blessednxs65
Is it Nicaraguan
All the odds were against Rocky Patel. He like so many others was moved by the siren song of the Cigar Boom of the 1990s.
He left his entertainment law practice in Beverly Hills and turning in designer suits for a guayabera, began producing a new brand called Indian with a startlingly vibrant label of two Indian chiefs facing each other. Pretty soon, he had moved to Florida.
While his Indian Tabac cigars were good, they were up against the fierce competition provided by more than 1,000 other brands. Then came his Vintage 1990 and Vintage 1992 lines in 2003 and he was no longer a competitor, but a force in his own right.
His unique, unbanded The Edge line introduced the next year raised the popularity of his lines again and he quickly surpassed sales of 10 million cigars a year. We decided to take a tour of his most popular blends and learned once again why his brands have rocketed to the top of the cigar charts!
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve:
[Honduras: available in 3 sizes]
One of Rocky Patels relative newcomers, this blend was introduced in 2005, with a choice of a Nicaraguan Corojo or Costa Rican maduro wrapper. We tried the maduro.
The Olde World Reserve is box-pressed with a spicy aroma and a full body, but features a slightly sweet, lightly caramelized taste. Its rich and decadent with a medium finish.
There is an impressive consistency to this blend, with a smooth approach and lots of flavor, but its tempered and mellow, making it easy to smoke. Well made, it offers an excellent draw and an even burn. At suggested retail prices of $10.50 to $12.50 each, it isnt cheap, but you will be enjoying one of the top cigars on the U.S. market today.
Overall grade: A: Exceptional.
Rocky Patel Sun Grown:
[Honduras: available in 6 sizes]
Patel often warns smokers about the power of this cigar, which showcases a very dark Ecuadorian-grown wrapper with an exquisite sheen. Listen to him!
Introduced in 2004, the Sun Grown has a spicy aroma and a full body, but even that does not ready you for the brute force of this blend. Well made and solid in construction, theres a caramelized core to the flavor, but its surrounded by an iron fist of spice and pepper that continues through the medium finish.
Its a little calmer in the second half and never completely overpowering, but you gain respect for the consistent pressure this cigar places on you. Its remarkable in its intensity and a true head-banger that requires an experienced smoker who can handle it. At suggested retail prices of $4.80 to $7.70, its an excellent value . . . for the brave.
Overall grade: A: Exceptional.
Rocky Patel The Edge:
[Honduras: available in 4 sizes]
The Edge caused a sensation when it debuted in 2004: an unbanded, $5 cigar offered in massive trays of 100 that had plenty of character in a choice of just two sizes.
Smokers couldnt get enough. Today, there are three sizes and some different option on packaging, but the cigars are the same, offered with either Corojo or Maduro wrappers, both grown in Nicaragua.
We tried the Corojo and werent disappointed. This is a full-bodied blend with an ultra-spicy aroma, but also a lightly caramelized, almost creamy core taste with a hint of spice on the finish.
Very well made and easy to smoke, the flavor builds as spicy and peppery flavors emerge in the second half. Theres some hidden power in this blend and at current suggested retail prices of $4.75 to $5.50, its sure to continue to entertain smokers looking for a quality cigar of some complexity at a reasonable price.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990:
[Honduras: available in 9 sizes]
The Vintage 1990 and 1992 lines were both introduced in 2003, but are different in character. The Vintage 1990 is full-bodied and has a light, spicy aroma with a complex, caramelized flavor and a medium finish. Its very smooth.
Theres a tingle of spice on the finish and the combination of the mellow flavor and light spice finish is entertaining and enjoyable. A light peppery note adds to the depth in the second half of the cigar and gives you pause to appreciate the subtlety of the blend. At $4.75 to $8.75 each except for the massive Sixty at $10 this is a well-priced cigar for the level of sophistication it brings.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1992:
[Honduras: available in 8 sizes]
The Vintage 1992 line also debuted in 2003 and immediately gained its own following with its medium-to-full body and toasty, slightly spicy aroma.
Theres a creamy core of flavor that marks this blend as special and it has spicy and peppery elements that emerge on the finish to create a unique balance. Its well made with an even burn that will slow you down so that you can discern its multi-level nature.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut:
[Honduras: available in 8 sizes]
The light wrapper on the 1999 Connecticut introduced in 2006 immediately marks this cigar as far different than its older, more stout brothers. It has a white double band and a spicy aroma.
