Wrapper: Cuban-seed Honduran San Agustín Habano
Binder: Honduran Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan, Costa Rican (Triple Ligero)
Size: 6.5 x 52 “Toro”
Body: Full
Price: $7.50 MSRP

Today we take a look at the new Rocky Patel Super Ligero.
I’ve chosen to review an “every day” cigar while I have some really good sticks simmering in their juices waiting to review.
A reader sent me a 5 pack he won on Cbid. They are currently going for around $4 a stick there.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: Plasencia’s El Paraiso factory in Danlí, Honduras.
Debuted at the 2014 IPCPR trade show.
Regular production cigar.

From the RP web site:
“Super Ligero is a robust and full-bodied cigar that starts off with a blast of bold flavor accompanied by a slight woodiness. There is a lingering spice with nuances of cinnamon and white pepper. The finish is hearty with a sweet aftertaste.”

It also says it is 92 rated. But by whom?

From the CI web site:
“Dressed in a dark, feisty Honduran Habano wrapper, Super Ligero isn’t afraid to let its presence known. And once you pull back this veritable peel, the fruits that await inside are even more intense. Muy intense long-fillers from Nicaragua and Costa Rica produce a heady profile laced with oak, cinnamon, white pepper, and toasty tobacco.”

DESCRIPTION:
This is a fine looking cigar. A big juicy, oily, mottled dark coffee bean colored wrapper with a Rosado hue. Just gorgeous. I hope my photographs do it justice.
Seams are nearly invisible. Veins permeate the stick like a road map. The sticks are very solid with just a bit of give. I’ve had them for a month and dry boxed them for two days.
The triple cap is impeccable. And I like the 21st Century cigar band. Flashy, but not overstated.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Robusto 5 x 50 $7.00 MSRP
Toro 6.5 x 52 $7.50 MSRP
Gordo 6 x 60 $8.00 MSRP
Lancero 7.5 x 38 $7.50 MSRP

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I can smell sweetness, spice, dry cocoa, wood, cinnamon, and floral notes.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell sweet fruits (orange, summer fruit, and black grapes), chocolate, mint, spice and barnyard.
The cold draw presents flavors of chocolate, walnuts, fruit, sweetness, and cinnamon.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is excellent for such a big cigar.
There is a wallop of spice right to the puss. Followed by chocolate, baking spice, (the ligero is making my eyes water), and I can’t taste anything else due to the power of the PEPPER!

The pepper also hides the strength a bit. It feels like medium/full or full right away. But when it is a spice bomb, it is hard to tell.

Remember the really spicy cigars that were the standard for spicy cigars? Like La Bomba, My Father Le Bijou 1922 Petit Robusto, Pepin Cuban Classic, Cu-Avana Punisher, and the A/B Tempus Maduro. As well as several Tats and Illusiones.
This has them all beat. I’m trying to get my vision back as I’ve gone Spice blind.

But then the power of the spice tamps down a bit and allows a nice exhibition of flavors: Creamy milk chocolate, black licorice, cinnamon, summer fruit, cedar, toasty, and Indian spices.

I can’t remember who gave these sticks to me but because they are RP’s, I figured they would need a lot of humidor rest. So I’ve had them for at least 3 months. Forgot about them and thought today was a good day to die. And this is the first one I’ve smoked.

Remember the last time you ate some really hot pizza too quickly and the burning hot cheese stuck to the roof of your mouth? Yeah, that’s what it feels like right now.

Now, I’ve espoused how much I like a spicy cigar but if this baby continues on the path of WMD’s, it will be hard to finish. Especially, since I’ve got the giant Toro.

Construction is good. Char line is so-so needing a couple minor tune ups.
I’ve got a great after review story I first posted in 2012.

The Rocky Patel Super Ligero begins to find its complexity. Nice balance. Very long finish.

Not too many reviews of this cigar. Probably because of smoker’s opinion about Patel blends. But the few I read gave this cigar a pretty nice rating. I just may do the same…if I survive, that is.

New flavors: caramel, Cara Munich Malt, Cara Vienna Malt, Chocolate Malt, Chocolate Rye Malt, and Flaked Oats Malt (See Malt Chart), black cherries, and some charred oak.

I feared for the worst from this cigar regardless of the good reviews it got from a couple writers. I’m not a big Patel fan. And this blend seemed gimmicky. But it’s not. Yeah, it was a spice bomb to start with. But it has branched out with some delectable flavors and complexity.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 30 minutes.
Roasted nuts: cashew, almond, and hazelnut appear.
A strong peat element appears right after.

