Rocky Patel’s Special Edition Toro Delivers a Truly Special Experience

Cigar Reviewed: Rocky Patel Special Edition

Smoked at: Long Beach, Mississippi

It’s 9:45 a.m. on Mississippi’s Gulf of America coast and already a hot, muggy 84 degrees. I lit up a Rocky Patel Special Edition (6.5x52) Toro with a cold Diet Dr Pepper. I wasn’t sure if the drink would kill the flavor, but I took the risk.

Before lighting up, the band is worth a mention. It is a single band styled to look like two, with a clean white and gold top half and a royal purple lower half that reads Special Edition in gold. The gold crown emblem and embellishment across the band give you a sense that you are in for something refined. But the band did not earn the name. The cigar did. Still, it is a fitting preview. The look matches the experience.

The wrapper has a light oil sheen and fine tooth. Construction looks solid and well-finished. It looks good. That matters, but it is not why I am smoking it.

The cold draw was earthy, leaning mushroom, with just the slightest hint of berry sweetness. Not enough to call it sweet, but it hovers right above that line. Enough to let you know there is more going on under the surface.

Right at light up, I got that same earthy depth. Truffle like, rich, and a little musty, like an old wine cellar. It was not overpowering, just quietly present. There is a berry note riding alongside the earth. Wild and not too sweet. Like a blueberry just turned blue, not quite ripe. Tart, almost blackberry like, but rougher around the edges.

The draw is extremely open for a box pressed cigar. Right on the verge of too much. I am getting plenty of smoke, but it is almost too easy. That said, in this Gulf Coast heat, that might be a blessing. A tighter draw on a six and a half by fifty two toro might have worn me out. With this much humidity, I do not mind it burning a little faster.

Only twenty minutes in and I am already creeping into the second third. That earthy truffle note is still holding strong. Consistent and grounded. The berry has ramped up just a bit. Still subtle, but more noticeable now. There is a faint trace of white pepper starting to show. It is light. Barely there. Just enough to keep things interesting without getting in the way.

Just now opening the Diet Dr Pepper and taking my first sip. I waited because I wanted to make sure I was picking up on all the little nuances of the Rocky Patel Special Edition. Hoping the drink might bring out more of that white pepper and maybe nudge the berry note forward. It is early, but the pairing feels like it might work. The sweetness in the Dr Pepper seems to lean into the berry without drowning it. The pepper is still faint, but it might sharpen with the contrast.

Not long after, I switched to ice cold water. I wanted to really enjoy the flavors this one has to offer. And this cigar delivers. Beautiful stick. Great flavor, just different. Not your usual pepper and cream or cedar and leather kind of profile. It stands apart.

I did have to relight right here. Not sure if it was the cigar or the humidity, but the burn stalled out. What caught me off guard was the burst of wild berry flavor that came with the relight. That was a first for me. I usually expect nothing but char when I have to fire one back up, but this one kicked out a bold wave of that same tart, untamed berry I tasted earlier. Unexpected, but welcome.

Thinking back on it, that berry burst after the relight may have come from the wrapper. This cigar uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, and that could explain it. The oils in the wrapper probably flared up with the heat, bringing out that wild, tart note stronger than before. Makes sense, especially since the wrapper carries so much of the flavor in a cigar like this.

The white pepper in the second third faded almost as soon as it showed up. There is still a peppery tingling on my lips and palate, but I would not call it a flavor. It is more of a sensation. Just a faint bite that lingers without ever fully stepping into the spotlight.

For what it is worth, this cigar has been resting outside the cellophane in my humidor for about a month. It is one of only two I have out of the wrapper in a humidor of about fourteen cigars. The rest are still in cellophane. That may or may not have something to do with how smooth it is smoking or how those berry and truffle notes are showing up. Either way, it feels well settled.

Had to do a quick retouch right before the band. Not a big deal and honestly kind of expected with a box pressed cigar, especially in this kind of heat. One thing worth noting. The nicotine is starting to pack a bit of a punch. It might be hitting harder because it is burning so fast. I am not sure, but I can feel it more than I expected for a cigar that has been this smooth on the palate. It sneaks up on you, that is for sure. I had to resort to the ever so handy sugar packet to settle down. Nothing dramatic, just one of those smokes that hits harder than it tastes. Smooth on the draw, but there is some power tucked underneath.

That white pepper never came back. It finishes with a very nice earthy mushroom truffle flavor, but I have to say that I am not going to be able to finish this one out. I am barely into the last third and the heat and the nicotine are just a little bit too overwhelming. It is now 86 degrees and feels like 98. The humidity is only 67 percent, which is fairly low for this time of year, but it feels so much thicker.

I may revisit this one in the late fall, early winter, or in a nice cool indoor cigar lounge. If you ever find yourself on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, head over to Cigars in the Pass. You will find good company, plenty of seating, and some great guys behind the counter. It is a veteran owned lounge that has become a favorite for both locals and tourists. They just make you feel like you are at home. And if you are a veteran, feel free to bring your war stories. They will listen, laugh, and probably share a few of their own. It is one of the best spots around to light up something special.

This cigar has definitely earned the high ratings from CI and others. I will give it a solid 4.5.

You could pair this with a good strong black coffee, a dark soda of your choice, water, or maybe a bourbon, although I am not a drinker. And you would not kill the flavor or the nuances that this one has to offer. In fact, you may just highlight some of the great flavors that come from this one.

This would also be a great follow up to a great steak dinner. The richness, the depth, the little pops of wild flavor. It would settle in real nice after a heavy meal.