The Rocky Patel Sun Grown Robusto comes in a classic 5½" x 50 parejo shape, packing Nicaraguan binder leaves and a 7-year-aged filler blend from Nicaragua/Dominican Republic. This Honduran-made stick earned Cigar Journal's "Best Value Honduran Brand" title in 2017, flaunting its Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper that's been aging for five years. The bold red band with gold lettering pops against its oily reddish-brown wrapper. At $7.88 per stick in 20-count boxes, it's your ticket to medium-full strength with serious flavor clout.
First Third: Immediate black pepper kick with cedar woodiness and faint barnyard earthiness. Smoke output stays moderate - no choking clouds here. The draw feels like sucking a thick milkshake through a wide straw.
Middle Third: Nicaraguan ligero tobacco flexes with roasted coffee beans and caramelized sugars. Watch for caramel swirls in the ash - a telltale sign of well-fermented leaves. Keep retrohales gentle unless you enjoy nasal spice bombs.
Final Third: Leather and almond skins emerge as the sun-grown wrapper's natural sweetness fades. Build-up of tar near the band warns you to nub it before the last inch. Pair with espresso to cut through the nicotine punch.
Rolled at Rocky's El Paraiso factory in Danli, these robustos showcase Honduran craftsmanship. The triple-cap head unwraps cleanly without unraveling. Despite its rustic wrapper veins, the burn line stays ruler-straight when stored at 65% RH. Box date hunters note 2021+ batches show improved combustion consistency.