Construction is good. The char line is behaving.

The Rocky Patel Super Ligero is a total surprise. Even at its ramped down spiciness, it is still spicier than any cigar I’ve smoked…that I can remember, of course.

The balance is spot on now. The spiciness is strong but I like it that way. I love the oomph that red pepper gives a blend.
I suppose if you are afraid of extremely spicy cigars, you can let it humidor rest for 6-9 months and it should remove a large portion of that spice bomb effect.

I did some research, and it was Cigar Aficionado that gave the Rocky Patel Super Ligero the decent rating. But it appears that the Patel web site was not quoting from Cigar Aficionado; hence not mentioning who gave them a 92.
On the CA web site:
Toro 89
Lancero 88
Robusto 89
Gordo 88
Still, very decent scores.

The Rocky Patel Super Ligero is now uber full body. And nicotine follows suit. Oh lord.

It’s OK. I have an addendum to my renter’s insurance for Excessive Nicotine Effect. Cost an extra $9 per month. It doesn’t cover me. It covers the carpet so the blood can be cleaned by pros. And if I break any furniture on the way down to the floor.

This is a great blend. I can’t think of another Patel blend I like as much. Even as much fun as we all make of Patel, he has come up with a few good blends: The Edge A-10, Prohibition Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, Nording 50th Anniversary, Edición Unica 2011 (2013), and Royale. Plus the Holt’s Cigars only Ocean Club.

HALFWAY POINT:
Smoke time is 60 minutes.
The Rocky Patel Super Ligero is cruising now. High complexity. A boat load of flavors. Great balance. And a perfect long finish.

If I were to buy this cigar, I’d prefer the Robusto. This behemoth Toro is just too big and too long a smoke time. No matter how good a cigar is, once it hits over 90 minutes, I become very bored. Plus, I now smoke differently to control the char line only puffing every 1-3 minutes. It becomes an all-day sucker.
It looks like this will be a two hour smoke. Sigh.

Back to the Rocky Patel Super Ligero. The spiciness has mellowed out substantially. It is still strong but acceptably so. The cornucopia of flavors is just wonderful.
I find it hard to believe that the retail is only $7.50 but can be had for around $4 on Cbid.
A blind taste test would have me guessing this is a $10 stick.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 30 minutes.

The Rocky Patel Super Ligero passed the demarcation point long ago for Sweet Spot 1.0 and 2.0. It is a true flavor bomb. But then, I did allow it to humidor rest of a few months. Like all of the Patel blends, a couple weeks are insufficient.
Here they are once again: Chocolate, spice, creaminess, malts, cinnamon, caramel, roasted nuts, black cherries, charred oak, cedar, and black licorice.

A fine, fine blend of flavors that mesh perfectly.
Construction is impeccable. No touch ups required.

The nicotine is very strong. Too strong. More humidor time should decrease this element. I’ve got the spins.
By far, this is the strongest cigar I’ve smoked in ages.

Newbie Alert: Stay away from this cigar. Experienced Smoker Alert: Buyer beware. If you can handle the mammoth strength and nicotine, go for it. This is a great cigar to give to your friends and then you just sit back and watch their faces turn ashen white.

I’m so pale right now, that I have no reflection in the mirror. Oh wait…my dad’s side of the family came from the Transylvanian area of Hungary.

I get to the last 1-1/2” and I have to put the Rocky Patel Super Ligero down. If I keep smoking, I’m going to puke. LOL.
I am convinced that with a whole lotta humidor time, the Rocky Patel Super Ligero will be an easier cigar to smoke

RATING: 90

PRICE POINT:
A ridiculously low price for such great quality. Go to Cbid and snag a fiver.
The Big Guy reviewers all passed on this cigar…except for Cigar Dojo. Dojo gave the Rocky Patel Super Ligero the same rating as I did. Smart guys over there.

SUMMATION:
Lots of cigars boast strength and power. The usual PR is normally a bunch of B.S. Not this time. The warnings are warranted.
Still, it was a wonderfully flavored cigar. Just too strong for me. And I love strong cigars.
My biggest mistake was having nothing in my stomach. This is an after dinner blend. And by dinner, I mean a Henry VIII dinner.
Even with the overbearing strength, I highly recommend the Rocky Patel Super Ligero.

