Rocky Patel Quarter Century

Rocky Patel Quarter Century Robusto celebrates RP’s 25 years in the cigar business. It’s made with Nicaraguan filler, a Honduran binder and an oily San Andres wrapper – rough with slightly raised visible veins.

The primary band is gold on brown and features the Rocky Patel logo in the middle, reddish brown backdrop on either side and the name “Quarter Century” around it. The secondary is reddish brown with a black border proclaiming it “Rocky Patel 25th Anniversary.” There is a gold foil effect on both bands at the point where they attach.

Oak, earth, pepper, dried fruit, cream, a toasted cracker note, and hints of lemony citrus during the first third. Spice emerges midway through the first third revelaing itself as ginger by the second third – or mostly ginger. Transitions are fleeting, but include some puffs of earthy mineral, mild coffee and caramel.

Good open draw, reasonable smoke output, white grey ash was a tad flaky and fell off twice, burn line just a bit erratic, but my biggest issue was the relights. You can’t let this cigar rest for long. Two minutes on the port and it’s out – like it took 30 MG of Temazapam. Oddly, the ash held on tight to well over an inch by the final third – no longer flaky and the smoke production increased. Perhaps a side effect of the Temazapam. I have a pharmaceutical TV commercial playing in the head: “Side effects include tighter ash, increased smoke output and an even burn line. Use only as directed.”

Even considering the construction & combustion issues, the Rocky Patel Quarter Century is a fine cigar, a fitting commemoration of the 25 year anniversary. Cheers, RP! Toast with my dram of Lagavulin 16 with the express unwritten consent of Nick Offerman – a fine actor and a man of excellent taste in single malt scotch. So much so he bought the place.

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