Rocky Patel Grand Reserve 60

1. October 4th 2020

The Rocky Patel Grand Reserve Sixty is a six inch by sixty ring gauge cigar. It is a secret blend, purportedly aged for two years. It won the Cigar Journal 'Cigar of the Year' award in 2018 for the Toro. So far, on the basis of the first try, this would be my cigar of the year. 

The box just arrived today and I couldn't wait to let them sit in the humidor for a few weeks. I picked out one with a particularly oily wrapper and not too bone hard. I cracked the wrapper in one or two places in the process of palpation. That would suggest that the cigar was perhaps a little on the dry side.

Despite the less than ideal conditions, the cigar was one of the most satisfying that I can remember. Here is a summary: 

Flavour: Excellent, rich and deep, without the tarry, harshness that I had tasted in the robusto vitola of this blend. It suggests that perhaps this cigar does well on the dry side. 

Aroma: Deep, rich, and aromatic.

Body: Full body, long finish, with a lingering taste that allowed time for savouring between puffs.

Strength: Medium strength to start, which complemented the long finish, building to full strength. I was in a mild sweat towards the end with a little dizziness.

Duration: Two hours. This is the longest I can recall spending with a cigar. Quite a marathon. The duration was enhanced by fullness of flavour, body and the building strength. Compare the Avo Fogato, a similar size stogie, which delivered maybe 70 minutes. 

Complexity: deliciously complex flavours. Cigar journal describes them as, 

"Tasting notes: This super creamy cigar offers the delicate sweetness of dried fruit and chocolate, the delicate bitter tones of tea, as well as woody, leathery, and nutty aromas. Caffè latte and herbal spice are “just” the encore."

I really couldn't identify any of these flavours. Nor did I feel the urge to. The flavours were rich and complex without any bitterness. That says it all. 

Consistency: Let's see after I smoke a few.

Appearance: Beautiful appearance. See the photos below, especially number three, with the band removed. 

Draw and construction: Excellent construction. Draw had just the right amount of resistance. Maybe a little too much resistance in the final third. Burn was good: a minor touch up or two along the way caused no distraction.

2. October 26th 

Two weeks later: I tried a second cigar from the same box. The deep, rich, complex flavour was lacking. Towards the middle, a sour, ammoniac, flavour appeared. Might this be the result of a lack of aging? Perhaps, but both cigars came from the same box. Let's see in a few months.

3. December 4th 2020

Six weeks later and the asperity of the previous stick was much dissipated but the spiciness remained. The cigar started with the usual blast of pepper but settled down to a smooth, balanced, smoke, with full body and flavour, medium strength and delicious complexity. Pepper came and went, ramping up in the final third. Aroma was delectable.  The draw was easy and airy, a bit too loosely packed, at times not enough resistance, but no real issue. I had increased the humidity in my humidor, to compensate for the turn of the season with its low ambient humidity, and the cigar became a bit squishy towards to the middle. But burn was nonetheless good. No need for touch up. It seems as though two months in the humidor produced a beneficial effect; the acrid ammonia of the previous sample was much muted. I imagine that the remaining members of the batch will benefit from further aging. 

Beautiful colorado wrapper. This is really a very fine cigar at its best.

4. January 30th, 2021 

I was keen to revisit this cigar after an interval of eight weeks. Upon visiting one of my humidors I noticed that a bundle of four, tied up in ribbon, exuded a rich aroma, inspiring hope that the bitterness of October might have subsided. I was not disappointed. This cigar was close to perfection. It began with a smooth, rich, medium bodied flavour, with a wavy burn that soon corrected and required no touch up. By the middle, flavour diminished somewhat and a hint of ammonia returned, but by the end, the full bodied, slightly peppery, flavour returned. Finish was long throughout, enabling me to leave the cigar in the tray for a minute or two between puffs. The finale was one of the richest and finest complexities one could hope for in a cigar. Throughout, I admired the oily wrapper. The nub was difficult to put down. 110 minutes. Verdict: Very satisfying.

A handful

The dark, oily wrapper began to show mottling from age. It was very fine.

5. March 20th, 2021: All of the ammonia bitterness from previous samples was gone, giving way to a smooth, complex, balanced start and a medium to full body with easy burn but a bit too much resistance in the draw. Finish was good, but not as long as the previous sample, so it was not as easy to put the cigar down and leave it for a few minutes. A couple of cracks at the beginning and the end suggest that the cigar was a little too dry but not too dry to inhibit flavour or burn. It required only one minor touch-up. The cigar delivered a nice build-up of strength to full body towards the end and good pepper blast in the final two inches. Aroma good, but not quite as rich as the previous cigar; I felt I was chasing aroma throughout. Overall, a satisfying 90 minutes, which is a good timing, with smoothness and balance much improved, but not as satisfying as the previous sample. 

6. May 1st, 2021: Started off smooth and cool and ended strong and rough.

Despite seven months in the humidor, flavour was not optimal; marred by a tinge of bitterness. The second third showed the promise of this cigar. It was much smoother and more balanced, without the acrid tinge. Pepper maintained interest when flavour dissipated from the complex to the woody. Finish was long, throughout. 

