10 Questions with Rocky Patel
Dec 28, 2009 Interviews
As our final interview for 2009, we are pleased to present our 10 Questions interview with Rocky Patel.
Rocky is one of the hardest working people in the cigar industry and his hard work has proven to be fruitful as his Rocky Patel brand has grown by leaps and bounds over recent years.
The popularity of his cigars has grown significantly and his smokes have received numerous high scores in Cigar Aficionado and other publications.
Rocky has established himself as a major player in the business and his brand is flourishing.
And now, 10 Questions with Rocky Patel…
SmokeScore: Rocky, can you tell our readers a little bit about how you went from Lawyer to Cigar Manufacturer? It’s quite an interesting story and a testament to following one’s dreams.
Rocky Patel: It’s my pleasure. Well, I was working as an entertainment attorney in LA and while working on the set one day some one offered me a cigar. I was leery but since it was a major celebrity I decided “What the Heck!” BTW, I had never smoked anything in my life! I immediately fell in love! So the short version: I left my practice, went to Honduras and learned everything I possibly could about cigars. From the farming, curing, fermentation and finally the manufacturing and quality control of the cigar making process. Many people remember the Indian Tabac Cigar Company, which was my first baby. Well, we had a lot of bumps and bruises along the way. To tell you the truth, sometimes I look back @ all of the traveling and just say, “WOW! I can’t believe we are we are.“ So we keep pushing harder and harder. I truly believe that NO ONE works harder to make a better quality cigar than we do. So we will continue to do whatever it takes, continue to bring what we consider to be, the best cigar in the world, to the end consumer! On a personal note, we love what we do and thank you for making our dreams a reality.
SmokeScore: I’ve tried all of your seasonal blends and enjoyed them all. Can you tell us how you came up with the idea and what future plans you have for the seasonal releases?
Rocky Patel: Sure… I’m a big fan of wine and Dan Cohn from B.R. Cohn winery is a great friend of mine. So I tasted some of his special selection quite some time ago and thought to myself, “Hey We Can Do This”. So a few years ago we branded the Rocky Patel Seasonal Collections. Once a quarter, we do a limited short run on a specific season: Summer, Winter, Spring, and Autumn. The theory behind the release is simple: use the best tobacco’s available that reference the freshness and quality of that particular season. You really have to have the feeling of a season. So when we make a seasonal blend, we work exceedingly hard to depict what it feels like to smoke that particular brand during that particular season. The end consumer should take a puff of the Autumn Collection and say to themselves, “WOW that makes sense it tastes just like Autumn!!” On another note, the Cigars have to be perfect; we will not rush the tobacco under any circumstances. In conjunction with that statement, we had a lot of blends using specific tobaccos for winter but we just couldn’t hit the nail on the head, so there will be no Winter Collection for 2009. I just wasn’t happy with the outcome. It has to be perfect for us to release a Seasonal into the market place.
SmokeScore: You must have been elated with the recent 95 point score the Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo received. Does receiving a score like that validate all the hard work you put into your products?
Rocky Patel: Absolutely! Believe me ratings don’t mean everything. However, it’s nice to receive the gratification for all of our hardwork, time and effort.
SmokeScore: At a recent event in New York I had a conversation with you about the Rocky Patel Edge Sumatra and how much I loved that cigar. You were explaining the differences and similarities between that and the Rocky Patel Renaissance. Can you elaborate on how the two lines compare?
Rocky Patel: It’s the same cigar! Unfortunately the cost of Sumatra wrapper has increased dramatically over the last two years. I did not want to raise the cost of the entire Edge series so I decided to rebrand the cigar and call it Renaissance.
SmokeScore: How different is it for you to now be making cigars in your own manufacturing facility? What are the advantages?
Rocky Patel: Believe it or not, there is not much of a difference. We control 95% of the entire production in our Honduran Factory. So essentially, we have carried over everything that make our cigars great! The quality and consistency standards remain the same: from the seedling in the ground, to the time you put a cigar in the box. BTW, we have a new Rocky Patel DVD being released, the second week in December: “Against All Odds”, which thoroughly depicts why we make some of the best cigars in the world! It also shows the quality control standards that we have set and why you could eat off of the floor in all of our factories.
SmokeScore: What are your thoughts on the possibility that we’ll soon see an end to the Cuban Embargo?
Rocky Patel: I think it’s going to be analogically compared to myths of the past. Once she “Cuba” finally opens up, there is going to be even more controversy over where the best cigars are made. The products that are coming out of Nicaragua and Honduras are very good and will be tough to beat. As a matter of fact, many people feel that they are just as good, if not better, than the “hype of a Cuban cigar;” if you can get one that’s not bitter, turns sour half way through or that you can draw on that is. In retrospect I, think its going to be HUGE for all manufacturers when she opens up, based on the fact that elements of Cuban tobacco will be added to many blends and new creations.
