Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary Toro

Starting out as an entertainment lawyer and slowly making the transition into cigar maker, Rocky Patel has a well-earned reputation for uncompromising quality. He has received so many stellar ratings and awards from industry groups and publications, he's in a class by himself. Every cigar he makes undergoes rigorous quality control measures to ensure that only the best cigars from the rolling table make it to a consumer's hand. No wonder his sticks are some of the most sought after in the world! To commemorate Rocky Patel’s impressive fifteen years in the cigar industry, Rocky handcrafted this box-pressed beauty. Not only were we impressed, but so was Cigar Aficionado who not only gave it a rating of 93 but also an appearance in their Top 25 Cigars of the Year list an unprecedented four times – 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2018! This stunning smoke comes dressed in a flavorful Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that hugs a binder and long-leaf tobaccos from Nicaragua. Medium to full in body, and building over the course of the smoke, expect a slow burn and notes of cocoa, espresso bean, and spices with a long sweet finish. Pair this award winning smoke with something simple, such as a black tea.

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.