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Tallchief Cigars #1 Cigar of the Year 2022: Rocky Patel Sixty

Our #1 Cigar of the Year for 2022 is the Rocky Patel Sixty. Read on below at what we thought about this cigar and what smokers can expect to experience when lighting up one of these fantastic sticks.

The Rocky Patel Sixty cigar is a robust and flavorful smoke that is sure to impress seasoned cigar enthusiasts. The first thing that strikes you about this cigar is its impressive size; at 6 inches long and 60 ring gauge, it is an imposing presence in the hand.

The cigar is well-constructed, with a smooth and oily wrapper that hints at the delicious flavors to come. The pre-light draw is easy and smooth, with a rich tobacco flavor and a subtle sweetness.

Once lit, the Rocky Patel Sixty delivers a rich and complex flavor profile that is sure to satisfy even the most discerning palate. The initial notes are of wood and spice, with a hint of leather and earthiness in the background. As the smoke progresses, the flavors deepen and become more pronounced, with a creamy sweetness that rounds out the overall experience.

The burn is even and steady, and the ash is a beautiful white color that holds on well. The smoke output is generous, and the aroma is rich and pleasant, with notes of wood and spice that linger long after the cigar has been extinguished.

Overall, the Rocky Patel Sixty is an outstanding cigar that delivers a rich and complex smoking experience. It is well worth the investment for any serious cigar aficionado, and is sure to impress even the most discerning palate.

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Nicaragua

The New Cigar Capital Of The World

Recently I have been thinking about this interesting juxtaposition: As citizens of the most prosperous nation to ever exist, the way we choose to spend our money effects the lives of real people all over the world. Even a niche subculture like ours, the premium cigar community in America, can have an enormous impact on the lives of people and families in much less prosperous places. American cigar smokers have recognized the quality and craftsmanship of premium Nicaraguan cigars, and as a result, an enormous boom in demand has created tens of thousands of jobs, allowing hardworking men and women to earn an honest living and support their families.

Amazing. But…

This boom in demand came on fast. So fast that even some of the biggest names in the industry, those who have benefited the most, have begun to question whether the current trajectory is sustainable. Is the obsession with Nicaraguan cigars spreading too quickly? Will quality begin to suffer as demand continues to skyrocket?

Thanks to the American market, and its trend toward richer, fuller bodied cigars, Nicaragua has, for the last five years running, exported more premium cigars to the United States than any nation, overtaking the D.R. who held the title for years prior. Over the last decade, the number of cigar factories in Esteli, the hub city of the cigar industry in Nicaragua, has doubled from 40 in 2010 to 80 in 2020, directly sustaining an estimated 45,000 jobs. Padron, Oliva, My Father, San Cristobal, Drew Estate, Rocky Patel and Perdomo are just a few of the companies with huge factories in Nicaragua, employing thousands of people. It is these farmers, rollers and factory workers that you are supporting when you buy premium Nicaraguan cigars. This is something I believe I can feel good about as I puff away on my Padron 3000 Maduro.

However, if you’re thinking that rate of growth seems alarmingly fast, perhaps even unsustainable, you would not be alone. AJ Fernandez himself, whose operation has an enormous footprint in Nicaragua, has been worrying about where this trend is taking us. While he clearly has benefited in the short term from the massive boom in demand for Nicaraguan tobacco, he also warns of a time when quality might begin to decline as manufacturers spread their resources as thin as they possibly can in a desperate effort to keep up with greater and greater demand.

Rocky Patel has expressed similar concerns, specifically with regard to the number of skilled rollers. When speaking about the challenges of operating his Nicaraguan factory, TAVICUSA, Rocky has said that the most difficult piece of the puzzle in 2022, with demand for Nicaraguan cigars at record levels, is finding and keeping skilled rollers. New companies are building new factories, and good rollers are being wooed from one company to the next. Consistency is something that cigar aficionados value in their favorite brands, but it may become more and more difficult to achieve consistency across time as the Nicaraguan cigar industry continues to stretch and grow.

I am of the opinion that it is our job, the American cigar smokers, to continue to support and smoke our favorite brands at our local shops, and to have faith that the manufacturers can all work together to keep quality tobacco growing in the fields, and consistent, delicious cigars rolling off of the factory floors without allowing greed or shortsightedness to bring the whole party to an end.

The United States now accounts for 95% of the tobacco exported from Nicaragua, according to the economic data archive Central America Data. This means that cigar smokers in America support the livelihood of tens of thousands of men and women in Nicaragua. Despite what your doctor might have said, there is at least this reason to feel good about, and take pride in, smoking premium cigars.

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Drew Estate JAVA

Rocky Patel’s infused line, made in partnership with Drew Estate.

Every now and then I do get the urge to try something that is flavored, because (not to toot my own horn) I smoke so many good cigars that I need something just for the palate cleanse before getting back into the money sticks. I am a guy who loves his coffee, so if I am going to try something infused, there are a number of coffee flavored cigars on the market that use premium tobaccos. Tabak by Drew Estate comes to mind. But in my experience working in cigars shops in Western New York for a decade now, Java has consistently been the most popular in the coffee category.

I am a maduro guy, so I tried the Java Maduro first. This cigar is very sweet and has strong notes of mocha with a bit of coffee to it. in a blind tasting, I might call this a chocolate cigar before I would call it a coffee cigar. Great as a dessert smoke. I know that the Mint variety also has many fans, though I couldn’t bring myself to try it…yet.


