Rocky Patel The Edge Maduro

[wolfandwhisky]

Other CA RP The Edge Maduro threads:
Rocky Patel edge maduro double corona
Rocky Patel The Edge Toro Maduro

Another review... same structure as last time... notes here, pics with my personal note record (website).

This smoke was the Rocky Patel The Edge Maduro. This stick was like a constant little battle... sweet notes versus pepper and sea notes. Lacking in balance but still a decent stick.

For no particular reason, I have yet to buy a Rocky Patel stick. This one was gifted to me by a forum BOTL, and I was very thankful that it was a maduro. Aside from being a Fuente junkie, I’m also a Maduro junkie.

On to the notes:

Construction: The maduro wrapper had at least 3 or 4 noticeable veins, but the dark chocolate color still made this a good looking stick. The footband is a little nontraditional, which isn’t visually intriguing, and it needed to come off right at the beginning which wouldn’t be appealing to some. But, it came right off with no damage to the wrapper.

It took a little time to really start churning out the smoke, but it burned very evenly. Somewhere after the first third, a hole opened up, and while the burn corrected it, it wasn’t something one would expect.

Initial Flavors: The initial notes of coconut and chocolate led me to believe that this might be a sweeter smoke, but they quickly faded to pepper and salty seaweed and I changed allegiances in terms of my expectations of palate profile.

However, shortly thereafter, some of the sweetness returned, with a mocha-like flavor that barges in on the pepper. They don’t really mesh – it’s almost like a fight for control. But it is intriguing because with each puff you wonder how the battle is going. And this is only past the 1st 1/3rd.

Continuing Flavors: Eventually, the mocha, now with heavy cream, seems to take over. There is a small amount of spice, like cinnamon mixed with a tiny bit of subdued cayenne (i.e. the flavor without the burn). Past the halfway mark, a tiny hint of coconut is back.

And then, the sweetness fades and we’re back to pepper with a newly introduced steak note (unseasoned and without steak sauce), with notes of mocha lingering in the background.

And back again… mocha is taking on more of a cocoa flavor – same spectrum, different execution.

With Whisky: N/A – water only.

I was not expecting much out of this stick, but it surprised me. There was an odd complexity that was based in multiple flavors, but there weren’t a number of flavors that struck together at the same time in a balanced way. This lack of balance was probably one of the most detracting aspects of the stick, and reduces the score to what it otherwise could have been. Admittedly, I do not think it is easy to balance peppercorn and mocha, but the constant battle of flavors, while moderately enjoyable, justified knocking the score down a notch. This rates an 8. Perhaps a better blend of this stick would smooth out the variability, but I’m not holding out hope that this is the case.

Regret This Purchase: N/A – generous gift from a BOTL
Buy Another Stick: Likely not.
Buy A Box: No.

[kelmac07]

Nice review.

[Tazziedevil]

Interesting. This smoke I always liked a lot. Haven't had one in about a year though... Maybe they've changed?

Anyway, thanks for the review
Posted via Mobile Device

[wolfandwhisky]

Originally Posted by Tazziedevil

Interesting. This smoke I always liked a lot. Haven't had one in about a year though... Maybe they've changed?

Anyway, thanks for the review
Posted via Mobile Device

Re-reading my review, it kind of has a negative bias, which maybe should be corrected or at least pointed out here.

I don't think it is a bad stick - there was a pepper and sea salt influence that seemed to fade back and forth with the sweeter traditional maduro notes. Both aspects are good, they just don't play well with each other.

So, it could still be the stick you're familiar with, and this review could be based simply on the stick I had (I haven't seen sea salt or seaweed referenced in (m)any other reviews of this stick).

But again, things do change over time.

[longknocker]

Great Review! Used To Be My Favorite, Go To Stick. Now I Really Don't Care For Them.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Great Review! Used To Be My Favorite, Go To Stick. Now I Really Don't Care For Them.

I used to love this stick, along with the RP Vintage 90/92. I've fallen off the RP bandwagon over the past year, though. Indian Tabacs are about the only Rocky Patel product I smoke anymore.

This was the first Maduro that I really enjoyed, however my opinion of them faded fairly quickly. Its smokeable, but I don't particularly enjoy them. Thanks for the review!

I've tried a couple of these and I just can't make myself like them very much. I've got one more to try.

Good review. I'll keep your flavor descriptions in mind when I smoke my next one.

[Mr B]

Did'nt like this one at all. What appeared to be a dyed wrapper had my lips brown and was spitting brown like I had a dip in. flavors were wet charcoal and a bad burnt coffee flavor.
Sorry guys, this one did not do it for me at all. Neither did the Edge Corojo. There are a couple of R.P. stix I enjoy, not these though.
My

[KenyanSandBoa]

Nice review, Matt.

Originally Posted by Mr B

Did'nt like this one at all. What appeared to be a dyed wrapper had my lips brown and was spitting brown like I had a dip in. flavors were wet charcoal and a bad burnt coffee flavor.
Sorry guys, this one did not do it for me at all. Neither did the Edge Corojo. There are a couple of R.P. stix I enjoy, not these though.
My

The same thing happened to me. I was spitting pretty much pure brown, and my lips were colored after I finished...wasn't a fan of that.

Had one of these for the first time recently. One dimensional 'powerful' smoke with very little in terms of development of flavour. Peppery but that's about all. Smoked about half of it before realising that it had stained my lips and fingers brown. Threw away in disgust and will never approach again. 3 out of 10, and that's only because it burned well.

This is still a go to stick for me. One thing I have noticed though, the ones you buy and immediately smoke are very very simple. I recently tried one that had been aged for three years. Now I know that most people aren't a fan of this cigar, but you have to try it aged! It has so much more complexity. The aging process takes this stick from a decent 'nothin really left in the humi' smoke to a 'wow...this may have redeemed Rocky a little' smoke. It is alot better. You really get a lot more chocolate flavor out of the wrapper. It does still have a dyed wrapper though. haha

I have liked this cigar since my first one and even with the "dye" dissent that is ongoing with Rockys cigars this one is my favorite stick he puts out. I smoked one the other night and didn't have the color coming off anywhere but that isn't to say I have had that happen because I have. It's like a "hit/miss" thing with them with the color coming off. I'm still on the fence as far as if there is a dye to the tobacco...depending on who you talk with or read from some say they have gone on the tours and have seen the actual process from start to finish and never saw anything that suggests a dying room. I will keep smoking these cigars until I find out the real truth to this. Thanks for the review.

[wolfandwhisky]

I did posthumously drop this to a 7.5 - which is a relatively low rating in my book. Just FYI.