Aroma too, drifted between pleasing and delectable. At its best, the aroma from this cigar is unbeatable: complex, rich and satisfying. 

Strength built throughout, culminating in the final third to be quite a powerful, full-bodied cigar; not for the weak of heart or stomach.

Overall, quite satisfying. But more ageing might bring out more balance. Let's see what another couple of months brings.

100 minutes. 

A meaty 6 x 60 with beautiful rich brown Colorado wrapper

I listened to a podcast with Craig Wright talking about his book, "The Habits of Genius". Genius is defined as someone who has a significant impact on humanity. Some interesting points: that high IQ per se doesn't guarantee genius, that geniuses are often child-like (example of Mozart using 'potty language'), keep a regular routine and toggle between sustained productiveness and leisure and that geniuses are usually one-off phenomena in a family line.

7. October 23rd, 2021: A year after the first sample, profile has improved greatly. The cigar was a bit moist, but burn and draw was almost perfect. The cigar was mild to start and medium bodied after the first third, with no strength to speak of. There was a smooth complexity which made the cigar very enjoyable. There was no acrid taste whatsoever; perhaps a little vegetal flavour at the outset but by the second third, it was thoroughly enjoyable.  

The aroma was delicious. I smoked one with a friend. I started and finished first. The aroma from his cigar, after I had finished, was most enjoyable: a light but rich and complex scent.

Overall, very satisfying: around 90-100 minutes. I didn't keep track. 

8. December 18th, 2021: Mild to medium bodied, sweet cocoa and something vegetal but not bitter, draw a bit resistant in the first two thirds, burn adequate, quite a bit of strength despite the lack of body. Aroma was good but not as intense as previous samples. The flavour reminded me of the frosting on a chocolate cake. The cigar felt quite solid and heavy in the hand. Overall quite satisfying: 95 minutes.

At one hour: flavour reminiscent of frosting on a chocolate cake.

9. February 5th, 2022: Heavy in the hand, solid packing, draw a bit resistant until the second half. Burn was a bit wavy but only needed a minor touch up. The first inch was the most delicious: the flavour was really complex, yet mellow and smooth. Body was full. Aftertaste was clean. By the second third, the characteristic bitterness emerged, at first faintly and not unpleasantly. Bitterness was more pronounced in the final third where flavour dissipated to being more vegetal. But overall, the cigar was a fine, quality, cigar, good to the nub. 110 minutes. Quite satisfying.

10. July 8th, 2022, Mikri Vigla, Naxos: A birthday treat. This was an excellent example of the cigar: balanced medium body in the first third, building to full body in the final third. No bitterness or other impurities; it had a smooth, deep, rich aroma and, above all, it was balanced. As good as any premium Cuban. Very satisfying. Around 90 minutes.

Wonderfully rich and balanced; one of the best examples of this cigar.

11. January 21st, 2023: Not quite up to the previous cigar of July 8th. Draw and burn were fine, albeit draw was a bit tight. Flavour was rich and without bitterness, but not as much depth and richness as the previous cigar. It lasted a good two hours. Pleasant, but not particularly satisfying. 

A good sample, but not as rich and refined as the previous cigar. Pleasant at best. 

12. February 24th, 2024: Medium body, perhaps medium plus with a touch of spice and a bit vegetal at times, but otherwise quite complex and balanced. Quite light in the hand. Easy draw and good burn, but lasted only 75 minutes. Nonetheless, good to the nub and almost satisfying. 

13. April 27th, 2024: Now three years plus in the humidor. Excellent sample: good burn, easy draw. Medium body with a bit of transition to full body in the final third. Complex and delicious throughout. Very similar to that of the Feb 24, above. Quite satisfying.

My Father Le Bijou 1992 Torpedo

1. October 2020

This cigar comes with high hopes, having won the Cigar Aficionado 'Cigar of the Year' award in 2015 and by reason of its higher price tag of around $11. It's a Nicaraguan puro and is reminiscent of some of the fuller bodied, dark Nicaraguans. The Tatuaje black label and the Liga Privada come to mind with occasional allusion to the Partagas Magnum.

2. October 2020

Flavour: The 'dark roast' flavours with pepper in varying degrees and complexity, but marred by a soapy after taste, especially towards the end.

Consistency: The cigar took around 10 or 15 minutes to deliver complexity. Towards the middle of the cigar was the most satisfying portion. Flavour tended to degenerate towards the end.

Burn: several touch ups required and one relight. At around the halfway mark, the cigar went out. When I relit, it delivered a strong burst of pepper followed by a delicious aroma. But that soon dissipated. 

Finish: Long finish, which allowed a leisurely pace of smoking. Each puff or two was quite satisfying.

Body: medium to full, alternating without any discernible trend. At its best, complexity was what one would expect from such a highly rated cigar. At the other end of the spectrum, it was 'smokable'.

Strength: medium. The wife thought that it was too strong. That might have been the body. I detected no substantial nicotine prevalence.