SmokeScore: To what do you attribute the explosive growth of your company in the recent years?
Rocky Patel: Hard Work! Simply Stated. Great blends with complexity, quality and consistency. When you smoke a Rocky Patel cigar you can be certain that it will draw perfectly, burn well and deliver great flavor. We thrive to work harder everyday. We’re on the road or in the factory in some capacity everyday! Weather it’s myself, my brother Nish, my cousin Nimish or the rest of the Rocky Patel sales force. We do this because we love to meet and educate the end consumer as to what Rocky Patel Premium Cigars is doing in the market place, to make a great quality cigar. We thrive on outworking our competition, to deliver a superior product for you!
SmokeScore: Can you let us in on any new products in the pipeline?
Rocky Patel: In every respect! I promise you no one works harder to bring you a great quality cigar than we do. We learn everyday to assure that tradition is redefined. We are pushing all boundaries to discover new tobaccos, better fermentation and great flavor, while guaranteeing the consistency and quality.
SmokeScore: Have you recently smoked any cigars other than your own that made you say, “Damn, I wish we had made that?”
Rocky Patel: Today premium cigars are better than ever. There are some great all around brands that I enjoy smoking: Padron, Litto etc.
SmokeScore: We end all of our interviews with a look into the future. Where do you see Rocky Patel cigars in 5 years?
Rocky Patel: I promise you no one works harder to bring you a great quality cigar than we do. We learn everyday to assure that tradition is redefined. We are pushing all boundaries to discover new tobaccos, better fermentation and great flavor, while guaranteeing the consistency and quality. So in 5 years we’ll be working just as hard as we did 10 years ago: to push the threshold!
Thank you to Rocky Patel and to Sam Phillips for their generosity with their time.
Tags: Interview, Rocky Patel
New Section – “Aged”
Dec 27, 2009 Aged, Cigar, Site News
As we roll into 2010, SmokeScore is proud to announce a new section called “Aged”.
The “Aged” section reviews will focus on cigars that have been properly stored for long term aging.
We will be reviewing sticks with a minimum of two years of age but many will have 5, 10 even 30 years of age.
“Aged” reviews will not contain an official score due to lack of availability of multiple samples for a proper review. They will stand on their own merit and will be reviewed based on the same criteria as any other review on SmokeScore.
Some of the sticks we will be reviewing include:
1977 Sancho Panza
1962 Montecristo Edmundo
1992 Montecristo No.2
1995 Fuente Opus X Robusto
2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Camacho Liberty
2003 Cohiba Limitado
and many more.
Look for the first “Aged” review in early January 2010.
Tags: Aged
Aged Cigar Special
My friend Lindsay over at Nat Sherman in NYC has an amazing deal going on right now.
They have various *complete* boxes of Vintage Macanudo (Jamaican) cigars and some 1994 Partagas boxes available for sale.
These have sat in a humidor aging for years & are in pristine condition.
If you’ve ever had a Jamaican Mac, you know what treasures these are.
1 Box Duke of Wellington: $330.00
1 Box Vintage 1988 VII: $1,150.00
1 Box Vintage 1988 II: $1,073.00
1 Box Vintage 1988 I: $1,202.00
1 Box Vintage 1993 II : $900.00
1 Box Vintage 1993 III: $858.00
1 Box Vintage 1993 VI: $1,201.00
5 Boxes Partagas No. 3 1994: $500.00
Contact Lindsay Heller [lheller@natsherman.com] at Nat Sherman w/questions or to purchase.
Tags: Lindsay Heller, macanudo, Nat Sherman, Partagas
Top 10 Cigars of 2009
Dec 20, 2009 Cigar
So here we are. As 2009 comes to a close we present you with our Top 10 Cigars of 2009.
The list is simple – any cigar is eligible for the Top 10 list. We don’t factor price, availability or production levels into the list.
Our Top 10 Cigars of 2009 is simply the best 10 cigars we smoked in 2009.
Here’s our list:
#10 – Ashton VSG Wizard
Ashton VSG Wizard Natural premium cigars are made ‘Carlito’s way’ by Arturo Fuente with flawless, extra-aged Ecuadorian wrappers and a longer-aged blend of 6 Cuban-seed Dominican fillers, plus an extra-rich Ligero leaf for a fuller, more complex flavor. The 6×56 Wizard vitola does something special to the already magnificent VSG blend and it takes it to another level. The Wizard has flavors of coffee, toasted wood and licorice. At the core is a rich tobacco sweetness that makes it a very satifsying cigar. Easily my favorite cigar by Ashton.
