cigar Radio, Episode 294