This Dominican puro with its dark Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper immediately shows off oily sheen and tight construction. At 5½"×42 ring gauge, the box-pressed corona delivers 75 minutes of smoking time with medium strength that gradually builds momentum. Let's unpack this $117/box (15-count) workhorse from the beaches of Punta Cana.
Cold draw reveals earthy molasses. Initial lighting brings peppercorn zing that settles into roasted coffee beans within three puffs. Noticeable sweetness emerges - think brown sugar crust on crème brûlée rather than overt vanilla.
Dark chocolate intensity peaks with charred oak undertones. Smoke output increases significantly, requiring slower pacing to prevent heat build-up. Retrohale shows baking spices (nutmeg dominant) that dance with the core cocoa notes.
Leather and mineral notes take over as the sweetnes subsides. Draw tightens slightly past band point - a common trait in thicker maduro wrappers. Nicotine kick becomes pronounced at 60-minute mark, suggesting this suits after-dinner consumption.
Rolled in Don Lucas's Punta Cana facility using tobacco aged 3-5 years. The Gillet family maintains strict quality control with only 30 rollers despite tourist area location. Their signature "double fermentation" process (barrel-aged followed by traditional pile method) explains the wrapper's deep sweetness.
