Let's cut straight to this Honduran gem - the Oscar Valladares Sumatra Toro (6"x52) ships in boxes of 20 for $167.40. The box-pressed parejo shape gives a satisfying grip, dressed in an oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper that's been aging since 2012. While marketed as mild-medium, I'd argue it straddles medium-full territory when properly humidified. Construction shines with triple caps and minimal vein interruptions.
The cold draw serves sweet cedar with faint cinnamon. Lighting brings immediate black coffee bitterness balanced by brown sugar sweetness. Retrohale stings slightly with white pepper - needs 10 minutes to settle into nutmeg and roasted almond notes.
Leather dominates as the burn crosses the band, with baking spices intensifying. Watch for cinnamon heat on the tongue around the 1" mark. Ash holds firm through multiple taps. The Honduran Talanga tobacco emerges with woody undertones.
Nicotine kick becomes noticeable past the halfway point. Earthy cocoa flavors develop alongside black pepper. Some batches show raisin sweetness in the last inch, though you'll battle tar buildup if smoked too fast.
The triple cap withstands multiple cuts. Wrapper oils may cause uneven burns in high humidity - dry box for 24 hours before lighting. Ash transitions from salt-white to grey streaks in final third. Box-press shape holds better than rounded toros during extended sessions.
