Size: 5 x 50
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: Gifted one stick for Christmas
My family has finally wisened up for Christmas time gift-giving. Instead of the phrase “What do you want for Christmas?”, I get “You want cigars and scotch for Christmas right?”. Needless to say that the past two years of Christmas have treated me, my bar and my humidor very well. This Christmas, besides a box of CroMagnon Mandibles, I received a bundle full of various cigars my local B&M put together to benefit the Backstoppers of St. Louis. One of the cigars in the bundle was the Rocky Patel Private Cellar, one I have seen at the shop several times but always seemed to gloss over for other choices. That would happen again.
I found zero construction nor imperfections in the cigar. I detected slight hints of cocoa pre-light but nothing came to mind…or nose rather. With a punch and light with a wooden match, I was met with an open draw and an immediate, heavy hit of pepper and spice. The flavors hit the front of the palette and were very prominent for ten to fifteen minutes then settled down into the background for the remainder of the cigar’s smoking time of 1:05.
The cigar’s strength is medium to full bodied, something that I think both novices and seasoned smokers would enjoy. The finish was shorter than I expected, given the pepper and spice notes at the beginning. A mellow cocoa flavor I detected pre-light joined the subtle pepper and spice flavors after the halfway point of the cigar. The only issue I had with the cigar was a minor burn correction.
To recap the Rocky Patel Private Cellar:
- A medium to full bodied smoke with lots of spice and pepper flavors at the beginning that mellows with cocoa notes to finish out the last half of the cigar.
- It has enough strength to keep the seasoned smokers happy but tame enough for novices to enjoy.
- At the $8.00 price point, this cigar is competing with many great cigars within the same price point but I think if you’re a Rocky Patel fan (who isn’t?), this is definitely one to consider when you are wanting a cigar with some kick.
- This cigar is now one that when I’m visiting a B&M and can’t decide on something to smoke, I will go to again.
As always, thank you very much for reading and I look forward to the next time I can share my thoughts with you.
This article originally appeared on Tiki Bar Online
In answer to the question “Who isn’t (a Rocky Patel fan)?” I would have to say…me. Two reasons, really: first, the company tends to do the “deep discount dance” with the online retailers, undercutting the B&Ms in too many cases. I don’t believe that online sales should be prohibited, but price protection and more B&M-exclusive AND online-exclusive cigars would be a good step. Second, for myself, too many of RP’s lower line cigars (below $10) just aren’t that interesting to me…some used to be, but either they have changed, or my tastes have. The Decade and Fifteenth were both great…and both pretty pricey, so they didn’t make it into my humidor very often.
All that said, THIS Rocky Patel is a solid stick for a very good price. A very welcome surprise when I smoked it the first time.
Agreed I always by pass his stuff… and I haven’t found one that I was In Love with enough to pick up some… its a fault I have.