Time smoke: 1 hour 35 minutes

Overall: no doubt this is a fine cigar. But with a few caveats: the burn, the first ten minutes which were nothing special, the inconsistent presentation of body and the soapy aftertaste, especially towards the end. Let's see how this profile changes over the months. 

3. November 16th: Yum. This was good all the way. Burn was uneven, as with the specimen from the previous month. But flavour and body were consistent throughout, unlike that of the previous month. Very satisfying.

4. January 2nd, 2021

Sweet scented dry aroma. Full bodied and full flavour from the outset, diminishing towards the halfway mark then picking up body with a little spiciness. Deep, dark chocolate. Rich, complex aroma. Strength stayed at medium throughout - nothing overwhelming. Lightly packed and easy to draw, the burn was a bit wonky and required a couple of touch-ups. Quite satisfying. But a little more strength would have made it easier to put down. 80 minutes.

I listened to one of Nikhil Banerjee's recordings of Raag Malkauns, a soulful raag, described by Urdu poet, Riyaz Latif,  

When water draped in mystery gently laps against the windswept stones of the ghats; when darkness masks  darkness, and horizons are obliterated; when the encompassing solitude induces all astral constellations to converge  upon the infinite-density core of a resonant melody; when the trajectory of elements is consummated, and the  primality of structured sound summons the animate and the inanimate to its ethereal realm…there appears, for an  imperceptible moment, a lightning, radiant presence – ephemeral, otherworldly, frighteningly fluid, and blinding in  its luminescence. It flashes past as it appears. Then, in an instant, all is the dark solitude of the primeval…

Well, I couldn't improve on that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssO9fHiDJrg

5. March 13th, 2021: Much the same as the previous cigar, with a little bitterness and lacking finish in the first half. First inch was a little bland. Flavour and body improved in the second half. Draw was easy throughout. Burn was wavy and benefited from one touch-up. 90 minutes. Again, quite satisfying, but lacking complexity.

6. May 12th, 2021: This cigar started off quite mellow and refined, like the last Oliva V Melanio Torpedo that I smoked, but much deeper in flavour. The first inch lasted about half an hour. 

Every time I smoke one of these Le Bijou Torpedos I wonder why it has such a high rating and why it costs double the price of many other similar cigars, such as the Rocky Patel Super Ligero. So as this cigar began, I began to think that the rating was justified. But by the middle of the cigar, the profile changed and I was less persuaded. This is a cigar with a lot of ligero, like the Rocky Patel Super Ligero. If the mellowness remained throughout, it would be a cut above the Rocky Patel. But it soon devolved into the same slightly rough and tarry ligero number as the RP Super Ligero that I smoked two days earlier on May 10th. 

Aroma was nothing much to speak of. Burn was wonky and required a couple of touch ups. Draw was a little resistant here and there but opened up in the final third. 90 minutes. Mixed feelings.

I listened to two Brad Harris podcasts on his Context channel. Both were about George Orwell. The first was about an Orwell essay on tribalism. The second was a review of 1984 and its relevance to the world today. Harris is eloquent. His podcasts are well prepared with no dross whatsoever. 

7. February 17th, 2022: After eight months I decided to revisit this cigar. Dry aroma was sweet and floral.  Aroma was rich and complex. Flavour was reasonably mellow and complex in the first half with no discernible spice or strength.. Burn was wavy but self correcting. By the middle of the cigar, spice appeared and the aftertaste became tarry and dirty. During the second half flavour dissipated to a more vegetal, peppery, profile with no complexity to speak of. The cigar went out with about two inches remaining and I left it there. 80 minutes. Overall, pleasant in the first half, but rather boring in the second half. While smoking I was reminded of the AJ Fernandez New World Navegante,  but the My Father had much less complexity even during the first half. At almost twice the price, I couldn't imagine buying another box of this cigar. 

A beautiful band and quite pleasant flavour during the first half. 

At the one hour mark flavour and complexity dissipated. I let the cigar go about an inch after this shot was taken.

Bolivar Royal Corona

1. 28th September, 2020 The Bolivar has a distinctive rich, complex, flavour. It is similar to the Padron series that I smoked a few nights before, but with much more body and much longer finish. This is a full bodied cigar. The Padron is mild to medium. But surprisingly, the Bolivar is not as strong as the Padron.

The long finish allowed for a slower pace of smoking. Unlike the Padron, the flavour of which was gone almost almost immediately, the Bolivar flavour lingered on the palate.  Although not quite five inches, the Bolivar was a much more leisurely smoke and lasted a full hour. The Padron 3000 was barely 50 minutes.

Draw was easy. Burn not so even, which was probably due to my impetuosity: they probably need a little more time in the humidor. (Note: one year later, with perfect humidity, burn was still erratic. See September 24th, 2021, below.)

The date on the bottom of the box is October 2018. They have therefore aged almost two years and the complexity shows. So they will probably be ready to smoke once humidity is consistent. I'll follow up in another week or three.

