This Nicaraguan puro from Villiger's 1888 series packs a 50-ring gauge punch in its 5-inch Robusto frame. Priced at $7.92 per stick in 20-count boxes, it's dressed in oily Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed wrapper hiding a complex blend of Estelí, Jalapa and Ometepe tobaccos with Pennsylvanian leaf. Expect medium strength with textbook construction - the kind that makes you check the band twice to confirm it's not Cuban.
Black pepper slaps your palate on light-up, mellowing into roasted cashew notes. That signature Jalapa earthiness comes through like damp volcanic soil, with a chalky mineral finish that clings to the tongue.
The transition's smoother than a Havana club veteran - espresso bitterness cuts through initial sweetness while baking bread aromas fill the air. Watch for salt crystals forming near the cap, a telltale sign of quality fermentation.
Leather and charred cedar take over as nicotine builds. Smart smokers nub it at the 45-minute mark before the Pennsylvanian leaf's rustic kick overpowers the subtle fig sweetness.
These stogies drink like a sandstorm - pair with mineral water or peated whisky. The box-pressed shape helps control burn but demands slower draws. Let them rest 60 days minimum; that Pennsylvania broadleaf needs time to harmonize with Nicaraguan ligero.
