This Nicaraguan puro in a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper demands attention with its 7"x54 frame and box-pressed heft. Priced around $12/stick ($288/24ct box), it's the boldest expression in Melillo's Tabernacle line, combining AJ Fernandez's construction mastery with US-grown Broadleaf terroir. The dark maduro wrapper gleams with visible oils, promising the signature chocolate/coffee punch Broadleaf enthusiasts crave.
Initial draws unleash black pepper (7/10 intensity) with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans. Retrohale carries charred oak and a burnt caramel sweetness. Smoke output feels medium-bodied despite the full flavor density.
Pepper settles into background (3/10) as earthy cocoa takes over. The San Andrés binder introduces leathery depth while Jalapa tobacco brings dried fig sweetness. Burn requires one correction around midpoint.
Nicotine strength peaks (8/10 body feel) alongside roasted walnut notes. Retrohale develops licorice zing that cuts through the molasses-like sweetness. Smoke becomes creamy but heavy - pair with black coffee to counterbalance.
Grown in Connecticut River Valley's sandy loam, the Broadleaf wrapper undergoes 18+ month fermentation. Binder from San Andrés Valley's volcanic soil adds peppery zing. Fillers blend Estelí's punchy ligero with Jalapa's smoother seco leaves, all processed at AJ Fernandez's Estelí factory.