2. October, 2020: Two weeks later in Sukhothai, at the Sriwilai hotel, room service on the balcony of a room with an unimpeded view of rice fields stretching kilometers unto the horizon. I tried a second member of the box. It was a very oily number with a long finish. I could still taste the oils for a couple of days. Smoking time one hour.

The Sriwilai Hotel in Sukhothai

3. A third sample from the box was a little drier, but strength and flavour built nicely, reminiscent of some of the best examples of the Vegeuros Entretiempo. It was medium-full bodied and very satisfying - as evidenced by taking the nub to the last centimeter.


4. November 15th 2020: The fourth member of the box was not as delectable as the one I raved about in the previous review. It was not as oily. Flavour tended to come and go. There were bursts of rich flavour and then, meh... OK, smokeable. Finish was short. With the previous stick I could still taste the oils a couple of days later. With this one, there was very little lingering after taste. It lasted 55 minutes, which is passable for a robusto. But the verdict: not satisfying.


5. November 20th, 2020: I wasn't planning to smoke a cigar this evening, but after a very satisfying three course dinner prepared by Mrs. B, it was difficult to resist.


The meal
Leek soup
Sea Bass Meuniere
Banoffee Cake.

The occasion of the meal was small, semi-private concert with only one work on the program, Beethoven's Diabelli Variations. The Diabellis form a  colossal piece of music and require a colossal technique. Our guest pianist handled the work admirably. We were an audience of whom five stayed for dinner.

After dinner, I went to Humidor A and selected a Bolivar Royal Corona. This particular cigar felt quite heavy in the palm. Wrapper was nice and oily, albeit rough and veiny. The role was a little irregular. It seemed to be a bit wider at the foot than the head. It also seemed quite dry. 

Heavy in the hand, much rougher than other members of the box and much rougher looking. But one of the best so far in terms of strength and finish.

Flavour upon lighting was impeccable, reminiscent of the glorious Bolivar stogies of yesteryear, but not quite as rich. There was a bit of strength, which came and went (or was it me that came and went?). Aroma was superb throughout. Finish was long.

Burn was totally irregular. I couldn't keep it straight. Numerous touch ups required. Ambient humidity was high. But I doubt that this was an issue with burn issues. By the time I reached the nub, I could see that the cigar was burning inward; there was a cocoon of hard heat that extended inside the cigar a centimeter from the burn line to the head. I forfeited the nub but without regret. The little robusto had lasted an hour and fifteen minutes. Verdict: Satisfying.

6. April 18th, 2021 This cigar started off quite mildly, with not much body or finish. Burn was a bit wavy. But defects diminished by the start of the second half. Flavour, strength and body all ramped up to a solid medium. There were moments of creaminess which were quite sublime. Aroma was good throughout. Nothing like the Bolivar of several decades ago which was one of the strongest Cubans I can recall, but still quite tasty. Overall, not quite satisfying despite 75 minutes to the fingertip-burning nub. A larger vitola perhaps?

7. June 3rd, 2021: Much like the entry above, started mild but flavour, body and strength 'ramped up' by the second third, where the mildness gave way to a pronounced pepperiness. Draw was a bit restrained at the beginning but opened up nicely by the middle. Quite satisfying but lacking body. 75 minutes.

8. September 24th, 2021: This cigar was in excellent condition, having been maintained at a constant humidity at 70% (or perhaps a little less) and around 24C for a year in one of my humidors. It felt heavy in the hand and firm to the squeeze. It was neither too dry or too moist. 

The first few puffs were bold, rich, peppery and full bodied. The cigar then mellowed out, as cigars are wont to do after the first few puffs, to a medium body with a delicious rich aroma. Flavour was quite peppery. Towards the second half, body and strength increased to full body and 'quite strong but not overpowering'. By the end of the cigar my head was pleasantly spinning. The strength complemented the peppery, rich, flavour quite well.

As with most samples from this box, construction was an issue. Burn was uneven, requiring a couple of touch-ups and a relight. There was a point in the middle of the cigar where draw seemed plugged but once that obstacle passed, draw was quite easy again. 

Complex, rich, quite strong and satisfying. 75 minutes. 

A very solid cigar, heavy in the hand, medium to full bodied with a satisfying increase in strength in the second half.

9. November 13th, 2021: This was a very solid cigar. Burn was quite wavy but didn't require a touch up. Draw was slightly resistant. But flavour was more intense than I recall from the previous few samples from the same box. It was a delicious example of medium-plus bodied Cuban cigar with similarly rich aroma and excellent, clean, aftertaste. 60 minutes. Satisfying.
.  

10. January 6th, 2022: Draw was a bit tight, but manageable. Flavour was quite fruity and reminded me of the Joya Antano, with that dried apricot flavour. Body was medium throughout. Aroma was rich. Finish was medium with clean aftertaste. There was a bit of strength which made the medium bodied profile interesting. Pepper appeared during the final third; another interesting feature. 62 minutes. Quite satisfying. 

11. March 1st, 2022: Medium bodied with excellent, rich aroma and pepper building in the second half. Burn and draw were fine. Clean aftertaste. 60 minutes. Quite satisfying.