Tomorrow, I review the Futuro Selección Suprema by Warped Cigars & Casa Fernández. I’ve already reviewed the Futuro Selección 109. While the blend is the same, the size is drastically different. I’ve heard from several readers that they thought the Suprema is a better cigar.

And now for something completely different:
Continuation of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer, Hal Blaine Chronicles…

I have so many fun stories associated with Hal, it is hard to choose.

Let’s see….Hal invited me to lunch on his yacht. Along with some other session player friends. I don’t remember their names. A nice bunch of Jewish boys. So Hal ordered from Canter’s Deli on Fairfax. First owned by vaudevillian comedian, Eddie Canter.

We had a smorgasbord of Jewish comfort food. I refuse to list them because I live in Milwaukee where there is not a single decent Jewish deli. Well…not one that should be allowed to call itself Jewish. All crap. I have to go to Chicago to indulge…90 miles away. Just like Cuba and Florida.

We lit up a doob before we ate. Hal didn’t partake. And stories were told. I was amongst the big league of L.A. musicians. So I mostly listened until Hal told them I played with Stew Copeland of The Police. After all, The Police were still in their heyday.

We laughed so loud and hard we thought someone would complain and call the cops. Does pot make you paranoid?
For fuck’s sake, we were on a docked yacht in Marina Del Rey. Who the hell is going to complain?

I’m one of those guys that loves to hear stories. I’d much rather shut the fuck up. You have no idea how many musicians I knew that got jealous when I told my stories and got all shitty. Not me. I loved listening to bits of history. I loved music since I was a little guy.

Again, I cannot remember names but one guy asked if wanted to see his new studio?
We were stuffed to the gills with some of the heaviest food on the planet. And Hal had 20 years on us. And then the same fella brought out dessert: Colombian marching powder. Wham! I was no longer lethargic.

Off we went. This guy owned a studio…or should I say STUDIO!!
It was in the Hollywood Hills surrounded by homes of musicians and movie stars. The view was to die for.

To make a long story short, we all sat down and grabbed an instrument. Luckily, I was the only bassist.

We started jamming on “Sugar, Sugar,” by the Archies. LMAO. We were all high and laughing hysterically. One of the guys had actually played on the record. There was no Archies. Totally a conglomeration of studio cats.

We played for about an hour. And the in walked Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley…The Righteous Brothers. Hal had called them from his car on the way to the studio.
I almost shit myself. I had met them once before when I interviewed them for my PBS TV show in 1982. They barely remembered me.

The drummer had lit up another doob and Bill walked over and took it from him. And then laughed a huge belly laugh. After a few drags, he handed it to Bobby.

I knew what was coming and I did not know a single song in their catalog. Oh fuck!
I took the studio owner aside and asked if he had one of those giant music books with 1000 songs in them? He did and it had all the boys’ songs. Whew.

Unfortunately, it was a piano book with the bass lines for the left hand of the piano. So I did some wood shedding when we began to play.

Bobby and Bill made it absolutely clear that no recording will go on. They were very stern about this. They didn’t want any boot legs showing up. I thought that here was my only chance to play with these guys and I’d have no record of it…so to speak.

The first hour, we jammed on a bunch of R & B tunes that everyone knew. They said they were in no hurry to sing their songs. And besides, we weren’t paying them. LOL.
Little Latin Lupe Lu was a mind fuck of an experience. This was the most fun song of the session. It lasted at least 30 minutes.

And then the sun set around 8pm on the California summer day. And guys were talking about getting home before their wives beat them. That was OK. We had played for 5 hours. And I was adrenaline soaked.

Hal drove us all back to his boat where our cars were parked. His Bentley could hold a lot of people but we still ended up sitting on top of each other.

A few months later, Hal called me and gave me Bill’s phone number. Their bass player was sick and couldn’t play that Friday and Saturday at their own club in Orange County. Been there many times and once in a while, they showed up to perform.

I called Bill and he asked me if I wanted the gig? )($&KUE$%&((*%#@%*_?????!!!!
“Yes, sir.”
“You know our songs, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
Times were arranged.

I spent the next few days learning every one of their hits. I spent zero time at my recording studio. This was too important and I wanted to be asked back.
I barely slept the night before.
For two glorious nights, I was in the Righteous Brother’s Band.
I’ve got photos of me on stage but they are buried in one of our many photo boxes in the basement.
Son of a bitch.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar review, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, Rocky Patel Super Ligero Cigar Review