The ‘Latte’ was next, which is the variation with the Connecticut Shade wrapper, and I loved every bit of it. It was mellow, smooth, buttery and creamy and it really helped you not only taste the natural coffee flavor of the cigar, but it also helped add to it a little bit. I loved the Java Latte for a gimmicky break from my usual smokes. It’s nothing I’d have every day, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a great dessert cigar like it’s cousin, the Java Mint. I’d try it if flavored smokes are your thing, or if you’re bored with your current selection.

Don’t forget that all Rocky Patel cigars, and that includes Java, which was made by Rocky Patel in partnership with the infused cigar giant Drew Estate, are still available to you at an additional 10% off of our already low prices. Just make sure you use the coupon code ROCKY10 at checkout!

Keep coming back! -DP & CB

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Rocky Patel LB1 Toro

Cigar Name: Rocky Patel LB1

Company Website: https://www.rockypatel.com/
Strength: 3/5
Vitola: Toro (6.25 x 52)
Origin: Honduras
MSRP: $11.00 Our Price: $9.25
Wrapper: Nicaragua

The LB1 has a wonderful wrapper. The shade of this cigar wrapper just screams “classic.” Sometimes I think Maduro wrappers look really intimidating or just comically dark, but this is a cigar you could hand to anyone and instantly, they would think that this is how a cigar should look. And the Toro vitola is the obvious choice to complete that feeling.

The smoke and flavor from this cigar can be best described as toasty. This cigar profiles as a perfect medium-body cigar; not too heavy, and certainly not light, with just enough kick to give mild cigar smokers the notice that this one is a step up from what they are typically used to. On top of the toast, there are notes of coffee laced throughout this cigar, with some slight earthiness, but not too much. The toasty smoke is one of my favorite types of smoke; the nice, moderate strength combined with the aromatic smoke that you can taste on the inhale creates a really nice flavor that is enjoyable when it comes in a medium body. Nothing about this cigar was overpowering at any point in the experience, and a great draw provided lots of flavorful and billowing smoke. I really have grown to like this one.

The burn from this cigar was even and measured throughout and it did not require touching up or maintenance after the initial light. This cigar was well-built and did not give any hint of poor construction at any point; there was no threat of unraveling or uneven burning or anything of that sort. All in all, the LB1 is a wonderful cigar that is offered in so many different sizes that it is suitable for anyone of any experience level. It’s a perfect medium body with no excessive spice or kick to it, making it an enjoyable smoke for anyone who comes across this one. I’d recommend giving it a try.

This Cigar is an in-store-only exclusive, so hurry in while we’ve still got ’em. And don’t forget that our entire selection of Rocky Patel cigars now listed online is available to you at an additional 10% off if you use the coupon code ROCKY10 at checkout!

Happy smoking!

CB

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Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero

  • Strength: 4 / 5
  • Size: 5 x 50 Robusto
  • Origin: Nicaragua
  • MSRP: $194.00/box of 20
  • Our Price: $154.88/box of 20
  • Wrapper: San Andres

It is hard to find a cigar brand with a portfolio as vast and wide-ranging as Rocky Patel Cigars. Since their beginning in 1996 as Indian Tabac Cigar Co., Rocky has put an emphasis on fresh ideas, new fuller blends, and bold packaging. These ideas carried through to 2003 when the decision was made to change the name of the company to Rocky Patel Cigars, centering the brand on Rocky himself.

Then, in 2015 a match made in the stars came to fruition. Hamlet Paredes, widely considered one of if not the greatest master roller Cuba had ever seen, left Cuba in 2015 when the embargo was eased. Rocky immediately brought Hamlet into his cigar family. This cigar, the Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero is a result of that relationship.

This cigar has everything I look for in an after-dinner smoke. It’s full, rich smoke leaves nothing to be desired. It has strength and spice, and I find notes of earth, dark cocoa, and coffee. The San Andres wrapper is a staple of many of Rocky’s darker blends, and it is used to full effect in this cigar.

Stop by the shop to try one, or click here to buy a box! And as a special gift for checking out this blog, use the coupon code ROCKY10 at checkout for an additional 10 percent off any Rocky Patel products.

Keep coming back! -DP

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Rocky Patel Sun Grown

Strength: 4 / 5
Size:  Toro 6.5 x 52
Origin: Honduras
MSRP: $200
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra

Ecuadorian Sumatra covers this Honduran blend, and journey begins with a punch of spice and wood. Cigars like this one, devoid of any flavors from the sweet side of the tasting wheel are generally not going to make it into my personal rotation. But let’s smoke on and see where this goes.

As the flavors begin to mesh, I can begin to appreciate the blend and the craftsmanship as well. This cigar is perfectly constructed, has a tiny bit of sheen to the light-to-medium-brown wrapper, and burns very well. Nothing less should be expected from Rocky Patel and his army of expert craftsmen. We are told that as a global company practice, Rocky Patel draw-tests 100% of their cigars, a practice that is unheard of in the rest of the industry.

This cigar is one of the higher-rated Rocky Patel sticks out there, and though this cigar may not be for me, it is definitely for many of you. If you like those earth and wood notes to be the prominent base of your smoking experience, then you should have a handful of these cigars, if not more than a handful, in your humidor. And you will not find them at a better price than here at Tallchief.

We have several friends and customers who have made this their go-to smoke, so we tend to stock the Toro on the regular. CLICK HERE to pick up a box today, or any other Rocky Patel cigars (including samplers) and use the coupon code ROCKY10 at checkout for an additional 10% off as a ‘thank you’ for checking out this blog.

Keep coming back! DP

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