12. May 3rd, 2022: A dud. This cigar had a tunnel down the middle. Burn was terrible. Flavour was almost absent. It was too moist (my fault for not curating properly). But even a moist cigar would have had some flavour if it was properly rolled. 

13. June 18th, 2023: This cigar was quite light in the hand, compared another one in the humidor, but flavour was not lacking. It was quite rich and satisfying, albeit a fast burner. Burn was wonky and required several touch ups, but that was not too great an inconvenience. 60 minutes, quite satisfying.

December 22nd, 2023: A pleasant puff. Body was in the mild to medium. 60 minutes.

May 15th, 2024: Solid and heavy in the hand. Draw was not easy, but manageable. Burn was uneven. The cigar started canoeing around the beginning of the second third and went out a couple of times in the final third. Flavour was rich and complex, body was medium to medium plus. Quite satisfying at 90 minutes, but I can't see myself buying another box of these. Price is around $600 for a box. There is much better value on the market with similar rich, earthy profile.

Alec Bradley Coyol Gordo

1. December 26th 2020: A blind tasting would suggest a mild Cuban cigar akin to the Partagas Series E. The sample that I took, two days after receiving the box, was not in the best condition. It developed cracks in the wrapper, suggesting that it was too dry, and fell apart at the nub, suggesting it was too damp. So I shall give the blend the benefit of the doubt and wait a few more weeks before passing judgment. 

Wrapper: Honduran Trojes, which seems to be a rather delicate leaf

Binder: double binder Honduran and Nicaraguan

Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan

Vitola: Gordo 6 x 60

Construction: Beautiful, light brown, wrapper, slightly oily. Cracks developed. But I think that could be due to the dry ambient conditions during transit. The cigars felt a bit dry and rigid on pre-light. 

Draw: Very easy draw, except for the cracks.

Flavour: Mild to medium flavour, not spicy, a little white pepper every now and then, occasionally creamy. Phil Kohn writes, 

There is a definite twang to all the components. The elusive Cuban twang seems to have found a home in the Alec Bradley Coyol. I realize that is a pretty high standard to meet but there is no other explanation.

I concur. The cigar is reminiscent of a mild Cuban cigar, such as the Partagas Series E, but with a little more body and strength. 

Aroma: Excellent, rich aroma. The dry aroma is mild and somewhat leathery.

Consistency: Not very consistent. Flavour and strength came and went. A little creaminess appeared in the middle.

Burn: Burn was a little irregular, requiring two minor touch-ups.

Finish: medium finish.

Body: good body for a mild-medium cigar.

Strength: strength came and went, from medium to full, with a bit of kick at the end.

Time smoke: 85 minutes

Overall: Very good, almost satisfying, despite the defective wrapper and dry condition. It will probably be better after a little curation. Let's see how it performs after a few weeks rest and humidification.

2. January 27th, 2021 After a month of sitting in stable humidity, I ventured a second sample from the box. This time there was no problem with wrapper cracking or disintegration at the nub. Humidity seemed to have penetrated consistently. The wrapper was a beautiful light brown habano, with a little mottling, suggesting a bit of ageing. 

The cigar was mild in flavour, with medium body, a little bit of strength every now and then and a good finish until around the last third or quarter, when flavour and body dissipated. 

Flavour was much like that of the first cigar: similar to the Partagas Series E but with more body. Aroma was delicious. Draw was a little tight but opened up. Burn was almost perfect. Smoke time just less than 90 minutes. Overall, quite tasty, much like the first sample, quite satisfying but a bit thin during the last inch. 

A little ageing apparent in the mottled wrapper.

3. March 17th, 2021 Probably too dry. I don't know how. It had been sitting in my humidor with other cigars, none of which I had smoked recently suffered dryness - an Alec Bradley Nica Puro, from the same humidor, smoked a few days before, was near perfect. (The humidor might need a little rotation to ensure even humidification.)

The cigar felt a bit firm upon palpating and it cracked about an inch from the head upon lighting. Flavour and body were quite muted; not enough of either. A couple of touch ups were required. The cigar ended quite squishy with good smoke output but didn't really deliver flavour. It was better than the Partagas E, but not much. This cigar didn't have the mottled wrapper. So perhaps more ageing in better humidity would help. 90 minutes.

4. May 26th, 2021: This time humidity was just right; a nice bit of resistance to the palpation but not too dry and not too moist. So no cracking in the wrapper. Flavour for the first inch was thin and there was a mildly bitter aftertaste. This mellowed out by the middle. Strength picked up. But flavour was still thin and finish was short. I gobbled it down in 65 minutes. My comment from March stands for this cigar: 'better than the Partagas E, but not much'. Too mild for my taste. I'm sure others would enjoy it. Not satisfying.

Alec Bradley Nica Puro Toro

This is 6 x 52 Nicaraguan puro. 'Puro' refers to the fact that all components, wrapper, binder, filler, are from Nicaragua. This is a capricious cigar. It ranges from the sublime to the disgusting; from the mellow to the overwhelming. 

