Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Habano, Nicaragua

Filler: Habano, Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 52

Price: Around $4.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper looked smooth, with minor blemishes and some small veins. The wrapper smelled of sweet earth, while the foot had a slight woody spice. The pre-light draw was free, almost loose, and had a mild earthy woody taste. The cigar was a little soft but bounced back when pinched.

I did no burn corrections, and the ash held for an inch.

Flavor:

The first third was nice and mild. An ever so slight spice was detecting when passing smoke through the sinus. There were buttery and nutty notes with a wisp of wood.

The second third offered a little change, and I think for the better. The flavor profile developed into what the rest of the cigar would be. The smoke feel became a little thicker with a slight creaminess. The body increased slightly, and the spice had a mild peppery zing. The butteries picked up a little, and wood and nuts rounded things out.

The last third was identical to the second third. Really, there isn’t anything more to add.

Conclusion:

This was a nice mild cigar. Sure, it was basically just another mild Connecticut wrapper cigar, but it was good. I’ll even go as far as saying it was typical, but I still liked it. If mild cigars are your thing, then give this one a try.

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua

Size:  5 1/2 x 47

Price: Around $8.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a nice look to it, with a couple larger sized veins accompanied by the usual small ones. Overall the cigar was packed consistently, with one flaw. A small indentation where the second third starts. This didn’t really concern me at all. The pre-light draw was great, and had a sweet woody flavor. The foot had almost no odor at all. The wrapper had a nice natural tobacco and woody smell.

The burn required a few significant corrections in the first third, but leveled off after that. The ash held for about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.

Flavor:

The first third started off with a nice pepper though the nose. Nutty flavors mingled with woody notes, which was a nice combo. Every now and then a tinge of sweetness would appear. Although simple, everything was balanced.

The pepper calmed down quite a bit during the second third. It took on more of a sweet spice, but wasn’t quite like cinnamon. Woody and nutty flavors were the main flavors like before. The aftertaste was a little creamy and left a little tingle on the tongue. All in all the flavor profile seemed to come together.

The last third: When passing the smoke though the nose, that familiar sweet spice remained. The core flavors remained as well (wood and nuts). A nice sweet mocha came in to the picture at just the right level of intensity. The smoke feel was creamy and like before, the aftertaste was sweet with a tingle on the lips and tongue. Everything just fit together nicely.

Conclusion:

This was a very nice medium to full bodied cigar. The flavors were really refined and well balanced. It is the type of cigar that is best smoked in your easy chair. If I were to complain, it would be the price. It is a little out of my comfort zone for a cigar of this size. But price aside, I think you owe it to yourself to check out this boutique brand.

The 15th Anniversary is produced out of their new “boutique” factory in Nicaragua, and will be released on July 30th, 2010. Obviously this line is in celebration of Rocky Patel being in the cigar biz for 15 years. And like Jerry said in his review at the Stogie Review… Even if you aren’t a huge Rocky fan, he is very active in the industry and always fighting those who want to hinder our right to sit back and have a cigar. He deserves to be applauded for his efforts. Anyway, enough babble. I paired the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary with water and offer you my thoughts.

Wrapper: Habano Ecuador

Binder: Jalapa

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: Around $9.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark oily wrapper had a rugged look to it, and a few small to medium veins. The odor coming off of the wrapper was dark, sweet and woody. The foot also had that same sweet woody smell to it. This box pressed beauty was rock solid and evenly packed with tobacco. Despite that, the draw was good with a slight resistance. The pre-light draw had a dark earthy, woody, sweet taste.

The ash held for an inch and the burn required no corrections.

Flavor:

The first third had a nice smooth peppery spice that had some punch to it. Wispy earthy notes mixed with a dark wood. A rich natural tobacco taste mingled in with the other flavors and it had a nice balance. The smoke feel was crisp and had a lingering finish. As this third came to a close, I started to pick up some sweet notes.

The second third continued the trend to a sweeter flavor profile. Eventually it developed into mocha. That peppery spice stayed pretty constant and kept things lively. The woody flavor took a turn towards cedar. The smoke feel was dry and crisp, and the smoke had a lot of volume. At times mocha was a dominant flavor, and other draws had cedar as the main flavor. Overall everything mixed together for a good balance.

The last third had an increase in body and but didn’t go over the top. The pepper calmed down a bit and had a nice tingle on the lips and tongue. Not a lot changed in terms of flavor profile. It basically kept the same pace as before.

Conclusion:

This was a good full bodied cigar. The flavors were good and everything came together nicely. While not a powerhouse, this wasn’t a beginner smoke. I wasn’t “Wowed” by the experience, but I wasn’t let down either. If I had to complain, it would be about the price. But overall, I would recommend you try the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary. Thanks to Rocky, Nish, and Patrick for letting me get a sneak peek.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut – Aged 7 years

Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Filler: Dominican

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: Around $6.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had very few flaws, with small to medium sized veins and a slight toothy appearance. I could only get natural tobacco odors when sniffing the foot and wrapper. The draw had slight resistance, with an earthy tobacco taste. When squeezed, I found that the cigar was softer towards the foot, and firmly packed towards the head.

The burn was wavy at first, but straightened itself out without my help The ash held for around an inch.

Flavor:

The first third started off with mild earthy flavors. It took awhile, but the smoke started to take on a slight creamy feel. All the while, I was left with a parched feeling and craved water. An addition of woody notes helped keep things interesting.

The second third had minimal change. The smoke feel became a little less creamy, but the core flavors remained the same – Earthy, woody, and perhaps a nutty note here and there. A slight peppery spice came in but only noticed when exhaling through the nose.

For the last third, the earthiness fell into the background. A creamy woodiness was dominant, with a spicy finish. When exhaled through the nose, the mild pepper remained. As the cigar came to an end, the smoke feel became more crisp and toasty.

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to medium bodied cigar. It pretty much lived up to what I expected. It is really nice in the morning with coffee. If you are in to Connecticut wrapped cigars, or are looking for a good morning smoke, this may be for you.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Corojo Oscuro

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: 6.5 x 52

Price: Around $8.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper looked a little oily with small to medium sized veins. There were no real defects to speak of. The wrapper smell was cedar, while the foot had almost no smell at all. The cigar was solidly and evenly packed like a rock. As a result, the draw was a little snug and somewhat annoying at first. The pre-light draw had an interesting sweetness that I couldn’t pin a flavor to.

The ash held for an inch, and the burn required a few minor touch up’s.

Flavor:

The first third: Despite the tight draw, there was a decent smoke volume with plenty of flavor. Far in the background I picked up earthy notes. What stood out was a flavor much like coffee. Passing smoke through the nose, there was a slight pepper with a sweet aftertaste. As I neared the second third, the smoke feel became thick and creamy.

The second third: Black coffee played tag with earthiness on which one would be strongest. I think coffee won. Like before, the slight pepper was there and had a slight kick. The smoke feel became creamier and sweeter, bordering on mocha or chocolate.

The last third: The coffee flavors became stronger and more espresso like. A dark sweetness like bitter chocolate entered the picture. It wasn’t a nasty bitter, in fact it was good. Earthy notes still lingered and came in and out of the background. The pepper really mellowed out but was strong enough to let me know it was still there. The smoke left a coating on the inside of my mouth and on the tongue that tasted like creamy coffee or espresso.

Conclusion:

This was a good medium bodied cigar that built into the full range. The snug draw was annoying at first, but I grew to ignore it. As time went on, it became less and less of an issue. As a whole, I really enjoyed it. This was a slow burner, so set some time aside to relax. With this cigar, a relaxing experience is sure to be had. See for yourself!