Let's cut straight to the chase with the Rocky Patel Winter Collection Corona - a 5.5" x 42 stick that'll set you back $161.10 for a box of 20. Wrapped in that gorgeous Mexican San Andres Maduro leaf, this Nicaraguan-rolled corona packs more warmth than your ex's passive-aggressive holiday texts. Perfect for when you want to feel fancy without breaking out the Cohiba.
That initial light hits with black pepper spiciness that'll clear your sinuses faster than a winter flu. Watch for uneven burns - my sample needed one correction. Earthy espresso notes emerge at the 1" mark, with a subtle cherry sweetness lingering on the retrohale.
Here's where the "winter" theme kicks in - think damp oak logs and bitter cocoa. The smoke turns creamy around the halfway point, like someone mixed a cinnamon latte with your ashtray. Burn issues? Gone. Draw stays perfect, though ash holds for about an inch max.
Leather and charred meat notes dominate as nicotine builds. Not for lightweights - I felt the buzz by the last inch. The maduro wrapper shows its teeth with espresso bitterness that overpowers earlier sweetness. Cut it at 45 minutes unless you're chasing that nicotine high.
Rolled at Rocky's TaviCusa factory in Estelí - same place that pumps out 7 million sticks yearly. That San Andres wrapper gets its sheen from Mexican volcanic soil, while Nicaraguan fillers bring the spice. Fun fact: 2009 version used Pennsylvania Broadleaf, but this 2020 reboot plays better with modern palates.
