Rocky Patel Cuban Blend (Natural) Torpedo
Thanks to the generosity and not-so-gentle prodding of Ashauler, this evening I am reviewing a Rocky Patel Cuban Blend Torpedo in the natural wrapper. It will be the first of this variety I have had the pleasure of smoking; I am halfway through a box of the maduro variety, and I like them very much. I had been looking forward to this all day, so I chose a nice setting: I made a fire in the fire pit outside and set up a lawn chair nearby with a little table to hold my ashtray and the last half of last night’s bottle of cabernet. I began just as the sun was setting. I could hear the faint strains of some mellow jazz coming from inside the house.
The cigar is a solid, largish (6 x 52) torp with a smooth-but-toothy-looking wrapper, medium brown and evenly hued. The wrapper is Corojo with Hornduran ligero filler and binder. The cigar was garbed in one of my favorite bands, red and black and understated with gold lettering.
The smell was lovely, just an airy tobacco smell with perhaps a very light tease of cedar. Construction was without visible flaw. Having finally acquired a nice sharp cutter for myself I made the cut without trouble and drew from the unlit stick; the draw was open and the taste, though very faint, was a harbinger of a very enjoyable hour to come.
“OK,” I said to myself at this point. “Stop messing around and light it already!” Not one who is inclined to disobey my inner voice, I toasted the foot with glee. Toasting woke up the tobacco smell and made it pleasantly musky. Then I put the cigar in my gob and, because I was outside in a light breeze and bereft of a proper torch, I proceeded to do what DeeDubya calls “sooting it all up.” (I mention this merely to rile up my brother of the leaf. I can just see him shaking his head now.)
Once lit the cigar was lightly musky and a bit earthy, maybe some wood in the distant background. The smoke was exceedingly smooth, like a gentle caress in the mouth, and abundant. Although I would not say that this cigar is particularly suited to accompany a red wine, in the beginning I felt its silky earthiness was an unobtrusive counterpoint to the wine’s twang.
The first third showed a reasonably even burn, the point of combustion a razor line across the cigar, like a line of mascara on a woman ready to go out for the night, a woman who knows how to apply just enough make-up to enhance her beauty, and not too much. The ash was light gray with white highlights, like a loving wife of many years that... OK, enough romantic metaphor. I’m making myself sick here.
The smoke was taking on a bit of a woody tang, and retaining the mild earthiness. Toward the end of the first third a bit of leather was developing on the lips, just a little bit. The ash was rock-solid and fell off at nearly two inches. In the second third a mild spiciness drifted in as well. The final third allowed for a bit more spice and an increase in intensity of all the flavors, with more woodiness.
These cigars are billed as full-strength, but I would place it solidly in the medium category. It is very different from its maduro-wrapped brothers, to which it is somewhat inferior in my opinion. I would recommend this cigar as a solid performer in the medium category with some measure of complexity and nicely balanced flavors. Construction is top-notch. I think these would go better with a nice Belgian or weissbier. EDITED TO ADD: This cigar's taste is atypical for a Corojo-wrapped stick.
Final score: 82; woodiness is my least favorite flavor profile in a cigar; yet this cigar had enough else going for it that it was still a lovely smoke. Many thanks to the generous ashauler for this fine evening.
Last edited by King Catfish; 08-24-2008 at 08:27 PM.
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