Review: Rocky Patel The Edge Lite Double Corona

I have had a couple of Rocky Patel cigars, but for some reason they have never hit the spot. Having looked at how often and how many cigars Rocky Patel has on the market at any one time, I decided it would be difficult from the UK to sample enough to really keep pace with the brand, so I have not really tried to.

So the question is, did this Rocky Patel cigar hit the spot?

Appearance 8.0/10

The cigar is a very light chocolate brown, there were no problems with the wrapper, cap construction was pretty good. The band was not very exciting, understatement is good, but a simple black and gold band at the foot of the cigar is taking things a little far. Overall though this is a good looking stick.

Construction & Draw 9.0/10

Construction is very good, the wrapper has some veins, but mostly these are small, there was a slightly larger vein near the cap, but this did not cause any issues. The cigar is well packed with tobacco, and the burn line was perfect throughout the length of the stick.

The one stand out feature of this cigar is the burn, or more accurately, how long the cigar will continue to burn without attention.This cigar stays lit for an insane amount of time, I had to sort something in the kitchen came back about 7 mins later, picked up my lighter ready to re-light the cigar, to my surprise no need, as a single puff and it was back to life, this is amazing as most cigars would need re-lighting after this time..

Draw and burn were absolutely perfect.

Flavour 7.0/10

The predominant flavour of this cigar is tobacco, I could detect a small hint of caramel, there was a little pepper (but not much), a slight woodiness, and a note of something similar to madeira. The flavour profile was pretty static throughout the cigar, overall I would describe this cigar as smooth and creamy if a little bland.

Value 7.5/10

At 6.50 USD per stick for a double corona I think its pretty good value for money, its only the flavour for me that stops this cigar scoring more. I know its only a mild to medium cigar, but the lack of any significant changes in the flavour profile drops the score.

Summary 7.5/10

I could not decide if this cigar should score 7.0 or 7.5, in the end due to the construction and burn I gave it the higher score. Perhaps I am just not a big fan of mild to medium cigars, perhaps in a smaller size this would have been more my taste, either way for me this was an average cigar.

In common with a couple of other cigars I have reviewed, this might be an ideal cigar for a real newbie. Its flavour profile and strength is not taxing, will not make them feel nauseous, but is just interesting enough for a newbie to keep their attention, and would allow them to smoke a “sizeable” cigar. The one other thing that I think makes this perfect for a newbie is how long it stays lit, they could leave it for a while and not have the hassle of trying to re-light the cigar.

Not a cigar I would have in my humidor, but if you have some friends who are newbie’s and want a cigar, having a couple of these on hand would be ideal.

Review: Alec Bradley Nica Puro Churchill

 

As you may know I am quite a fan of Alec Bradley cigars, having enjoyed three previous Alec Bradley cigars, and having given them good scores I was really looking forward to this cigar.

Appearance 8.5/10

The wrapper on this cigar is medium to dark brown with some tooth, and a few dark spots.  The band is really good looking and very well printed, giving the cigar a very attractive appearance.

Construction & Draw 8.0/10

There were no soft or hard spots on the cigar, and it was well packed with tobacco, there were some noticeable small veins but all in all this is a very well constructed Churchill sized cigar.

After cutting the cap the initial pre-lit draw was a little tight, which was a concern, but after a few good draws it opened up nicely, and the cigar produced a large volume of smoke. This cigar did have a couple of burn line wobbles, but the cigar corrected these without me having to do anything.

Its worth noting that the band is quite large, and when it came time to take it off some of the glue had got onto the cigar wrapper, it took a very delicate manoeuvre to get the wrapper off without tearing the cigars wrapper.

Flavour 7.5/10

Initially this cigar had a strong pepper kick to it, coupled with a strong tobacco taste, about half an inch in things settled down, the pepper backed off a little and this allowed some other flavours to come through. As well as the pepper I could taste a hint of cocoa, and an earthy tone.

Around half way through the cigar the pepper was dialled back another notch and the cigar took on a richer and smoother note, I could taste hints of leather, the cocoa/chocolate flavour was more intense, and there was a sweet woody tone, this was welcome as it added greatly to the overall complexity of the cigar.

The cigar did not really change its flavour profile until just before the end when the pepper picked up again. All in all a not a bad flavour profile.

I would say that this cigar was a medium strength, medium body cigar.

Value 7.0/10

This cigar retails at around 8.00 – 8.50 USD, if I had not recently had a Nica Rustica, then I would have said this represents good, if not exceptional value for money, however with the Rustica retailing at around 6.00 – 6.50 USD, this cigar starts to look expensive.

Summary 7.5/10

I think this cigar would have impressed more if I had not just had a Nica Rustica, this is a pretty good cigar, but the rustica is cheaper and a better smoke, even if it not quite so good looking. Would I have this cigar again, probably it was a pretty decent cigar, would I buy a box, probably not, and if there is a Nica Rustica around I would pick that.

Review: Romeo Robusto by Romeo y Julieta

To be honest I am not a big fan of RYG Cuban cigars, I have had a couple, one suffered from a very tight draw, and the other one was very mild with an odd flavour that I did not really take to. So as you can imagine I did not approach this review expecting much, but this is an RYG from the Dominican republic and as I found out its very different.

Appearance 8.0/10

This is a pretty good looking cigar, for me the band is a little to “in your face” and a bit garish, but the actual cigar has a lovely dark brown wrapper, with a little tooth, and and nice oily sheen. The cigar does drop a couple of points for the number and size of the veins, and the band.

Construction & Draw 8.0/10

This is a well constructed cigar, I would not call it excellent, for me the number and size of the veins detracts from the overall quality of the construction. I do have to say that the construction around the cap is excellent as you can see from the picture. The cigar was well packed with tobacco and there were no hard or soft spots, the draw on this cigar is absolutely perfect, as was the burn line for the entire duration of the smoke.

Flavour 7.5/10

After cutting the cap the pre light draw has an earthy taste, as well as a hit of pepper that I could feel on the tip of my tongue. The flavour profile of this cigar was fairly static through the smoke, it had a peppery/spicy start, with a vanilla and leather note to it, as I got further into the cigar the spice/pepper backed of a little and the vanilla and leather increased in strength. Towards the end a nutty note was added and the pepper came back a little. All in all some very nice flavours, if a little static. This is a medium strength and medium body cigar.

Value 7.5/10

These are not available in the UK, but in the US they are around 7 USD, I think that at this price they represent pretty good value for money. The only thing that goes against them is that in the US at this price point there are a lot of excellent cigars, including one of my personal favourites the Oliva Series V Belicoso, which has a much more interesting flavour profile, but this is still a good value cigar.

Summary 7.5/10

This is a pretty good cigar, would I smoke it again, yes, would I buy some more, yes, does it stand out in the crowd, no, and I guess in the end that’s why I only gave it 7.5. I really did enjoy this stick, far more than I thought I would, and if I got the chance I would add more to my humidor, but I would not go out of my way to find any, and get some in.

Review: Oliva Serie G Cameroon Cigar

Tonight its a little cold so I have reached for a small quick smoke, I picked these up a while back with the hope that being from Oliva they would be a nice little stick for winter evenings.

Appearance 8.0/10

This is a good looking little cigar, as you can see from the picture it has a dark wrapper with small veins, is slightly mottled, and has a nice oily sheen. There are no visible seams, and as with all Oliva cigars the band is very good looking.

Construction & Draw 7.0/10

The cigar is well packed with tobacco, there were not hard or soft spot, and the cap construction was very good. Sometimes the draw on small ring gauge cigars (this is a 38 ring gauge cigar) can be a little tight, and unfortunately this is the case with this cigar. The draw say quite tight for the first third of the cigar, only opening up around half way. The burn line was very good, and required no touch ups.

Flavour 7.5/10

The pre-light draw has a musty flavour, and there is a very small hint of spice. This is a medium strength cigar, and the flavour profile consists of some cocoa, an earthy/musty note that continued throughout the cigar, and the final third had a little more spice and a nutty note.

Value 8.5/10

At 18.99 GBP for a tin of 5 these cigars work out around 3.80 GBP each, as such I think that they represent very good value for money. Once you get over the tight draw they are a pretty good stick ,and far better than anything else I have tried at this price.

Summary 7.5/10

These are a very nice little cigar for when you have 25-30 minutes spare and you want a decent cigar. The construction is pretty good, only the tight draw lets them down, I would say that these are a better cigar than the Cohiba Cubs or other minis, as they are a lot more like smoking a bigger ring gauge cigar.

I think these are very good little sticks for when the weather turns and it gets a lot colder. I would suggest that you look to pick up a tin and see for yourself.

Review: C.A.O Gold Label Robusto

I only just discovered that C.A.O cigars seem to have pulled out of the UK market, so this review may be for a cigar that you will now find difficult to obtain. There may be a few left at the back of a shop humidor somewhere, otherwise you will need to take a trip outside of the UK to get them.

Appearance 7.5/10

The wrapper is light brown, and quite well constructed. There were number of small long veins in the wrapper, cap construction was good but not outstanding. Pre-light aroma was mostly tobacco and wood. The band is quite flashy, but the gold colour does match the light tan on the cigar well.

Construction & Draw 8.0/10

Construction is good, its a firm cigar well packed with tobacco, the draw on this stick is excellent. The burn line on this cigar was razor sharp all the way to the end, at no point did I have to correct the burn.

Flavour 7.5/10

My pre-light draw suggested a woody flavour, and this is exactly what I found when I lit this cigar. Its a mild to medium stick, it has a strong tobacco taste with a definite woody note, and I would also describe it a creamy. The ash on this cigar was tight and over an inch was visible before it fell. The second third of the cigar has a slight peppery hint to it, but other than this the flavour did not really change throughout the entire length of the cigar.

I think the best way to describe this cigar is relaxing and unchallenging.

Value 7.0/10

When this cigar was available in the UK it cost around 10 GBP, this seems to me quite expensive for such a mild and simple cigar, for only a few pounds more there are a number of more exciting robusto cigars (e.g BRC).

Summary 7.5/10

I did enjoy this cigar, it was a simple and relaxing smoke, its slightly one dimensional, but sometimes something easy and relaxing is just what you need.

If your someone that starts the day with a cigar (I am not, I only smoke a cigar once a week) this might go well with your coffee, as a gentle start to the day.

This cigar would probably make an excellent introduction or first cigar, as its good enough to show someone the basics without overpowering them. Its just a shame that you cant seem to get them in the UK anymore.

Review: La Rica Tubitos

In my continuing effort to find a good every day cigar at a great price I came across these little sticks. There was not much about them online, but having been very impressed with the La Rica Churchill, I though I would give them a try. At around 2.39 GBP each, and about a 25-30 minute smoke time they seemed a good option.

Appearance 8.0/10

My comments about the other La Rica cigars hold true for this one… The cigar is contained in a well constructed tube, which is nice at this price point. The wrapper is a nice medium brown with only a few veins, but does seem a little fragile. The cap is very nicely constructed which makes cutting very easy, the band is a little cheap looking.

Construction & Draw 7.0/10

The wrapper on these Cigars as mentioned is quite delicate, I have not had any damaged cigars, but you can tell the leaf is quite thin, and if not handled carefully could split, perhaps this is why La Rica ship all their cigars in tubes. The cigar is firmer than the others in the range, but that is due to the small ring gauge.

I have had two of these cigars in the last six months, two of them had a slightly tight but good draw, one of them was plugged, so they loose a point on draw.

Flavour 7.5/10

This cigar has that Nicaraguan spiciness that is usually associated with Nicaraguan cigars, but what I like about this stick (and the La Rica Churchill)  is that it is not too overpowering, and is kept under control. This is not a  particularly complex cigar, but it does contain a nice woodiness, with some hints of chocolate. The ash is silver grey, and the burn is excellent (apart from the plugged cigar).

Value 8.0/10

This is a great cigar for the money, it has a decent flavour, is not too harsh, and is good value.

