Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6.5 x 52 Toro ~ Box Pressed
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $17.00

Photo courtesy of Rocky Patel Cigars:

I bought a couple sticks from Atlantic Cigar around 3+ months ago. Fingers crossed that this large Snickers Bar is ready for deep Freudian analysis. (My mother made me do it).

BACKGROUND:
From Atlantic Cigar:
“Commissioned by Rocky Patel to celebrate his 60th birthday, The Rocky Patel Sixty cigar features rich, hand-selected Nicaraguan tobacco wrapped in a beautiful Mexican San Andres wrapper. Made for the sophisticated palate, the Rocky Patel Sixty is aged two years before it’s finally box-pressed. Truly a special blend that’s sure to please, a super premium smoke using the finest aged tobaccos for your enjoyment.”

SIZES AND PRICING:
Toro 6.5 x 52 $17.00
Sixty 6 x 60 $18.00
Robusto 5.5 x 50 $16.00

APPEARANCE:
The over all presentation reminds me of 1968 watching “2001: A Space Odyssey” at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood…in the front row. Dazzling and psychedelic.

When the adornments are released from their bondage, the cigar is exposed, and my retinas return to normal.

Very nice Fudgesicle in my hand. Beautifully constructed. Almost devoid of veinage. Seams are clearly visible but glued in place. In fact, I can see roller’s glue on one of the seams near the cigar band. It was smeared to force the cigar shut. The triple cap is flawless with a monolithic look. The box press may have been sharp when removed from the box, but now it has soft corners and is in the relaxed prone mode. The cigar has some soft spots which means there may be trouble with the burn…we shall see.

SMELL THE GLOVE:
Aromas do not shine…very subdued. My giant schnoz picks up faint milk chocolate, licorice, black pepper, cedar, barnyard, Juicy Fruit gum, and maple syrup.

The cold draw is dead in its tracks as the cigar is totally plugged. I grab my faithful PerfecDraw draw adjustment tool and begin stabbing like Anthony Perkins.
As usual, the culprit is in the cigar band area and is quickly cleaned out with one stroke and I shall delve once more…

The cold draw presents flavors of milk chocolate, malt, espresso, licorice, fruitiness, black pepper, cedar, and a touch of creaminess.

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
I’ve found that most celebratory cigar blends are less than stellar; but at least they are expensive. I never review Patel cigars this early because the onus of aging their blends is put upon the consumer to finish up for them. But since this cigar is advertised as having 2 years of aging after rolling, this cigar must be dying to impress.

Starting this morning’s review with Joe Cocker and his version of “The Letter.” Big smile.

Complex flavor points begin the parade…black pepper, spicy chocolate, creaminess, licorice, malt, and fruitiness.
I can immediately taste the aging. The flavor wheel tidbits are secondary to the lovely taste of good tobacco allowed to sleep. I envy the cigar.

The black pepper is dominating but not to the point of overwhelming…just the right kick in the arse. Sweetness is second in command for domination, wearing a leather jock strap and a red ball in its mouth.

Strength begins at medium.

The finish is actually the most impressive at this early juncture.

The entirety of what this blend has to give is roaming around my tongue and ovaries teasing me with the mind plant that this may indeed be a very good stick.

The cigar is packed. The burn is slow. Go Bucks. The blender’s intent begins to reveal itself. I should wear clothes when I review a cigar.

While the density of the cigar makes it a slow go, this bitch is still on the favorable side of the equation.

I’ve been told to stop smoking prior to Monday’s surgery. Sure, no problem. Ha. I intend to sneak a small cigar in and when the doctor comes in, the stick will be planted in my mouth. I mean…how can a little tobacco affect futile attempts to use electro-shock therapy on me?

Johnny Lang. All right. Bopping to the groove. One of my ‘nads is pulsating to the rhythm.

I’ve smoked 1-1/2” and the cigar doesn’t want to leave the launching pad. It’s OK. It needs to drop its knickers and pull its bootstraps up.

