Let's cut straight to this box-pressed Nicaraguan puro that's been racking up awards since 2008. The Rocky Patel Decade Robusto clocks in at 5"x50 ring gauge, packed with 10-year-aged tobacco to celebrate the brand's milestone. At $11.65 per stick ($233.10/box of 20), it delivers Honduran craftsmanship wrapped in oily Ecuador Sumatra leaf - perfect for Friday night unwinding or golf course camaraderie.
The dark wrapper feels like worn leather under fingers, slight box-press giving perfect thumb grip. Cold draw serves cedar with faint licorice sweetness - classic Nicaraguan tell.
Initial pepper kick settles into roasted cashews within three minutes. Noticeable coffee ground texture through the nose, smoke output thicker than most in this price range. Burns razor-straight despite breezy patio conditions.
Transition happens at 25-minute mark: burnt caramel emerges under cinnamon spark. Retrohale reveals why this scored 95pts - zero harshness despite growing nicotine. Watch that ash though - tends to drop abruptly post-inch.
Last third brings bittersweet cocoa and cedar cabinet notes. Tar buildup minimal until nub, though I clocked out at 70-minute mark when leather tones turned earthy. Paired beautifully with oaky chardonnay.
Dense pack requires precise punch cut. Box date codes show consistent 2019-2021 production samples. The dual gold bands peel clean - no adhesive residue issues reported. Humidity maintenance crucial (keep at 65% RH) to prevent wrapper cracking.