Summary 7.5/10

Like the other cigars produced by this brand, this is an excellent value stick. Sure its not a Cohiba, or any other Cuban, but you just cant ignore the value for money this cigar offers. I would suggest it is a good value cigar, my only reservation is the one plugged cigar, I hope that this was an exception.

Review: La Rica Robusto

I have previously reviewed the La Rica Churchill, and for the price I was pretty impressed. As readers may know I do like Robusto sized cigars, for me they give all the draw and flavour, but are a shorter smoke, very useful on cold winter evenings.

So here I am reviewing the La Rica Robusto, and hoping that its just a smaller version of the Churchill, as you can imagine the review will be quite similar (I will highlight differences in red text), but as I was to find out not exactly the same.

Appearance 8.5/10

The cigar is contained in a well constructed tube, which is nice at this price point. The wrapper is a lovely medium brown with only a few veins. The cap is very nicely constructed which makes cutting very easy, the band is a little cheap looking.

Construction & Draw 8.0/10

The wrapper on these Cigars is quite delicate, I have not had any damaged cigars, but you can tell the leaf is quite thin, and if not handled carefully could split. perhaps this is why La Rica ship all their cigars in tubes. The cigar is firm but not hard to the touch. The draw on this cigar is excellent, I am sure the large ring gauge helps this, and the burn is even and consistent.

Flavour 7.0/10

This cigar has that Nic spiciness that is usually associated with Nigaraguan cigars, this stick has a bit more kick and bitterness than the Churchill, and is not quite as smooth. As you get further through the cigar you get a nice leathery taste, and some lovely hints of chocolate, however when you get into the last quarter of the cigar it picks up quite a bitter taste, and it does seem to burn very hot (best to stop smoking at this point).

Value 7.0/10

This is a reasonable cigar for the money, its rich with good flavors, but at times the peppery Nic kick gets out of control, and the last quarter of the stick gets close to being to bitter to smoke.

Summary 7.5/10

I did enjoy the fist 3/4 of this cigar, it did unsurprisingly taste very similar to the Churchill, and the burn and draw were superb. However this stick also has a little more kick, and the last 1/4 was not very pleasant to smoke, I may look to try this stick again, as it was cold when I smoked it and I may have drawn to quickly which can make a stick bitter. Until I do try another stick I think 7.5 is a fair score for the price.

Review: Cohiba Behike 54

The Cohiba Behike 54 was my Christmas treat cigar in 2012.  I read so many reviews that suggested that you “have to try” this cigar once in your life, so I figured what the hell it Christmas.

Appearance 10/10

This cigar looks absolutely beautiful, very few small veins, it has a silky almost shiny quality to it, and I did sit and just look at the cigar for a while.  The pigtail (I think its called that) is also well constructed and firm.

Construction & Draw 10/10

The Behike feels great between your fingers with a firm springy feeling, and the construction is perfect. When you look at the packing of the tobacco its clear that someone has spent a lot of time to ensure it is as evenly packed as possible.

Flavour 9.5/10

This cigar is so smooth, its amazing, I would say its medium strength, and it has a delicate spice to it. As you get further in there is a lovely coffee and leather taste, at times it was so smooth I was tempted to inhale fully (I didn’t) but you feel that if you did it would slip down your throat like cream. As you can tell I loved it ! Oh and it produced large volumes of lovely fragrant smoke.

Value 5.0/10

This is a great cigar, but I just cant get away from the price, for me its just too expensive, you almost feel guilty as you light it. A couple of times as I was smoking it I though, “well that’s another ten pounds up in smoke”, but what a smoke! Much as I enjoyed it I just cant rate it highly for value.

Summary 7.5/10

This is a fantastic cigar, as you can tell from the review, I loved everything about this cigar, apart from the price. The Behike 54 is a wonderful smoking experience, but 34 GBP, seriously? Because of the price I really cant give this a higher overall score, if it was say 22 – 25 then I might be tempted to buy them more often, and give them a higher score. A cigar for very special occasions only!