Rocky Patel Sun Grown Maduro Toro

Rocky Patel is one of the hardest working men in the industry and according to some, nearly mythical. The Sun Grown Maduro is an exciting addition to his already widely popular and staple Sun Grown line that was released over a decade ago. Unlike the original line which is still produced in Honduras, the Sun Grown Maduro is handmade at Rocky Patel’s boutique factory, Tavicusa, in Estelí, Nicaragua. It also was given a well-deserved 95 point rating and named the #2 Cigar of the Year 2016 from Cigar Aficionado! Starting from the inside and working our way out, this handmade features hand-bunched long-fillers from Nicaragua that are secured by dual Nicaraguan binders and finished with a handsome broadleaf maduro complete with a triple cap. The very last step for this bad boy is a nice trunk press to give the cigar its final attractive shape. Excellent construction is just the start; this full-bodied beast has bold flavors of earth, nuts, cream, and bittersweet chocolate, with a lingering sweet finish from the wrapper. Enjoy this cigar with a café con leche.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.