#9 – Cohiba Genio Maduro
Cohiba began experimenting with Maduro wrappers very recently and the Genio Maduro, may be the best of the bunch. It’s a dark chocolate brown wrapper with a mild nose of espresso and earth. Once lit, the cigar has tons of earth, leather and bitter dark chocolate flavors. It burns beautifully and has a nice clean finish. Tough to find, but if you do…grab some.
#8 – La Aurora Cien Años Belicoso
The La Aurora 100 Anos (100 years) pays tribute to La Aurora’s time in the business. The La Aurora 100 Anos has a Corojo seed Dominican wrapper that covers mostly Corojo fillers making it one of the worlds only cigars to use 100% Dominican Tobacco. Only 300,000 cigars were ever produced. Being masters of the Preferido, La Aurora has created a magnificent cigar that is balanced, mellow and flavorful. It has a sweet earthiness along with some leather.
#7 – Tatuaje Regio Reserva
Yes, more Pete Johnson. As a fan of the standard Regio vitola, I immediately gravitated to the Regio Reserva when it was released in early 2009.
The Regio reserva has a very dark oscuro wrapper that bleeds oils. It has a yummy aroma of sweet wood and some raisin. Lighting it, I got a myriad of flavors such as wood, leather, spice, caramel and even some grape flavors. It has a remarkable spectrum of flavor to go with the medium to full body. Very clean finish and burns very well with a little flaking. The stick also gives off a wonderful smell while it’s burning. I honestly feel that the Regio Reserva could be Pete’s masterpiece. Luckily I bought a box and still have some left. I can only hope this line will return in the future.
#6 – Padron 1926 No. 9 Maduro
Padron is a model of consistency in the cigar world. The No.9 Maduro from their 1926 line is as rock solid a cigar as there is on the market today. It’s an elegant smoke with flavors of aged tobacco, roasted nuts and dried fruit. The No. 9 is always solid, rich and rewarding. It finishes cleanlt with beautiful bitter dark chocolate. I could smoke this every day.
#5 – Illusione eccj
Dion Giolito was commissioned by The European Cigar Cult Journal to make a commemorative cigar for their 15th anniversary. Dion created a gem in the process. The eccj, which is no longer available, is a Corona Gorda size, Nicaraguan Puro with a Corojo wrapper and a filler blend of 6 tobaccos. It burns beautifully and is a smooth, balanced dream. It has flavors of toast, nuts and a noticable floral flavor and aroma. Overall a winner of a smoke and if you enjoy medium bodied cigars, this one is a must.
#4 – Trinidad Robusto Extra
The Trinidad Robusto Extra is a 6×49 beauty. It has a chocolate brown wrapper and pigtail at the cap. The Trinidad Robusto Extra has a distinct nose of hay and nuts. When it burns it gives off a beautiful nutty aroma that also comes through in the flavor. It bursts with flavors of roasted nuts, coffee and some creaminess. It’s medium bodied but loaded with flavor. It’s an outstanding cigar and one of the best Cuban cigars I’ve ever smoked It’s also the #1 Cuban cigar of 2009.
#3 – El Triunfador Lancero
More Pete Johnson. Pete Johnson originally made the El Triunfador line in order to keep the brand name active in commerce in order to maintain his ownership of it. The “Ghost Cigar” was never intended for mass production, but it found its way into the hands of willing smokers. The El Triunfador is one of the most flavorful lanceros I’ve experienced. It has notes of leather, chocolate, spicy wood and a faint sweetness like caramel. It’s a sensational lancero and one that you should not miss.
#2 – Liga Privada No.9 Parejo
Liga Privada No. 9 Parejo Maduro was originally created for the sole smoking pleasure of Drew Estate president Steve Saka. Exquisitely blended from 7 different tobaccos from 7 different farms, it is handcrafted only by the factory’s absolute best torcedors. The Liga Privada is one of the most perfectly constructed cigars I’ve ever seen. It’s very dark and so oily it’s almost greasy. The smoke is medium bodied and loaded with flavors of mocha, burnt sugar and wood. I absolutely love the Liga Privada and it will always have a place in my humidor.
#1 – Padron Family Reserve 45 Years
To celebrate the milestone of reaching 45 years in business, the Padrón family released the Padrón Family Reserve No. 45, a six-inch long, 52 ring gauge, box-pressed cigar made from very old Nicaraguan tobaccos. The cigars are made in very limited quantities, and shipped at various times.
Having an MSRP of over $25, I was a little cautious about this cigar when first released. I love the 1926 series and those are expensive enough. I bought one to smoke and later that day bought the rest of the singles my local shop had, then went online and bought a box.
The Family Reserve is a textbook perfect box-pressed stick. It is teeming with oils and has an aroma of cocoa and spice on the wrapper and foot. The stick transitioned so many times while I smoked it, it was remarkable. Flavors included cocoa, earth, spice, cloves, dense chocolate cake and rich tobacco sweetness.
