The KC/DW Review Series

[King Catfish]

Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro Robusto (6x52)

This was an attractive, sharply box-pressed cigar (not quite as sharply as the Gran Habano), with a cream-colored band and a paper sleeve where some cigars have cedar. The sleeve color and texture appeared to be an attempt to imitate the maduro leaf that wrapped the cigar, and was a nice addition to this cigar’s presentation. Aroma before lighting heralded a peppery experience. The wrapper was a deep dark-chocolate brown, with a definite oily sheen. Color and construction were very even. I enjoyed this stick with a glass of water and a piano concerto (Joachim Raff, if you’re curious).

I muffed the cut, and lost the cap. Nonetheless, the cigar did not unravel at all. This cigar was aces in construction. Upon lighting, the smoke was very voluminous, but the taste started out very weak in intensity. The pepper aroma did not break its promise, at least in the first third. The aroma wafting from the cigar, once lit, was subtle and lovely, better than any other cigar I have had.

The first third opened with a light, peppery taste, with a mild bite on the tongue, perhaps a bit of sweetness on the lips. Soon, a leatheriness started to develop. The ash, (streaked light and medium gray) was firm and fell off after about an inch, perhaps a little more. By the end of the first third, the aftertaste got steadily nicer, if perhaps remaining a bit thin. The pepperiness of the very start faded fairly rapidly; the cigar evolved little after this point, and a lack of complexity was becoming evident.

In the second third, this cigar made a top-notch presentation of what I call a leathery taste, but offered little added dimension. The final third increased the intensity in an impressive fashion, and perhaps started to hint at chocolate.

Smoke volume remained enormous throughout the smoking experience. My only reservations with this cigar were its lack of depth and its weak start (but this latter tends to be a common criticism of mine; it might just be me). The burn was nice and slow, taking an hour and a half to smoke.

The Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro is a pleasant, friendly, uncomplicated cigar that falls just short of spectacular. I would wager that this cigar would be a very good pairing with a meal of steak and red wine, which it would complement very well, but not overpower.

Score 16.65 (x5) = 83.25; I gave it an extra 0.75 for excellent aroma, and another half point for a very slow burn that made for an unhurried experience, for a final score of 84.5. I plan to get myself another one and give it another chance after the aforementioned pairing with a meal and a drink.

I looked up this cigar after I finished it, and read about how chocolatey it is supposed to be, but I was underwhelmed by its “chocolatiness” (which is neither good nor bad); I also discovered its price, and I was a bit taken aback. A very nice cigar, but I’m not sure it’s quite worth its retail price. At half the price, I would certainly make sure I had a few on hand.

Many thanks to D.W. for another great smoke, and one I probably would not have tried on my own anytime soon. I have to say right here that I would have a very hard time matching his generosity.