Let's talk about this Nicaraguan puro that's making waves - the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill. At 7"x50 ring gauge, these limited edition sticks come in boxes of 10 priced around $202.50. The golden bands wrap around a medio tiempo wrapper leaf (that's the strongest priming above Ligero!) grown from hybrid seeds. AJ Fernandez and Rafael Nodal didn't just make another cigar - they created a time capsule celebrating 180 years of tobacco mastery.
First Third: Immediate black pepper kick settles into roasted nuts. The draw's slightly firm but pushes out decent smoke output. Watch that burn line - tends to canoe if you rush through puffs.
Middle Third: Coffee grounds and dark chocolate emerge through the Nicaraguan twang. The retrohale brings cinnamon spice that sticks to your palate. Ash holds solid inch-long segments.
Final Third: Leather and earth tones ramp up with noticeable nicotine strength. Some find the bitterness builds up past the band point - best enjoyed down to last third unless you're a nic veteran.
The box-pressed parejos feel dense but smoke surprisingly open once past the first inch. Wrapper oils glisten under light - no need for perfecto cut here, a straight guillotine works best. Pro tip: These need 62-65% humidity to prevent tight draws.
