A hidden gem finally unveiled - the Rocky Patel Grand Reserve Toro rolls out its 6x52 parejo-shaped mystery with Nicaraguan-Honduran guts wrapped in Ecuadorian cloak. Originally Europe's best kept secret, this medium-bodied stogie punches above its $109/box price tag. The box-pressed construction feels solid in hand, that dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper gleaming like forbidden chocolate.
Creamy texture coats the palate like liquid velvet. Initial puffs reveal black coffee bitterness softened by walnut undertones. Cold draw hints at the Honduran fillers' earthy sweetness - think molasses on burnt toast.
Smoke thickens as Nicaraguan ligero kicks in. Cedar spice wrestles with milk chocolate smoothness, leaving white pepper tingle on retrohale. Burn line holds razor-sharp despite increasing oil secretion near the band.
Last third brings surprises - cured leather emerges alongside baking spices (cinnamon sticks, nutmeg). Watch for nicotine build-up around 50-minute mark. Perfect ash retention though - tapped thrice but never flaked.
Rocky's Honduran rollers nailed the box-press - sharp edges without firmness. Triple cap holds firm until nub stage. Wrapper veins invisible under oily sheen. Mild wrapper cracking observed in drier climates - store at 68% RH minimum.
No ordinary Nic-Honduran blend. Jalapa valley fillers get 18-month fermentation before meeting Connecticut Broadleaf cured in Honduran cedar. Final assembly in Danlí's tropical climate gives that signature slow-burn character. Regional puro purists might scoff, but the fusion works.