The burn is wonky.

The cigar needs some heavy lifting by its savory side. At this time, the sweetness factors are manning the moon shot.
A cigar that is hyped and has a price point of $17 should be screaming laughter by now.

Transitions are missing in action. The finish continues to be the rally point. Strength is still medium.

Vinegary BBQ sauce hovers above the Areola Borealis. Lying naked and shivering beneath that flavor is charred meat. It is moving in the right direction at last.

Johnny Piette of Isabela Cigars considers it a point of pride that all his blends get 2-4 years of aging after they have been rolled. This baby is nothing like an Isabela blend.

Flavors do not mince their intent. They are insipid onlookers. The slightly aged tobacco is doing all the work.
Either this cigar needs much more humi time…or this is all it has to give. Don’t know.

The wonky burn corrects itself to perfect state of military spec.

With 2-1/2” burned, the blend begins to acknowledge my impatience…and something is rattling that urges the cigar to do better. Character builds to a more well-rounded approach.
Yet no transitions to speak of.

Back to Isabela. Piette’s blends are impressive to me because of the constant transitions that keep me glued to the big fade and out.

Man, I spent a lot of dough on these cigars. The cigar should be performing Connie Lingus on my palate. The slow burn makes it that much more frustrating. This thing, by now, should be sailing to the edge of the planet.

The incremental increase of quality is dragging its bum leg.
If this was a $9 stick, I would still be bitching.

Remember “Deep Throat?” I saw it for the first time while touring in 1975 at the Paradiso Club in Amsterdam. I was with Sonja and Stewart. I suggested that she up her game next time we are bored in our touring car. Stewart concurred.

I’m now killing time awaiting the sweet spot. What if it doesn’t come? What if we elected a reptile to the presidency? How many sweet gherkins can you shove in your mouth at once? And why do you refuse to lift the toilet seat when you pee?

Flavors have not changed a whit. Stasis. No forward momentum. Big letdown.

Halfway point. Some nicotine arrives on time. Strength is upped to medium/full.

I remove the large cigar band and Rocky’s brother, Buster, falls out. I need to contact Patel that I found him. I wonder if he was a plant?

I don’t want to jinx it…but the cigar improves! Thank you, baby Jesus.
The flavor points spread out like a schmear of cream cheese on a toasted bagel.

“Over the Hills and Far Away” is playing. One of my all-time fave Zep tunes.

The cigar blend has finally come into its own. Transitions begin. The finish is enhanced by Pi.

And then the strength hits me like a pie from Soupy Sales.
It was medium throughout the first half. Then a quick tap dance to medium/full…and now it is a full tilt mine field. The swooning can now commence.

This is how the cigar should have started 45 minutes ago. Damn. This cigar, despite the rolled stick aging, will need more than the 3 months I gave it.

Same exact thing happened with my review of the Regius Small Batch Series Orchant Fat Perfecto. First half was a disappointment, but it reared its cajones in the second half. But it was only $11.00.

A lovely warmth coats my palate. It’s aging struts the light fandango.
But for $17, this should have been a monster…

A sip of water and I receive a peanuty taste.

The flavor wheel is dead in the water. If the cigar was designed to be a blend whose over all approach was to impress with the whole being the dominant factor over a laundry list of flavor points, well…it failed.

It’s not a bad cigar. It should have been a joy to smoke. Instead, it is tedious.

The improvement I’ve encountered in the second half helps but I give it no props because it is sluggish.

Cigar Aficionado gave the blend a rating of 90. They were being very kind to Rocky.

I should have waited another 3-4 months before putting pen to paper.
The character and complexity are hit or miss.

I have 2” to go and I’m afraid that this blend has given all the insight it can muster.

So, the cigar falls into the old category of a celebratory blend having lots of press release bluster; but doesn’t deliver the goods.
Maybe Rocky’s 80th birthday cigar will be better.

The Rocky Patel Sixty can be purchased from both Atlantic Cigar and Small Batch Cigar.

RATING: 85

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS