The Rocky Patel Hamlet 2020 Toro (6½"×52) lands as a collab masterpiece between Rocky Patel and Cuban tobacco maestro Hamlet Paredes. Priced at $217.80 per box of 20, this Nicaraguan-packed stick blends Honduran binder with Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The fourth installment in their partnership series smokes like an aromatic campfire - earthy spices up front melting into creamy sweetness. Rolled at the TaviCusa factory in Estelí, it's built for 90-minute sessions with steady combustion.
First Third: Immediate black pepper sting on lips evolves into roasted cashews. Dry cedar wood dominates with faint mineral tang. Medium smoke output, tight ash holds 1.5".
Middle Third: Molasses sweetness emerges alongside espresso bitterness. Cinnamon spice lingers on retrohale. Combustion stays razor-straight without touch-ups.
Final Third: Oak smokiness takes over as vanilla cream smooths the edges. Tar buildup starts at 70% mark - stop before bitterness kicks in. Nicotine strength crescendos to 4/5.
Hand-rolled in Nicaragua using Jalapa Valley Habano Rosado wrappers aged 24+ months. Filler combines Estelí's volcanic peppery leaves with Jalapa's caramel-sweet tobaccos. Triple-seam cap ensures clean cuts. Box code shows 16-month fermentation - young but smokeable now. Let it rest 6-8 months for optimal smoothness.
