Thunder by Nimish

If you thought Rocky’s blends were tasty, wait until you try his cousin’s. Thunder by Nimish was blended by Rocky Patel’s cousin, Nimish Desai, and the line is poised to become one of 2011’s best. These powerful stogies start with a filler blend of Costa Rican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan leaves followed by two binder leaves from Honduras and Nicaragua, and are finally finished off with a dark and oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.

When you light up one of these well-rolled, Nicaraguan-made beauties, you’ll immediately experience a rush of black and white pepper, which gives way to notes of baking spice, cocoa, espresso, and a bit of caramel sweetness on the finish. And while Thunder by Nimish is as heady and intense as its name suggests, the smoke is smooth, rich, and balanced enough for just about anybody to enjoy.