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.