Its medium-to-full in body, but with a sweet and creamy taste thats elegantly smooth right through the medium finish. Theres a streak of spice that pops up about halfway and the balance of creamy and spicy flavors is impressive. Priced the same as the Vintage lines, its well made, but lighter on the palate.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
He left his entertainment law practice in Beverly Hills and turning in designer suits for a guayabera, began producing a new brand called Indian with a startlingly vibrant label of two Indian chiefs facing each other. Pretty soon, he had moved to Florida.
While his Indian Tabac cigars were good, they were up against the fierce competition provided by more than 1,000 other brands. Then came his Vintage 1990 and Vintage 1992 lines in 2003 and he was no longer a competitor, but a force in his own right.
His unique, unbanded The Edge line introduced the next year raised the popularity of his lines again and he quickly surpassed sales of 10 million cigars a year. We decided to take a tour of his most popular blends and learned once again why his brands have rocketed to the top of the cigar charts!
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve:
[Honduras: available in 3 sizes]
One of Rocky Patels relative newcomers, this blend was introduced in 2005, with a choice of a Nicaraguan Corojo or Costa Rican maduro wrapper. We tried the maduro.
The Olde World Reserve is box-pressed with a spicy aroma and a full body, but features a slightly sweet, lightly caramelized taste. Its rich and decadent with a medium finish.
There is an impressive consistency to this blend, with a smooth approach and lots of flavor, but its tempered and mellow, making it easy to smoke. Well made, it offers an excellent draw and an even burn. At suggested retail prices of $10.50 to $12.50 each, it isnt cheap, but you will be enjoying one of the top cigars on the U.S. market today.
Overall grade: A: Exceptional.
Rocky Patel Sun Grown:
[Honduras: available in 6 sizes]
Patel often warns smokers about the power of this cigar, which showcases a very dark Ecuadorian-grown wrapper with an exquisite sheen. Listen to him!
Introduced in 2004, the Sun Grown has a spicy aroma and a full body, but even that does not ready you for the brute force of this blend. Well made and solid in construction, theres a caramelized core to the flavor, but its surrounded by an iron fist of spice and pepper that continues through the medium finish.
Its a little calmer in the second half and never completely overpowering, but you gain respect for the consistent pressure this cigar places on you. Its remarkable in its intensity and a true head-banger that requires an experienced smoker who can handle it. At suggested retail prices of $4.80 to $7.70, its an excellent value . . . for the brave.
Overall grade: A: Exceptional.
Rocky Patel The Edge:
[Honduras: available in 4 sizes]
The Edge caused a sensation when it debuted in 2004: an unbanded, $5 cigar offered in massive trays of 100 that had plenty of character in a choice of just two sizes.
Smokers couldnt get enough. Today, there are three sizes and some different option on packaging, but the cigars are the same, offered with either Corojo or Maduro wrappers, both grown in Nicaragua.
We tried the Corojo and werent disappointed. This is a full-bodied blend with an ultra-spicy aroma, but also a lightly caramelized, almost creamy core taste with a hint of spice on the finish.
Very well made and easy to smoke, the flavor builds as spicy and peppery flavors emerge in the second half. Theres some hidden power in this blend and at current suggested retail prices of $4.75 to $5.50, its sure to continue to entertain smokers looking for a quality cigar of some complexity at a reasonable price.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990:
[Honduras: available in 9 sizes]
The Vintage 1990 and 1992 lines were both introduced in 2003, but are different in character. The Vintage 1990 is full-bodied and has a light, spicy aroma with a complex, caramelized flavor and a medium finish. Its very smooth.
Theres a tingle of spice on the finish and the combination of the mellow flavor and light spice finish is entertaining and enjoyable. A light peppery note adds to the depth in the second half of the cigar and gives you pause to appreciate the subtlety of the blend. At $4.75 to $8.75 each except for the massive Sixty at $10 this is a well-priced cigar for the level of sophistication it brings.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1992:
[Honduras: available in 8 sizes]
The Vintage 1992 line also debuted in 2003 and immediately gained its own following with its medium-to-full body and toasty, slightly spicy aroma.
Theres a creamy core of flavor that marks this blend as special and it has spicy and peppery elements that emerge on the finish to create a unique balance. Its well made with an even burn that will slow you down so that you can discern its multi-level nature.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut:
[Honduras: available in 8 sizes]
The light wrapper on the 1999 Connecticut introduced in 2006 immediately marks this cigar as far different than its older, more stout brothers. It has a white double band and a spicy aroma.
Its medium-to-full in body, but with a sweet and creamy taste thats elegantly smooth right through the medium finish. Theres a streak of spice that pops up about halfway and the balance of creamy and spicy flavors is impressive. Priced the same as the Vintage lines, its well made, but lighter on the palate.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
