Meet the Espinosa Murcielago Rabito - a 6.5"x46 box-pressed torpedo with Nicaraguan guts wrapped in Mexican San Andres Maduro leaf. Priced at $9.58 per stick in 20-count boxes, this full-bodied bruiser from Espinosa's La Zona factory kicks off with earthy sweetness before unleashing its signature pepper barrage.
Cold draw serves damp earth and molasses. Initial puffs explode with black pepper (think crushed Sichuan peppercorns) mellowed by baker's cocoa. Ash holds solid inch despite rough box-press edges. Retrohale reveals charred oak undertones.
Pepper intensity dials down to allow roasted coffee bean dominance. Leathery texture emerges alongside mineral tang - picture licking a limestone cave wall. Smoke output doubles, requiring slower pacing to prevent heat build-up.
Last third brings bitter dark chocolate crescendo with occasional raisin sweetness. Nicotine kick sneaks up around 75-minute mark. Cut smoking at 2" nub unless you fancy caffeine-like jitters. Post-cigar mouthfeel cleaner than most Maduros.
The San Andrés wrapper undergoes 18-month fermentation to develop its patent leather sheen. Binder leaves from Estelí's volcanic soil amp up the spice, while Jalapa Valley fillers contribute dark fruit nuances. Erik Espinosa's 2015 blend revision focused on extending the flavor arc - achieved through alternating ligero and viso leaves in the bunching.
