Rocky Patel TAA Signature Series Robusto
Cigar Name: Rocky Patel TAA Signature Series (5 x 50)
Cigar Description: Wrapper and filler Unknown
Cigar Strength: Medium
Review of the Cigar itself: So this past week I was back in Wall Street teaching. So I headed down to the Broad Street Barclay-Rex, my usual stop when down there, and checked out what they had. After getting a few favourites, I came across a new one from Rocky Patel. In fact, this is so new, I cannot find any info on it so this entire review will be kinda a blind review. I know Rocky made it so that usually means pretty good quality. The construction is tight with few veins on the chocolate brown wrapper. It toasted well and easily, giving a kind of white/blue smoke (makes me think Dominican in both wrapper and filler — and thus, in turn, perhaps a mild-medium cigar). As I took the first draw I got a creamy, almost mocha flavour tickling my tongue and taste buds.
The ash was a darker “white” (kind of like greyish-white) and flaked occassionally. There were no telltale signs of Nicaraguan filler (usually they produce a dark, dark grey to almost black ash). There may be Ecuadorian as I noticed a secondary smoke that was a light grey intertwined with the prominent blue/white smoke. As I continued in the first third I definitely got rich mocha/chocolate tastes along with a hint of espresso and spice in the background. The aroma was a nice peppery scent. It was a perfect cigar for a wet kind of day, giving that sense of just enough warmth to make the weather seem pleasant.
The burn is very consistent and doesn’t need touch-ups if attention is given to the cigar. As I started into the middle third, I noticed that the ash was still there from the original start. I gave the cigar a gentle tap and the ash fell off, in a single mass, into my little metal ashtray. As I continued, TheOnlyJoan asked to do an online Skype Herf. So we talked about the cigars we were enjoying and other things in life. It was during the middle that I began to notice a creamy leather taste hinting along with the mocha. And before I knew it, I was into the last third.
It was in the last third that I noticed a bit of a stronger pepper come through and a deeper blue smoke coming from the cigar. I watched the deep blue smoke dance around the light as I talked with Joan. It’s nice to be able to do a mini-herf like this. Most of the people I know from the cigar community that I want to meet are all over the country so it can be hard to meet up. But this is the closest thing to actually doing a Herf I can get for now. The next thing I noticed was that I had less than an inch left on the cigar and it was done. To me, a cigar that tastes good enough that I am not overwhelmed by it and enjoy the people I’m around is a good one. And this one definitely fits. If your Cigar Store is a TAA member, ask them if they have any. Well worth it.
Enjoyed with: water
Smoke time: approximately 70 minutes
Final Review Rating: 9/10