1. October 13th 2020: This is a delicious, mellow, medium bodied cigar with a good deal of complexity and a nice even burn.

Cigar selection by weight: I selected one which was a little heavy, but not too heavy, passing over one of the box which seemed much heavier than the others. A perceptibly heavy cigar is often the sign of over-packing and difficult draw. The one I selected had a little more resistance on the draw than I would have preferred. But the resistance of draw was compensated by a solid smoke, which lasted a good 90 minutes of greedy puffing.

Flavour and body were pretty consistent throughout with two qualifications. The cigar started a little 'green' but by the second third it mellowed into a more complex, mature flavour. Body was full throughout, strength medium, with a little kick towards the end, but which settled back to a pleasant medium at the end.

Burn: The burn was remarkable. It did not need a touch up or relight, despite the fact that the cigar was a little on squishy side - probably a little over-humid and an ambient humidity in the 80% region. 

Overall a very enjoyable and satisfying 90 minutes. I look forward to trying again in a couple of weeks.

2. Two weeks and a few days later I smoked a second stick from the box, which had been resting in a stable condition in one of my humidors. By now there was no squishiness. The cigar was rather solid to the touch.

Draw: perfect - just the right amount of resistance. 

Construction: beautiful, elegant construction

Flavour: a wonderfully rich, chocolatey, creamy, zesty flavour throughout. No bitterness although quite strong to the palate. Wife didn't like it. It was too harsh for her. She said she preferred the smoothness of the Rocky Patel Edge Maduro. This is probably the difference of ageing. I quite liked the spiciness. I didn't find it raw, vegetal or unpleasant.

Aroma: rich and complex.

Consistency: consistent flavour throughout. No weak sections.

Burn: perfect - almost a razor burn. No touch ups needed. Just the relight at the nub, which allowed a few last puffs before bidding the cigar farewell.

Finish: long enough to take the cigar at a leisurely pace.

Body: full body

Strength: medium throughout. No overwhelming strength.

Time smoke: 95 minutes

Overall: Very satisfying. Delicious and easy to smoke from start to finish.

3. 11th November: This was the third stick from the box and kaboom! What a strength bomb. From the outset, peppery, strong flavour, strong body and strong everything. Unlike the first two, this one was a bit overwhelming, probably due to the storage. The cigar was shiny and squishy. Burn was nonetheless razor sharp, which I would not expect from a wet cigar. The effect was similar to the old Partagas 898. My head is spinning a little. After 95 minutes I let it go, foregoing the nub. 

4. 2nd December 2020: Time to revisit this cigar after a three week interval. The dry aroma was sweet and fragrant, almost perfumed. Unlike the strength bomb of 11th November today's sample was splendid: medium in strength and delicious, smooth, creamy, full bodied flavour with long finish, intense aroma, perfect draw and perfect burn; no need for a retouch. A little spice built towards the end. 100 leisurely minutes. Verdict: very satisfying.

Deep, oily, brown wrapper and a perfect 100 minute smoke.

5. January 25th, 2021: Another fragrant, perfumed dry aroma with a beautiful mottled appearance. The cigar started with a perfect 10/10: full body and strength with a little pepper. This started with the deep, rich complexity of a great cigar. Burn was a little wonky but self-corrected. Towards the end, flavour became bitter and did not invite pursuing to the nub. Strength was also a little on the heavy side, with a mild case of the sweats. Perhaps a little more age might remedy the ammonia. Perhaps it was a little too moist. Overall: delicious and satisfying. 90 minutes. 

6. March 15th, 2021: For rich, balanced, full-bodied complexity, this one takes the cake. One couldn't ask for more. The construction is solid but with easy draw and burn although a bit wavy, corrected without need for touch up. Strength built nicely from medium strength to strong, without going overboard. Aroma was rich and satisfying. I would stress balance: no bitterness and excellent, creamy, chocolatey flavour.  Almost 90 minutes. Very satisfying. 

7. April 26th, 2021: Another fine cigar, much like the description above, except with a bit too much strength and slight bitterness at the end. Everything otherwise was fine: draw, burn, body, balance in the first two thirds, aroma and strength building as in the previous cigar. Satisfying. 90 minutes.

8. May 15th, 2021: This one was a disappointment: bitter and tarry with only occasional relief to the mellow experience and rich aroma of the March sample. It was more like the cigar of November 11th, above, but without the overwhelming strength.  

It could be that the cigar was too moist: occasionally, beads of sweat appeared on the wrapper as I smoked it. Although the cigar was firm but supple, and did not seem too squishy, the appearance of intermittent moisture droplets on the wrapper might be a sign of too much moisture. 

I have read that excessive moisture can lead to bitterness. If that is so, it would only be in some cigar varieties; quite likely the Nicaraguans, but not all Nicaraguans. Many of the maduros are soft with moisture but don't suffer from bitterness. Cubans can be overly moist but this will not affect flavour; only burn. 

I decided to dial back humidity in my humidors a notch. We're in the wet season here. Humidity can reach 90% although the place where I store my cigars gets down to 40% for eight or nine hours per day. 

