This Nicaraguan puro from Rocky Patel's TaviCusa factory comes in a box of 20 coronas gorda (5 5/8"×46) priced around $174.80. The medium-full bodied blend features an oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper embracing Nicaraguan binder/filler leaves, delivering Hamlet Paredes' third and most rebellious collaboration. Its "shaggy foot" original release caused such a stir that Rocky expanded the line - this particular size balances compact form with 55-minute smoking time perfect for after-dinner contemplation.
Cold draw whispers cedar and raisins. Initial puffs deliver sharp black pepper through the nose, settling into a leathery core with burnt caramel sweetness. The tight ash holds firm for first inch, combustion line razor-straight - typical of TaviCusa's seven-million-cigar annual output precision.
Approaching the secondary band, earthiness deepens to espresso grounds. Nicaraguan viso leaves amp up nicotine while Honduran seco tobacco adds cashew nuttiness. Retrohale introduces baking spices - think allspice rather than cinnamon - with a slightly acidic tang that demands bourbon pairing.
Last act turns symphonic: bittersweet cocoa dominates as the shaggy foot's uneven burn (purposely left untrimmed) concentrates flavors. Occasional tar buildup warns to purge, but persist through bitterness to find hidden layers - hickory smoke, dark chocolate, and that signature Rocky Patel creaminess tying the chaos together.
Paredes' "Liberation" concept materializes through Estelí's volcanic soil-grown ligero leaves, fermented in Piloto Cubano-style barns. The unfinished foot mimics Cuban farm rolls while the Ecuadorian wrapper adds structure - a 21st century take on traditional techniques producing seven million cigars annually without losing artisanal cred.
