Meet the Rocky Patel Hamlet 25th Year Anniversary Salomon - a limited edition figurado celebrating Hamlet Paredes' quarter-century in tobacco. This Nicaraguan-made stogie packs 7 5/8" of medium-bodied goodness wrapped in oily Ecuadorian Habano leaf. At $11.52 per stick, it's positioned as an affordable luxury for intermediate smokers who dig complex blends. The salomon shape's tapered ends promise evolving flavor delivery, though proper humidor time (2+ months) really makes that PA Broadleaf binder sing.
The cold draw serves cedar shavings and molasses. Initial puffs deliver baking spices through loose grey smoke. Watch that wonky burn line - needs corrective lighting. The retrohale punches with black pepper that fades to cashew butter by the 1" mark. Ash holds firm in dark concentric circles.
Pennsylvania Broadleaf takes over at midpoint. Expect charred oak and dark chocolate bitterness. Smoke output doubles, requiring slower pacing. The sweet spot hits when Honduran fillers surface with raisin notes. Perfect draw resistance - no tunneling observed in our samples.
Nicaraguan ligero amps up the nicotine buzz post-band removal. Leather and earth dominate while maintaining creamy texture. Ditch at nub unless you enjoy tar buildup. Total smoke time clocked 2hrs 10mins with espresso pairing.
Paredes' signature shines in the triple cap construction - no unraveling during V-cut. The Salomon's belly effectively cools smoke despite 58 ring gauge. Unlike his first RP collab (Winter Collection), this anniversary blend uses lower priming leaves for smoother transitions. Box code analysis shows consistent roll dates across 2023-24 production.