90 minutes: smokeable but not satisfying.

9. May 31st, 2021: Two weeks later, I was keen to see how this cigar fared with less humidity. The cigar I chose was much drier than that of May 15th and much lighter in the hand. There were no beads of sweat while smoking, as had occurred in the previous cigar. It was quite smooth during the first half. The cigar began medium bodied and medium strength and progressed to full body and full strength, lots of pepper and a deep aroma. 

Draw was easy throughout. Burn was wavy during the first third but self-corrected. After that, burn was perfectly sharp.

The second third was rich and complex both in flavour and aroma. Flavour was delicious: chocolatey, creamy with a good dose of pepper. This section was by far the best part with excellent balance. If the whole cigar had been like this it would have been very satisfying. But the final third lapsed into more strength than flavour, with slight bitterness but not pronounced - still enjoyable, but lacking balance. Flavour was a bit weak in the final third and aroma dissipated. Only 70 minutes. Quite satisfying despite the lack of balance.

10. June 19th, 2021: 

The first half: sublime, mellow, balanced, choco-coco flavour with a medium body and moderate strength. A major canoeing righted itself by leaving the cigar for a couple of minutes. Excellent, rich aroma. 

The second half: strong, and stronger and stronger. I could feel my heart beating in my ears. I left the cigar at longer and longer intervals, each time waiting for my head to stop revolving like Linda Blair's. But by 100 minutes, I was somewhat enervated. 

This is a capricious cigar. It ranges from the sublime to the disgusting; from the mellow to the overwhelming. I was thinking of getting the torpedo. But scaling down to robusto might be wiser. 

11. August 28th, 2021: I selected a cigar from the bottom of my humidor. It had been sitting there for ten months. It was on the dry side and felt light in the hand. There was no discernible pre-light aroma; usually not a good sign. Frequently I've noticed a delicious, floral aroma pre-light. 

The first puffs were acrid and unpleasant. But flavour soon mellowed to a smooth, rich, choco-coffee Nicaraguan puro flavour and remained that way to the nub. Flavour was pretty consistent, with occasional drifts to bitterness but always recovering. Overall flavour was deep,rich and complex. Body was full throughout and, unlike the previous specimen in June, strength did not overwhelm at all.

Aroma was sensational. It was one of the most rich and refined aromas I can recall, similar to the Oliva Melanio.

Draw was easy throughout and burn was almost razor sharp. 

Overall, 82 minutes. Balanced, adequately consistent. Very satisfying. 

Burn was almost razor sharp throughout.

12. December 6th, 2021: This cigar started out much like the one on August 28th, above. It was rather dry, having been stored at the bottom of the humidor. There was no pre-light aroma. It was disgustingly bitter for the first few minutes after which it mellowed out much as did the cigar of August 28th. However, this cigar didn't attain the complexity of the predecessor. Flavour was somewhat muted. Body hovered above and below medium. Strength was discernible. Finish was quite long, allowing for generous intervals between puffs, except towards the end, by which time there was not much flavour to savour. 

Aroma wasn't there beyond an occasional whiff. This was a major defect. 

A crack developed in the wrapper, but this caused no inconvenience. It burned through without issue. Burn was razor sharp and draw was impeccable. 

This cigar tasted like an aged cigar that had lost part of its mojo, which is surprising, given that it's only been in the humidor for 13 months. The crack in the wrapper does suggest that it was too dry. I have moved the remaining bundle to the top of the humidor. 

Overall, the cigar was smooth and at times pleasant, but not satisfying. Body was lacking and the absence of discernible aroma was a major detraction. 75 minutes.

At the one hour mark

13.March 12th, 2022: This one of the best of the bunch. It was smooth, medium bodied, complex, mellow, easy drawing, perfect burning. I smoked it to the nub, perhaps beyond. It was good from start to finish. 

In fact, I shared one with a friend and his was so good he took the nub home. 

Overall, this was a balanced, smooth, delicious morsel. It was consistently good. 80 minutes. Very satisfying.

14. July 16th: This one lacked flavour. No pre-light aroma, whereas other samples have a wonderful floral scent. It was a pleasant puff at best: easy to draw, razor sharp burn, occasional flavour but mostly thin, medium bodied with little aroma. Pleasant puff at best but not satisfying: 80 minutes.

15. June 30th, 2023: After a further year of sitting in my stable humidor the cigar was in good condition. Draw and burn were good. There was no sweet pre-light aroma. Flavour started a bit bitter and not particularly complex. The bitterness mellowed out by the second third, but flavour was still not complex. Aroma was barely discernible. Just before the one hour point I became bored with thin flavour profile and dominating bitterness and abandoned it. Not satisfying.

Oliva Series V Liga Especial Torpedo (?)

 January 4th 2021

I think this was the torpedo vitola, 6 x 54. I'm not sure because it was a gift. I had written off this brand after trying a Series O, a few years ago, which was rather bland. That could have been the result of storage, age or any manner of factors in the cigar shop from which I bought it. However, I was not inspired to try again. 

Then a friend gave me this cigar. I accepted it graciously and declined to smoke on the basis (excuse) that it was too moist. I tossed it in the humidor and forgot about it for a few months. When it emerged, it had transformed remarkably, from a squishy, soft, formless bundle to a very respectable, solid cigar. 

The first quality that I found remarkable was the construction: very solid. The cigar was very well packed. Draw was a little tight at times. But not too tight. Flavour was similar to that of the Rocky Patel Super Ligero, so I guess that this is a mainly ligero blend. As with the RP Super Ligero, this cigar lasted a good 80 minutes.  

Construction: Beautiful broadleaf wrapper and Jalapa Valley ligero filler. Solid, impressively packed, weighty cigar. But it developed a long crack in the wrapper. I wonder why that is. The cigar was not too dry. It was quite spongy pre-light. However, it might have still been moist inside and dryer outside, causing the wrapper to fracture. 

Draw: A bit tight but quite acceptable.

Flavour: Excellent, rich Nica Puro flavour with dark, bitter chocolate, quite close to the Rocky Patel Super Ligero, dissipating around the middle and returning at the end. The final inch was a little bitter; a little more ageing might benefit. 

Aroma: Wonderful, rich and complex

Consistency: Flavour started out full bodied, then mellowed out a bit, then strength and body built up towards the end.

Burn: One or two touch ups required. Nothing serious.

Finish: Good long finish. 

Body: Full to medium and full 

Strength: medium to full.

Time smoke: 80 minutes

Overall: Very satisfying.

Rocky Patel Edge Corojo Robusto

December 22nd 2020 

More aroma than flavour. This is a mild to medium bodied cigar with an uneven burn. It was the second sample from the box. The first one was clearly too dry to be reviewed. That's surprising since it was well packaged with a Boveda pack and double wrapping. However, it could have been dry before packing. It could also be past its use-by date.

Looks dry - no oil on the wrapper, not much dry aroma.

Vitola: 5.5 x 50 

Composition: Cuban-seed Corojo wrapper and aged ligero filler leaf from Honduras and Nicaragua (according to JRcigars).

Construction: Even construction, rather hard and lumpy, leading me to suspect that it was still too dry. Might still be dry. But the burn was so uneven that I suspect that it was too moist. 

Draw: very easy draw

Flavour: mild flavour, a little spice towards the end. Quite smooth. Nothing bitter. JRcigars describes it as, "Powerful and packed with smooth, seductive flavors." I'm afraid there was not much power left in the sample I smoked.

Aroma: the best part of the cigar; quite rich and pungent.

Consistency: pretty much the same 

Burn: terrible, wavy, burn, needing several relights and leaving a burning cone after relighting.

Finish: medium finish; definitely something there.

Body: mild to medium

Strength: medium, building with a little strength at the end.

Time smoke: 70 minutes, surprisingly long duration considering the light weight and the need to retouch.

Overall: moderately satisfying. This cigar claims to be five years old. So I doubt that it will improve with age. 

2. December 31st, 2020

New year's celebratory cigar - any excuse. With nine days since the previous sample, this cigar was a little more moist and supple to the touch. It lit and drew perfectly. Burn was a little wonky. Flavour had somewhat improved; still quite mild to medium, exquisitely smooth and occasionally creamy. Aroma had moments of excellence with deep, rich, complex plumes of smoke. One or two touch ups required. Smoking time was close to 90 minutes - remarkable for a 5.5 x 50. I guess the flavour and body were quite substantial. Overall, a satisfying smoke.

3. March 8th, 2021

This third cigar from the box began with a dry, thin flavour and not much finish, but developed into quite a tasty morsel by the second third with a decent medium body. Aroma was good throughout, offering some deep, complex moments. Draw was fine; it produced plenty of smoke. Burn was a bit wonky, like the previous sample, and required a couple of touch-ups. Overall it was quite satisfying and, like the previous cigar, lasted a good 90 minutes.

4. April 16th, 2021

Started with a 'dry, thin flavour'; however, unlike the cigar of March 8th, it didn't develop into much - with the exception of blast of flavour around the middle. Aroma also didn't reach the 'deep complex moments' of March 8th. The cigar was well humidified, so there was no issue of being too dry. I'm guessing that these five year old Edge cigars have sacrificed body for smoothness. This cigar was certainly smooth, but too lacking in body and finish. Burn was sharp to the middle, then went out, then wavy - but no big deal. The flavour is kind of weird too. I can't put my finger on it. At best, a mild and pleasant 75 minutes. I will keep going back to them because there is something curiously satisfying. 

5. May 3rd, 2021: Mild to medium with a dry, cocoa flavour and a little mild pepper. Not very rich or complex. Aroma was also mild and not complex, much like the April sample. One relight required, otherwise, burn was fairly consistent. A little strength brought the cigar up to the medium body. Pleasant to enjoy for a mild alternative. 70 minutes.

6. August 4th: Mild, mild to medium body, no strength to speak of. It looked good: smooth and evenly constructed. But construction was defective: ash split down the middle and three relights were required. 70 minutes.