Rocky Patel Vintage 1992

01-29-2009, 06:33 PM

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992

Cigar Stats
Brand Owner: Rakesh Patel
Factory: Danli, Honduras
Vitola: Toro
Size: 52 x 6.5
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan

Background on Rocky Patel and brand:
Rocky Patel is a shining example of what passion and hard work can achieve. He uses what he calls the shoe-leather express, his arduous but successful way of getting out the word on his cigars. He started in LA but now home and headquarters is in Naples, FL but you rarely find him there. His road shows began in 1998, and they never seem to end: in both 2001 and 2002 he logged more than 300 days on the road. His travel schedule never seems to get any lighter.

Rocky is a natural born salesman. He sold china and cutlery door-to-door in high school, participated in Junior Achievement, sold grapefruit by the case and raised money in college for muscular dystrophy research. He moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, as a teenager, where he developed a lifelong love of the Packers to rival that of local born Cheeseheads. (In one proud moment he presented members of the team with his cigars.)

Patel, an entertainment and product liability lawyer turned cigar salesman, had a cigar-smoking girlfriend who “made him” join the Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills. He went to his first cigar trade show in 1996 and was mobbed for business. This was the beginning of his strong relationship with the cigar industry as a major player.

Patel’s original Indian Tabac brand has nothing to do with his heritage (he was born in India) but everything to do with the on-again-off-again Indian Motorcycle brand. Patel, who owns the Indian Tabac Cigar Co. with a silent partner, has to pay Indian Motorcycle a licensing fee on the brand. In 2003 he put aside the Indian Tabac brand name he worked so hard to build to create another — Rocky Patel Vintage Series. It was risky, but a huge success.

Both the 90 and the 92 Vintages are made in Danli, Honduras with tobacco that was meant for Astral cigars. In the mid nineties U.S. Cigar thought Astral would become the next Montecristo and stockpiled bales of wrapper leaf in its warehouses. A large quantity of this never made it to market, and sat quietly ignored, gracefully aging and awaiting its fate. Patel came across it and snapped it up after discovering its quality. There were two types of leaf in the stockpile: Ecuadoran Sumatra from 1992 and Honduran broadleaf from 1990(1).

The 1992 was introduced in 2003 is box pressed, the wrapper is aged 10 years and the fillers are aged 8 years and is all ligero leaf.

Smoking Experience
The apperance is great as ussual with Rocky products. It has a smooth wrapper with some veins evident. It has a floral aroma which suprised me and the pre light draw is a little on the tight side.

It has an easy start with a nice looking smoke coming off of it that has a blueish tint to it. It starts with some pepper off the bat then becomes creamy. It started as a slow burner but picked up later on, some nuttiness comes and goes and the ash is gray. Approaching midway there is hints of cocoa and coffee. This is a medium bodied smoke that picks up on intensity halfway through then mellows out approaching the finish.

At this point there it is smooth and sweet with some woody flavors and a floral aroma in the final 1/3. In the finish there is some caramel, with a grassy taste, and some wood notes. There is a good even burn the whole way through.

Final Thought:
Good quality appereance and construction with a good bit of flavor changes. Most of it just does not fit my flavor profile. I like how it starts out but the flavors never really blew me away and I could have done without the grassy finish. Like most Rocky cigars I think his presentation and marketing are excellent but the majority of the flavors in his blends are not for me.

Like it: Its OK I do like the superb construction and no burn problems
Recomend it: Yes, if your a fan of his products or never tried it.
Buy it Again: Not anytime soon

MSRP: Around $7.00 a cigar
(1) courtesy of Cigar Fan

01-29-2009, 06:33 PM	#1
Steelergar Guest Posts: n/a	Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Cigar Stats Brand Owner: Rakesh Patel Factory: Danli, Honduras Vitola: Toro Size: 52 x 6.5 Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra Binder: Mexico Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan Background on Rocky Patel and brand: Rocky Patel is a shining example of what passion and hard work can achieve. He uses what he calls the shoe-leather express, his arduous but successful way of getting out the word on his cigars. He started in LA but now home and headquarters is in Naples, FL but you rarely find him there. His road shows began in 1998, and they never seem to end: in both 2001 and 2002 he logged more than 300 days on the road. His travel schedule never seems to get any lighter. Rocky is a natural born salesman. He sold china and cutlery door-to-door in high school, participated in Junior Achievement, sold grapefruit by the case and raised money in college for muscular dystrophy research. He moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, as a teenager, where he developed a lifelong love of the Packers to rival that of local born Cheeseheads. (In one proud moment he presented members of the team with his cigars.) Patel, an entertainment and product liability lawyer turned cigar salesman, had a cigar-smoking girlfriend who “made him” join the Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills. He went to his first cigar trade show in 1996 and was mobbed for business. This was the beginning of his strong relationship with the cigar industry as a major player. Patel’s original Indian Tabac brand has nothing to do with his heritage (he was born in India) but everything to do with the on-again-off-again Indian Motorcycle brand. Patel, who owns the Indian Tabac Cigar Co. with a silent partner, has to pay Indian Motorcycle a licensing fee on the brand. In 2003 he put aside the Indian Tabac brand name he worked so hard to build to create another — Rocky Patel Vintage Series. It was risky, but a huge success. Both the 90 and the 92 Vintages are made in Danli, Honduras with tobacco that was meant for Astral cigars. In the mid nineties U.S. Cigar thought Astral would become the next Montecristo and stockpiled bales of wrapper leaf in its warehouses. A large quantity of this never made it to market, and sat quietly ignored, gracefully aging and awaiting its fate. Patel came across it and snapped it up after discovering its quality. There were two types of leaf in the stockpile: Ecuadoran Sumatra from 1992 and Honduran broadleaf from 1990(1). The 1992 was introduced in 2003 is box pressed, the wrapper is aged 10 years and the fillers are aged 8 years and is all ligero leaf. Smoking Experience The apperance is great as ussual with Rocky products. It has a smooth wrapper with some veins evident. It has a floral aroma which suprised me and the pre light draw is a little on the tight side. It has an easy start with a nice looking smoke coming off of it that has a blueish tint to it. It starts with some pepper off the bat then becomes creamy. It started as a slow burner but picked up later on, some nuttiness comes and goes and the ash is gray. Approaching midway there is hints of cocoa and coffee. This is a medium bodied smoke that picks up on intensity halfway through then mellows out approaching the finish. At this point there it is smooth and sweet with some woody flavors and a floral aroma in the final 1/3. In the finish there is some caramel, with a grassy taste, and some wood notes. There is a good even burn the whole way through. Final Thought: Good quality appereance and construction with a good bit of flavor changes. Most of it just does not fit my flavor profile. I like how it starts out but the flavors never really blew me away and I could have done without the grassy finish. Like most Rocky cigars I think his presentation and marketing are excellent but the majority of the flavors in his blends are not for me. Like it: Its OK I do like the superb construction and no burn problems Recomend it: Yes, if your a fan of his products or never tried it. Buy it Again: Not anytime soon MSRP: Around $7.00 a cigar (1) courtesy of Cigar Fan