Review: Black Patch cigars

[TheTraveler]

Review: Black Patch Classic Robusto
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Marca: Black Patch
Line: Classic
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 4.75
RG: 48
Price: $3.69 at a tobacco shop

Wrapper: Sumatra from Dominican Republic
Binder: "La Vega Olor"
Filler: Kentucky Broadleaf and others from the D.R.

Strength/Body: Medium/Medium
Construction & Draw: Well-made with a double cap. The wrapper wasn't oily but it also wasn't so dry that it would crack easily - it was right on. There were a couple of small veins. I used a punch instead of a guillotine cutter. PERFECT draw both pre-light and while smoking.
Paired with: Root beer



1st 1/3:
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I waver between calling this one a mild or a medium.
Generous amount of smoke.
Good burn.
A light earthiness and the taste of a tobacco barn
Light hints of spice on lips and tongue.
Hints of walnuts.
Dryness on tongue (like tannin in a dry red wine)

2nd 1/3:
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Still can't decide between mild or medium.
Dryness continues.
Good burn continues.
Still an undertone of earthiness and tobacco barn.
Hints of living plants in garden (tomato plants?)
Hints of straw.
Light spice continues.
Near end of 2nd 1/3 the flavors went away for about 5 minutes or so.

Last 1/3:
---------
Finally able to peg this one as a medium.
Dryness continues.
Still a good burn and generous smoke.
Undertones of earth and tobacco barn continue till the end.
Still have hints of spice, walnuts, straw and garden vegetables.




How it smoked:
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I lit the cigar at 1:40 and settled back in the overstuffed chair. The cigar burned great from start to finish and produced generous amounts of white smoke. The ash was nearly white, very slightly flaky and tended to be a little soft but never messy. I wasn't able to decide whether to call this one mild or medium until the end.

The flavors on this cigar were subtle and never overpowering. It's a cigar that doesn't smack you in the face with flavor or spice; it makes you pay attention to pick up the hints of flavors. The strongest flavors were a slight earthiness and a taste that I closely associate with the smell of a tobacco barn after it's been filled with hanging tobacco plants - slightly sweet and very nice. All the other flavors came and went as they wished, never mixing with one another and leaving me wondering what I'd find on the next draw. I picked up hints of walnuts, straw, spice and what I can only describe as similar to the smell of the plants in a vegetable garden (not the vegetables, the plants).

I was able to nose-exhale about half the smoke on each draw before the sensation became too strong. Doing that really helped me pick up on flavors I would have missed otherwise.

I really enjoyed this cigar and found myself anticipating the next flavor to come along. The only complaint I have about this cigar is that from start to finish I had a dryness on my tongue that was very similar to the dry mouth sensation produced by the tannins in a dry red wine. Even so that wasn't distracting enough to make me dislike the cigar at all - I stopped smoking with a little over an inch left and would have preferred a longer vitola so it wouldn't have to end so soon.

I'll certainly be picking up more of these next time I find myself near Lexington, KY.



About the cigar:
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I first heard about this cigar from my father who lives near Lexington. He said that the tobacco was grown locally in KY and cured for a few months then shipped to the DR where it was fermented and aged before being made into cigars. The thought of a KY puro (or mostly KY leaf) cigar was intriguing so I went to the tiny little discount tobacco shop in Woodford where my Dad had found them and I picked up a couple of robusto sized cigars.

After buying the cigars then looking at their website I realized that I had picked up a couple of the line that contained both KY and DR tobaccos. None of their cigars are USA puros but the Select line contains the most KY leaf.

Here's a link to their website for anyone interested: http://blackpatchcigarco.com/

[TheTraveler]

Here are a few pictures of my wife and me smoking today at Sidetrack Tobacco in Bristol VA. (She's the better half and I'm the bigger half in case you can't tell.)





Here's me punching, lighting then enjoying my first Black Patch Classic.

[HK3-]

I think this belongs in the "other" of NC's.

BTW- Great pictures of you and the wife smoking! That looks like a nice lounge.

[TheTraveler]

Originally Posted by HK3-

I think this belongs in the "other" of NC's.

BTW- Great pictures of you and the wife smoking! That looks like a nice lounge.

Crap!

Sorry about that guys.

Yeah, I love that lounge. I might have to go back tomorrow since I am on vacation and all. Tree lined street, great little bakery around the corner, coffee shop about four door down, yeah, I'll go back tomorrow.

[icehog3]

Great review, Jonathan, looks like a great time!

I put the review in the right spot for you.

[kelmac07]

Nice review Jonathan...thanks for sharing!!

Nice review! I hadn't heard tell of Black Patch cigars...thanks for sharing.