Cigar Review: Rocky Patel 1961 Robusto

Photo from hondurascigar.com

Tonight I reviewed the Rocky Patel 1961. This blend was created to commemorate the year Rocky Patel was born, and I found it to be a medium bodied smoke. Music tonight consisted mainly of hip-hop and alternative/rock: Kid Cudi (“Day and Night”), Kanye West (“Love Lockdown”), John Mayer (“Neon”), Jay-Z (“Run This Town”), Gym Class Heroes, and Flyleaf. Not my usual mix, but I found it to be necessary to have some interesting music on to balance out this decidedly uninteresting cigar.  I didn’t have my camera, or even my phone on hand so I ended up using a friend’s Macbook to get some shots.

Specifics

  • Wrapper: Habano (Ecuador)
  • Binder: Honduran
  • Filler: Nicaraguan

Appearance & Construction:

Fair. The rich brown of the habano wrapper is attractive, and the double-label is, after closer inspection, very detailed and attractive. “1961” is prominently displayed, and below it is a dark red band with the Rocky Patel logo displayed in black.  Aside from that, this cigar is far from exceptional. It had a hard time holding an ash, and the construction needed touch ups multiple times. Draw was a bit too loose, which is surprising because in my experience Rocky Patel cigars are generally very solid when it comes to delivering a very comfortable draw.

Smoking Characteristics & Taste:

The first third of this stick is hard to describe, mainly because I spent most of the first third trying to gather a discernable flavor profile. The main flavor is a natural tobacco taste, a bit of spice, and a hint of sweetness. Pleasant, but not very notable. On a positive note, this cigar produced large plumes of very smooth smoke consistently throughout.

The second third of this stick is a bit more satisfying. Still the natural tobacco flavor, but a very noticeable cocoa flavor that is very enjoyable. A few minutes later the cocoa becomes more of a semi sweet—not unenjoyable, but kind of sad. The final third of this cigar was more of the same story. Natural tobacco and a bit of cocoa.

Conclusion: B-

Not a bad cigar, per-se, but this really seems like a RP cigar trying to be the Patel Bros Next Generation (a GREAT cigar). I’m not going to be rushing to pick up more of these anytime soon.

Matthias Clock: Brand evangelist, digital marketer, cigar and spirits expert specializing in consumer tasting and educational events. Matthias made the long trek from his hometown of Portland, Oregon to New York City in 2007, and in nine years has hosted more than 120 events and helped promote and launch dozens of cigar and whiskey brands in the U.S. In 2016, he joined the Cigar Journal Tasting Panel, blind-reviewing pre and new release cigars.

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