When you light up the Rocky Patel Edge Nicaragua Robusto, you're holding a 5.5" x 50 stick packed with Esteli volcanic soil energy. This box-pressed Nicaraguan puro from Rocky's TaviCusa factory punches above its $6.84/stick price tag, delivering the kind of full-bodied kick that earned it Cigar Aficionado's #7 spot in 2015. The triple cap holds tight through 90 minutes of smoking, with ash that clings like it's got something to prove.
Black pepper slaps your tongue on the cold draw. Initial smoke brings espresso grounds and charred cedar - the kind that leaves throat tingle. Burn line stays razor-sharp despite breezy outdoor conditions. Ash drops at 1.5" with concentric rings showing proper fermentation.
Nicaraguan sweetness emerges through the pepper storm. Dark chocolate notes blend with baking spices (think nutmeg, not cinnamon). Retrohale stings nostrils with wasabi-like heat. Smoke output doubles here - fills a 10' patio circle quickly.
Strength backs off to medium-full territory. Mineral earthiness dominates, with hickory smoke and molasses appearing in the last inch. Tar builds up by nub time - better to quit at 1.5" remaining than fight the bitterness.
Rolled at TaviCusa factory (7M annual production) using "hot stacking" fermentation. Esteli tobacco provides volcanic mineral edge, while Jalapa leaf adds hidden sweetness. Wrapper thickness allows slow burn - averages 1 min/inch smoking pace.
