This box-pressed dominican puro flexes serious muscle with a 54-ring gauge and 5.2-inch frame. At $7.10 per stick in 10-count boxes, it's positioned as an affordable daily driver for medium-bodied enthusiasts. The San Vicente wrapper glistens with visible oil streaks - no surprise given Tabacalera de García's legendary rolling expertise.
First Third: Opens with roasted almond skins and dark chocolate powder. The Andullo fermentation process shines through via an underlying molasses sweetness that clings to the palate. Smoke output feels restrained despite the fat ring gauge.
Middle Third: Cedar planks and caramelized sugar take over. There's a noticeable uptick in black pepper spice around the 1-inch mark that pairs oddly well with the persistent sweetness. Draw remains perfect, ash holds firm in 1-inch chunks.
Final Third: Mineral notes emerge alongside damp earth. The last inch develops a distinct salty tang - almost like licking a pretzel crust - before nicotine accumulation suggests a natural stopping point.
The triple cap shows flawless application, but I found minor wrapper veining on 2/3 samples. Burn line stays razor-straight when rotated every 4-5 puffs. Smoke time averages 85 minutes - impressive for a sub-6-inch vitola.
VegaFina's twist on traditional Dominican tobacco processing: leaves are braided into ropes and fermented in palm leaf bundles for 6-8 months (vs standard 2-3 month fermentation). This anaerobic process develops deeper sweetness while reducing harshness - though some might find the result overly candied.
