The People's Review of the Rocky Patel Patel Bros

FINALLY THE CHAMP HAS COME BACK TO THE B&B BLOG!!! That's right The Champ is back after a bit of a hiatus to bring you yet another edition of "The People's Review" and today's review is of one of the new offerings from Rocky Patel the Patel Brothers. Here's the story behind this cigar courtesy of Rocky's homepage:

"For the first time in his company's history, Rocky Patel has collaborated with his brother Nish to create a full-bodied powerhouse cigar blend. The duo worked for years to find a robust and unique wrapper to accompany a special Nicaraguan filler and binder blend. A breakthrough came in the form of a beautifully dark and oily broadleaf wrapper selected from the tobacco fields of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. For each of their efforts, they decided to call the rich and bold cigar PATEL BROTHERS. "

This is one of the new blends released by RP (along with the Summer Collection 09, 1961, and Autumn Collection 09) and I was pretty psyched to try it out again since I had an intro to it before this review and it kicked my a$$! Here are the specs on this stogie:

Vitola: Torpedo 6.25" x 52

Filler: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf

Strength: Full

Let's get into reviewing this new cigar!

Pre-light construction and Draw

Taking the cigar out the cello, I notice the wrapper is quite oily yet it's pretty toothy with some prominent veins showing. A little squeeze tells me the cigar is packed full of that good Nicaraguan tobacco yet it does have some give to it. After I clip the torpedo cap, the draw is near effortless with just a slight touch of resistance. The flavors I get off the cold draw include strong hints of chocolate with a mixture of spice and a sort of dairy flavor. Let's get it lit and get to it!

First Third

It's lit and right off the bat that combo of chocolate and dairy with spice hits early! The combo is chocolate milk with a black pepper spice and a sort of dirty flavor finish. The spice is really strong off the start and I can feel the tingle on the nostrils and the back of my throat; with the retrohale I am getting a serious nic buzz indicative that the cigar is quite full in strength. Continuing on I'm getting a nice touch of pecans mixed in with the other prevailing flavors (this mix is extremely enjoyable). I paired this cigar with a glass of 2007 Liroc Cuvee Reserve red wine, which was a pretty decent pairing but with these early flavors I think a good tawny port would be perfect! The finish on this cigar is very lengthy and pleasant; the aroma coming off this cigar is also phenominal! The draw is perfect so far and it gives off a lot of creamy thick smoke; it's burning a touch hot off the start but nothing that isn't manageable. Just noticed another flavor addition: that earthy dirt flavor has changed to more of a hay flavor mixed in with some raisins (it's very nice!) The ash on this cigar is a nice greyish white color and it's holding pretty solid so far plus the burn is slow and even, which is a plus! The spice that was so present off the start is starting to fade a little bit yet I can still feel it tingle through the nose; there's also a toasty flavor that's introduced to the fold with the other earlier flavors sans the strong pepper and even some leather notes! So far, this cigar is all over the place with the flavors and the ash is holding firm at 2" yet starting to flake a little bit (possibly due to the chill in the air as I smoke this) so I am looking forward to what the rest of this cigar has to offer!

Halfway Point

Time to move on to the halfway point and the spice has completely faded away but the flavors of chocolate milk, pecans and raisins are still around. Finish continues to be very lengthy and leaving a very sweet pleasant flavor on the pallet. The integrity of the ash is starting to waiver a bit as the ash is getting pretty flaky-looking; the draw on this cigar is still on point and still giving off a lot of smoke. Now I'm starting to get some black coffee notes with a slight touch of leather and the absence of earthiness from earlier on in the cigar. Even in this flavor transition the strength has remained pretty full-bodied. Now the ash has gone from pretty flaky to jagged?! Yes it had a weird mouth-looking shape to it at one point but outside of that those sweet flavors are still hanging around. Now I'm starting to notice that the spice is slowly trying to make a comeback though not as powerful as it was in the beginning. Also, have to give my cigar a little touchup as the burn is getting a little more uneven...pretty uneventful way to end this section.

Final Stretch and The People's Verdict

As I'm coming down the home stretch and this cigar isn't really changing flavors at this point. Mostly, it's the same notes of chocolate milk, pecans, raisins with a little earthiness and a small amount of spice. The only notable flavor addition was a slight hint of berries paired with black coffee (the berries I reckon is a nod to the Winter Collection to which this cigar was suppose to mimic) but other than that it's basically a repeat of the beginning sans spice. Burn wasn't as even and the ash was flaky.

The People's Verdict: MEH

I give this one a "MEH" simply because the beginning of this cigar gave me high hopes of a strong cigar that's super flavorful yet after the first 1/3 of the cigar it was basically 1 dimensional and at one point was flat. I won't completely write this cigar as it is a new release so I will say that with some humi time this cigar could possibly be a great offering from RP so go out and get one or two and let them sit for a while and I'm sure they will be on point! Once again, this is The Champ saying keep lighting up them good cigars and let the smoke take you away!

Cheers and Enjoy!

Perdomo Habano Corojo Toro

After a lengthy hiatus, Da Byrdman is back with another cigar review.  This time I decided to give my first cigar from Tabacalera Perdomo a shot.  I chose the Perdomo Habano Corojo primarily because of the look of the cigar itself and the banding.  I found myself hoping that I was not the victim of pretty packaging.

Here's the tale of the tape:

Perdomo Habano Corojo

Vitola: Toro

Size: 54 x 5.5"

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo

Binder: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan

Filler:  Cuban-seed Nicaraguan

MSRP:  $6.50

Construction:  Oily wrapper with no real veins to speak of and firmly packed yet springy to touch.

