The Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 San Andreas Churchill packs a 7"x48 parejo shape with Nicaraguan guts wrapped in an oil-rich Mexican San Andres leaf. This box-pressed beauty comes 20 to a box at $206.10, offering medium-bodied smokers a 90-minute flavor journey. The orange band pops against the espresso-colored wrapper that's been aging since Bush was president.
Cold draw serves up raisin sweetness. Initial puffs deliver espresso grounds and black pepper that coats the tongue. Retrohale stings like wasabi - in that weirdly pleasant way. Smoke production sits at medium, needing 45-60 seconds between draws.
Leather notes dominate as the burn line crosses the band. Baking spices emerge - think nutmeg and cardamom - mixing with Cuban coffee bitterness. Ash holds solid 1.5" despite room humidity. Watch for sap beads forming near the foot.
Last third brings unsweetened cocoa powder and charred cedar. Body ramps up to medium-full - nicotine-sensitive folks should pair with soda. Construction holds firm but tar accumulates after the 70-minute mark. Bitter finish lingers like dark chocolate nibs.
Rolled at Rocky's TaviCusa factory in Estelí - the same hands that craft RP's ALR and Decade lines. Despite pumping out 7M cigars annually, they still hand-bunch these using 2006-harvested tobacco. Wrapper confusion alert: San Andres (Mexico) ≠ San Andreas (California).
