Let's cut straight to the chase with the Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Toro Tubo - a box-pressed 6x50 torpedo that comes dressed in aluminum tubes. Priced at $114.75 for 10 sticks, this Honduran-made cigar boasts a 10-year-aged Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper hugging Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The tube packaging keeps these medium-bodied smokes travel-ready without compromising humidity.
The cold draw delivers raisin sweetness through the pigtail cap. Initial lighting brings toasted cedar and black pepper sparkles - not the Nicaraguan pepper bomb type, but more like white peppercorn subtlety. The retrohale reveals cashew butter undertones.
Earthiness emerges with damp soil notes while maintaining core cedar flavors. The smoke texture thickens noticeably, coating the palate like melted dark chocolate. Watch for occasional tar buildup near the band area with tighter draws.
Espresso bitterness kicks in alongside charred oak. The nicotine punch becomes more pronounced here - not overwhelming but suggests this isn't a morning coffee smoke. Ends with leathery dryness rather than sweetness.
Hand-rolled at Rocky's El Paraiso factory in Honduras, these tubos consistently show dark, oily wrappers with minimal veins. The triple cap holds firm but requires precise cutting - go too deep and the wrapper might unravel. Burn line stays mostly even, though some samples need minor touch-ups in humid climates.
