Let's talk about this box-pressed robusto that's been turning heads - the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu Blue No.2 packs Nicaraguan firepower in a 5½"x54 frame. At $216 for 20 sticks, it's that sweet spot between daily driver and special occasion smoke. The Corojo 99 Rosado wrapper feels like sunbaked leather to the touch, hiding Nicaraguan filler tobaccos handpicked by the Garcia clan. First light surprises with how approachable it is for a medium-full stick.
First third: Fires up with cayenne pepper that doesn't throat-punch you. The real show starts when vanilla-honey notes cut through the spice, like sweet tea with a musky undertone. Smoke production's wild - big white clouds that disappear faster than you'd expect.
Midway point: About when the ash holds firm past an inch, earthy pecan flavors emerge. The retrohale starts humming with caramelized sugar notes. Burn line stays razor-straight if you don't rush it.
Final stretch: Last third brings that Nicaraguan signature - damp earth and black coffee bitterness. Some get a leathery twang that pairs stupidly well with bourbon. Gotta watch the nicotine creep though - this ain't no morning smoke.
Intermediate smokers ready to graduate from Connecticuts. The Verocu Blue's construction stays consistent - no canoeing even when you're three drinks deep. Not quite a Cuban alternative, but worth every penny for its construction and complexity. Pro tip: Pair with an oaky chardonnay to amplify those vanilla undertones.
