Tatuaje Gran Cojonu

The Gran Cojonu was introduced by Tatuaje's founder Pete Johnson in 2005. It is related to other Cojonu releases that came out three years apart from each other in 2003, 2006, and 2009. Industry icon Jose “Don Pepin” Garcia added his expertise in the production of the Gran Cojonu to help ensure a quality product.

The Gran Cojonu is quite large and measures 6 ½ x 60. The cigar's filler is made from 100 percent first generation Cuban seed tobacco grown in Nicaragua. The binder is Nicaraguan as well, and a Nicaraguan Corojo '99 wrapper is the final piece of the puzzle. The Gran Cojonu is handmade at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in the Little Havana section of Miami, Florida. As stated in the introduction, Don Pepin Garcia oversees production and only the factory's master rollers are allowed to partake in the manufacturing process. True to Cuban tradition, the Gran Cojonu is topped off with a Cuban triple cap. The cigar is said to fall in between the categories of medium and full-bodied.

When first looking at the Gran Cojonu it is very hard to ignore its mammoth size. To be quite honest, this is one cigar that is intimidating, especially in terms of thickness. Perhaps adding to the intimidation factor is the fact that Tatuaje decided to skip out on putting any decorative bands on the cigar, giving it a more manly appearance. Its chocolate brown wrapper has plenty of oil on the surface, and there are some small veins that are visible. The cigar feels very firm to the touch, with no real soft spots that are noticeable. It also appears to be very well constructed, which is not too surprising considering the background on the cigar and how only the factory's top rollers produce it. Before lighting, there is a scent of tobacco and a cold taste that is sweet.