Pre-light:  The cold draw is full of cedar and tobacco flavor.  No real evidence of spice or pepper.

1st third:  For this review I decided to pair the cigar with my favorite rum, Ron Zacapa 23, just in case the cigar proved to be a disappointment.  The initial puffs were slightly bitter and somewhat dry; however, further smoking yielded some pepper, lots of cedar, and an overall woodiness to the cigar.  The cigar produced a generous amount of resting smoke and had a very even burn.  Further into the cigar, I began to pick up a flavor similar to licorice along with a sweet spice on the retrohale.  The cigar produced a voluminous amount of thick, white smoke.  The body was definitely medium/full while the strength was in the medium range with no noticeable nicotine kick.

2nd third:  As I progressed further, I continued to pick up more cedar and sweet spice as the dominant flavors at this point in the cigar.  I also picked up some peppery notes on the tip of my tongue along with hints of coffee and some leather toward the lower end of the 2nd band.  The cigar seemed to be very consistent and quite enjoyable.  The body was definitely full while the strength remained in the medium range.

Final third:  After removing the band, I noticed that the coffee note that appeared briefly in the middle of the cigar was absent and the leather flavor & texture had intensified.  The cedar and spice components remained intact throughout.  As the cigar burned to a nub, I was definitely satisfied with my first Tabacalera Perdomo experience.

In closing, while this would not necessarily be an "everyday" cigar for me, I would definitely invest in a box of these if your palate is geared for fuller flavors with less strength. 

Overall I would give this cigar 3 out of 5 smokes.

Be sure to leave me a comment below.  Until next time . . .Happy smoking.

Free Cigars Contest Winner

We would like to thank everyone who signed up to follow the B&B Cigar Club blog.  Without all of you, we're just another blog.  And now, the winner of the Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Maduro Torpedo 5-pack is . . .


Keith Hollar

Keith please make sure you submit your address info in the form of a comment at the bottom of this post (it will be kept private) so we can get your sticks out to you ASAP.

Thanks again to everyone who entered.  Stay tuned for more contests in the coming weeks.

-Da Byrdman-

Tatuaje Havana VI Hermosos

Let me start by saying that Tatuaje cigars are virtually impossible to get in my immediate area.  I am not sure what it is about them, but retailers in my locality (read that to mean 40 mile radius) are not carrying them.  I had only tried one Tatuaje Havana VI previously (the Angeles) and it was pretty good, but I wanted something different during a very rare trip to Leesburg on a lunch break at work.  I decided to pick up the Hermosos although it still sat in my humidor for the better part of two and a half months until now.

Size:  46 x 5 5/8 (Corona Gorda)
Wrapper:  Nicaragua
Binder:  Nicaragua
Filler:  Nicaragua

Pre-light Inspection:  This Nicaraguan gem is the brainchild of the dynamic duo of Pete Johnson and Jose "Pepin" Garcia.  It has a deliciously chocolate brown wrapper with slight mottling and one predominant vein that runs throughout.  The triple seam cap is flawless and the cigar is firm but not stiff to the touch.  The pre-light aroma of the cigar is a delightful mixture of sweet tobacco and barnyard hay.  The pre-light draw is a good flavor balance of semi-sweet tobacco notes and dried fruit.

First third:  Upon lighting the cigar, I am noticing that the draw is a little firm for my liking; however, the resting smoke is steady.  The cigar is producing a fair amount of smoke with each puff but not an abundance of smoke which may partly be due to the draw and more likely due to the smaller ring gauge.  The burn is a little off but the ash is firm and gray.  The flavor is in the medium body range while the strength is hovering somewhere between mild and medium with no spice or pepper on the retrohale.  So far the dominant flavor is like espresso/coffee and toast with the hint of dried fruit on the finish (very tasty).  Toward the end of the first third, the espresso note begins to fade while the toasted woodiness builds.  The dried fruit note is still lingering on the finish.  Incidentally, the burn issue I experienced in the beginning has now corrected itself.

Second third:  The cigar has now moved into the medium to full flavor range while the strength is more into the medium range.  The dominant flavors are leather, toast, and dried fruit in that order.  The burn is even at this point and the draw is freer than at the outset.  The cigar is really beginning to open up and is producing more smoke which is adding to the intensity of the flavors.  With each draw, I am getting a thick, syrupy flavor that has the body and feel of molasses but not nearly as sweet.  It is surprisingly pleasant.

Final third:  Progressing toward the end of the cigar, this is where the surprises begin.  The texture on my palate with each puff is creamy almost buttery while the leather, toasted wood, & dried fruit flavors continue to trade jabs with each other and my palate.  Each puff calls one of the three to the forefront.  The body has picked up just slightly although I would not call it full, but a hint of pepper is now present on the finish and in the retrohale (NICE!).  Throughout this cigar, the flavors have been building like an orchestra coming to a crescendo, and now the cigar is hitting on all cylinders with something for all of my senses.  The aroma of the resting smoke has the sweet smokiness of burning wood.  The dried fruit on the finish is being exchanged for a much stronger note of pepper that has really gotten my attention.

Upon finishing this cigar, the flavors made we really want to sip some cognac just to keep that dried fruit note going.  Overall, the cigar was perfectly balance and well-rounded yet very complex with the changes in flavor and strength intensity building from the beginning to the end.  The cigar seemed to remain in the lower medium range for strength until the final third, but it was definitely flavorful.  I would definitely add this cigar to my list of enjoyable smokes and I am left dumbfounded as to why my local tobacconists will not carry these in their shops.  Guys, if you're reading, GET WITH THE PROGRAM!!!

Verdict:  4 out of 5 smokes

Fly straight and fly high . . .
-Da Byrdman-