The Family Reserve quite simply is one of the best cigars I’ve ever smoked. It’s that simple. Availability and price aside, this cigar reminded me of why I started smoking cigars in the first place.
Tags: Top 10 Cigars of 2009
Top 5 Limited Release Cigars of 2009
Dec 17, 2009 Cigar
Now this is really getting fun…
Tonight’s look back on 2009 highlights the Top 5 Limited Release Cigars of 2009.
This list includes any cigar released in 2009 that is either a one-off, limited production release or special edition. It includes cigars that are meant to be a one-shot deal or limited run and are not part of a regular, readily available line. Lack of availability did not factor in to the evaluation, meaning a cigar didn’t lose any points because it was impossible to find.
NOTE: These reviews may include cigars where only one sample was smoked. Due to the limited availability of some of these cigars, multiple tasting samples may not have been possible.
Away we go…
#5 – AVO Limited Edition 2009 Companero
In 2009 Davidoff commemorated Avo Uvezian’s 83rd birthday with a special release called “Companero.” The Avo line is generally a mild to medium bodied line, but the 2009 edition is a departure. It is medium to full bodied and loaded with flavors of leather, toast and sweet wood. Oddly it’s also one of the heaviest sticks I’ve ever smoked. Not in body, but in actual weight. It’s large and weighty and feels substantial. A wonderful Limited Edition smoke that Davidoff can be proud of and one that I made sure to buy a handful of before they are all gone.
#4 – CAO Mx3
CAO maintains an inventory of specific tobacco that they use in special blends called “The Escaparate Collection” The collection is an assortment of different cigar blends that utilizes these special tobacco lots. What makes these blends unique is that they are generally not released to the public or released in very small amounts since there is not enough of the Escaparate tobaccos to be used in standard release blends.
One of these mysterious, Escaparate cigars is the CAO MX3. The MX3 is available only at Drapers Tobacconist in Washington D.C. – (800) 572-2382. It is exclusive to them and will most likely remain so as long as they last.
The Mx3 is a rough, rustic looking stick, but the beauty is in the smoking. The Mx3 explodes on the palate with flavors of bitter chocolate, espresso and a tanginess that I really enjoyed. The flavor profile of this stick blew me away and made me realize why it is I love Maduro cigars so much. Just wish they were a little easier to get a hold of.
#3 – Tatuaje Monster Series “Boris”
Anyone who knows me or reads SmokeScore, knows that I am a huge Pete Johnson fan. That being said, I do occasionally run across one of Pete’s cigars that sticks out in my mind as a classic. The 2009 Monster Series “Boris” is one of those cigars. The Boris is essentially the same blend as last year’s Monster Series “Frank” but with a different wrapper and not boxed press. While I liked the Frank a lot, I ADORE the Boris. The smoke has a minty sweetness that I’ve never tasted in a cigar before. It also has flavors of sweet spice that are so prevalent in Don Pepin’s work. Pete has a winner with the Boris which incidentally has a production of only 1000 boxes of 10 compared to the “Drac” which has 1,300 boxes of 13 available.
#2 – Tatuaje Regio Reserva
Yes, more Pete Johnson. As a fan of the standard Regio vitola, I immediately gravitated to the Regio Reserva when it was released in early 2009.
The Regio reserva has a very dark oscuro wrapper that bleeds oils. It has a yummy aroma of sweet wood and some raisin. Lighting it, I got a myriad of flavors such as wood, leather, spice, caramel and even some grape flavors. It has a remarkable spectrum of flavor to go with the medium to full body. Very clean finish and burns very well with a little flaking. The stick also gives off a wonderful smell while it’s burning. I honestly feel that the Regio Reserva could be Pete’s masterpiece. Luckily I bought a box and still have some left. I can only hope this line will return in the future.
#1 – Padron Family Reserve 45 Years
To celebrate the milestone of reaching 45 years in business, the Padrón family released the Padrón Family Reserve No. 45, a six-inch long, 52 ring gauge, box-pressed cigar made from very old Nicaraguan tobaccos. The cigars are made in very limited quantities, and shipped at various times.
Having an MSRP of over $25, I was a little cautious about this cigar when first released. I love the 1926 series and those are expensive enough. I bought one to smoke and later that day bought the rest of the singles my local shop had, then went online and bought a box.
The Family Reserve is a textbook perfect box-pressed stick. It is teeming with oils and has an aroma of cocoa and spice on the wrapper and foot. The stick transitioned so many times while I smoked it, it was remarkable. Flavors included cocoa, earth, spice, cloves, dense chocolate cake and rich tobacco sweetness.
The Family Reserve quite simply is one of the best cigars I’ve ever smoked. It’s that simple. Availability and price aside, this cigar reminded me of why I started smoking cigars in the first place.
