Let's talk about this box-pressed beauty - the Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Toro. This 6.5"x52 stick comes in boxes of 20 at $216.90, sporting a decade-aged Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper that's darker than my morning espresso. I paired mine with bourbon and two hours of free time, which it gladly consumed.
Cedar and baking spices hit first, like walking into a wood-paneled bakery. The Sumatra wrapper delivers its signature sweet tea note - not the Lipton stuff, proper southern sweet tea. Burn line stays razor-sharp despite my shaky ash attempts.
Leather creeps in around the 40-minute mark. Coffee grounds (the leftover bits from your French press) blend with walnut undertones. Retrohale brings cinnamon heat that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Dark chocolate bitterness emerges but gets balanced by a surprise honey note. Watch for tar buildup past the nub - better to quit early than force it. Total smoke time clocked in at 1hr50m.
Handrolled at Rocky's El Paraiso factory in Honduras - you can tell by the flawless triple cap. These age like Chardonnay; my box from 2018 developed plummy undertones missing in fresh rolls. Construction consistency? 19/20 in my box had perfect draws.
