Soaring into the review lineup today is the Tatuaje Avion 13 Reserva.  First let me say that I love the Avion line extension from Tatuaje....extending the Fausto line, that is.  Where the Fausto is a stick of TNT, I have often found the Avion line to be a touch lighter and more elegant than the devil dancing on your taste buds of the Fausto line.  Now that I think about it, that is probably the whole point to the Avion line.  But I digress.

The Avion 13 Reserva is actually a spin off of the Avion Limited, which used an Ecuadorian Habano Maduro wrapper.  Somewhere along the line, Pete decided to change the wrapper to his tried and true broadleaf and the Reserva blend was born.  I like this choice, myself.  Before II go much further, I better get smoking....

Construction: Keeping true to form, as with nearly all Tatuaje products, the Avion has a very rustic look to it.  The wrapper leaf is thick with one or two veins here and there.  Dry in appearance with spots of oil and that gold dust sparkle we have come to expect from Pete's broadleaf ventures, makes for a really nice looking product.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: Out of the cellophane, the Tatuaje Avion 13 Reserva gives up some hefty aromas.  Leather, coffee, earth, and some manure from the body of  the cigar and some very sweet chocolate from the foot. The draw is absolutely perfect.

Light and Burn: Flawless in both departments.  No issues.  No touch-ups.  No complaints.

Tasting: The start is unmistakably Tatuaje.  There is a flavor that each Pete Johnson release contains that can't be found anywhere else.  That is one of the multitude of things that makes Tatuaje cigars great.  The flavor is intense and rich - loaded with notes of leather, pepper, and spices.

The first third develops into a deep cocoa laced Connecticut broadleaf bombshell.  There are some notes of anise, earth, and leather mingled with a black pepper core that just scream at your palate.  I would aim the strength meter on this one at the medium to full level so far.  While not as in-your-face strong as the Fausto, it does deliver a pretty mighty punch.  Performance is rock solid so far.

The second third is a little softer in terms of strength but the pepper and leather really take over.  There are still tones of cocoa, coffee, and spice in there but less prominent.  A sweetness of oak and some minerals add to the array of flavors that already make this a special cigar.

The final third, sad occasion as it may be, touches with lots of the same notes from the first thirds...cocoa, leather, oak, and black pepper.  I have said before that, although we often call upon those words in analyzing cigar flavors, it never ceases to amaze me at how different amounts of each can change the overall flavor of a cigar.  So if we call it a variation on a theme, this particular variation is fantastic.

Value: At around $10, the Avion Reserva is perfectly priced for smoking anytime.

Final Thoughts: The Avion lineup is a terrific series of cigars from one of the best blenders anywhere.  To be honest, I tend to forget about the Avion until something like this - a review - happens.  One of the good things about this, however, is reminding myself how good they are every time I smoke one.  As with every tatuaje cigar, I highly recommend this terrific smoke.

Wrapper: Connecticut broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Strength: Medium leaning toward full at times

Size: 6 7/8 x 52 perfecto

As with all Tatuaje cigars - rustic in appearance adds to the mystique of the brand

Same band as the standard Avion with the added Reserva band