When the legendary Hollywood lawyer left Tinseltown to pursue his dream of cigar making he was considered crazy by many of his former associates. Why leave a wildly successful legal practice to head off to Honduras? Rocky Patel did it because he had passion, vision, conviction. He had an idea of the ideal smoke and went about bringing that idea to fruition with his first brand, Indian Tabac, and then after the success of that, he went on to the Rocky Patel Vintage Series. The result is an immensely popular cigar among real cigar aficionados that continues to defy the naysayers and receive praises from cigar fans and critics. How did Rocky Patel become the icon of the cigar industry that he is today? Yes the packaging on Rocky Patel Cigars is striking enough to get recognition for that alone, and yes, the man in charge spends a lot of time on promotion, but the primary force in the success of the Rocky Patel brand of cigars is the pure quality of the product. He did it by learning the trade from the ground up. After selling his practice in Hollywood, he moved to Honduras and spent five years teaching himself every aspect of the trade including the farming and barn work.

Rocky Patel cigars
Patel cigars are the result of painstaking research and years of accumulated knowledge of how to craft the flavors of a cigar to create a truly exemplary product. Rocky Patel does not just know about the cigar business, he knows the product as well. The end result is carefully engineered and monitored by Rocky Patel himself to meet the demanding standards of himself and his customers. He spends up to 300 days a year promoting a product on which he can place his name. An example of Rocky Patel’s dedication to craftsmanship was the fact that he limited the production run of the Vintage Series to 250 a day in order to ensure that there would be no deviation from the high standard he set.Rocky Patel 1961 Robusto
The first most promising thing about this cigar pre-light is the construction, it is tight with no visible flaws, none of the other things that true cigar fans look for like soft spots along the shaft of the cigar. Patel is famous for strictly monitoring and controlling the quality of cigars that come out under his brand name. The trademark Rocky Patel packaging brilliance is in evidence with the elegant, eye catching black and red double-band, as well. The cold draw before lighting brings a strong flavor of cocoa, almonds and pepper. On lighting, the first flavor is of pure pepper that is actually the nicotine on the inner surface of the mouth. This is the kind of cigar that is not meant for people who do not smoke habitually. Cigar fans who like their smokes strong will love it, however. The first third of the cigar provides a thick, almost palpably heavy fog of smoke that should only be shared with fellow fans of cigar. Warning: If the room-mate or spouse does not smoke, it is strongly advisable to not this cigar in the living-room! As the cigar dwindles down to the midway point, the flavors become notably milder, smoother, more complex. There are elements of coffee and fruitiness, almost berrylike flavors. The latter porton of the Rocky Patel 1961 Robusto experience could be compared to creamy dessert after an intensely spicy meal. The overall effect is of a varied set of flavors full of nuance and contrast.

The Construction of the 1961 Robusto
The wrapper is habano with a deep reddish tinge, the filler is from Nicaragua, the binder is Honduran, the wrapper Ecuadoran. It comes in a variety of sizes including the Torpedo, Corona, Toro, and the Robusto. The Robusto is five inches with a 50 ring gauge.

The Rocky Patel 1999 Robusto
In direct contrast to the 1961 Robusto the Rocky Patel Robusto 1999 is mild and unassuming at first. This is not normally the kind of cigar that would normally show up on the radar of the experienced super-knowledgeable fan. Being relatively mild this could almost be called a gateway cigar, perfect for new smokers whose tastes and nicotine tolerance have not quite matured. Almost. The Robusto 1999 is milder but not without its nuances that only the experienced will pick up. If the 1961 Robusto was the intensely spicy meal, then the 1999 special Vintage is hearty, comfort food. There is absolutely nothing wrong with comfort food. There is a time and place for everything. The 1999 Special Vintage has a good draw and gives a rich, thick smoke, much like the 1961 Robusto. The only word to describe the relatively mild flavor and richness of this smoke is “creamy”, with the barest hint of almonds and coffee.

The construction of the 1999 Robusto
The fillers are Dominican and Nicaraguan with a 7 year aged Connecticut wrapper. It is 5 inches long, with a 50 ring gauge.

The Rocky Patel Sun Grown Toro
These cigars are hard due to a firm pack, with no noticeable soft spots, though there are one or two minor veins. The pre-light draw gives a slight fruity taste with a hint of leather. The first draw is easy considering how tightly packed the cigar is. The quantity of smoke in the first third is moderate, the aroma is of more leather, with a slight nicotine pepper taste. The pepper flavor remains consistent throughout, though the fruitiness does come to the forefront in the second third with a vaguely nutty undertone. There is no noticeable change in the smoke quality or quantity. The pepper synced nicely with a smooth creaminess in the last third with no dramatic shifts in quality or flavor at all throughout the smoking experience.

The construction of the Rocky Patel Sun Grown Toro
This is a six and a half inch cigar with a 52 ring gauge. It is densely packed, with fillers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Brazil. The wrapper is Ecuadorian.