NAME: Decade by Rocky Patel
DATE: 4-4-2021
RATE: 92
PRICE: $11.50
STRENGTH: 1 2 3 (4) 5
REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com
Rocky Patel, a cigar company that appears quite often in my book. As I’ve stated in past reviews, “I am not sponsored or endorsed by Rocky Pate or any of his affiliates” I am just a HUGE fan of the cigars made by this company. The more I smoke their cigars, the more I just keep falling in love with them. Everyone has a brand that they just fell in love with and in their eyes, those cigars are the only cigars worth a damn. My cigar buddy, Mr. K, his company is Arturo Fuente, another friend is Drew Estate, mine is the great Rocky Patel.
Today, I’m diving in to the Decade and right out of the gate, it is beautiful. Well, except the banding. Make no mistake, I do love these cigars but the banding on most is just down right plain and boring. 2 thin bands, not much there unlike the ALR’s banding. Never the less, the banding does not hold me up, I more care for the tobacco.
This cigar has a wonderful looking medium dark brown Sumatra wrapper and like most cigars, finding the other tobaccos in the blend is a difficult task. I do know it is Honduran born. The “Decade” was created to celebrate Rocky’s 10th year in the cigar world. There are some who say that this cigar is the best cigar he has made. (I am now typing the original review over a year after I wrote it and I will say it’s a good cigar, Not his best).
The aroma of this cigar is just splendid. Notes of nuts and berries that crawl up your nose and grips your nose hair. The dry draw is fantastic producing similar note as the aroma. But, as the first third starts, the nutty notes really pack a punch. The berries in the dry draw turn out to be dark cherries. That and the nuts make for a wonderful start. As I cross into the 2nd third, splendid notes of roasted almonds and a touch of bakers spice are present. Half way through the 2nd third, notes of anise and dark cedar become more relevant and these notes in combination with the almonds and bakers spice ride out the final third with a touch of old leather added.
What a fantastic cigar. I absolutely love the love and care Rocky puts into the blend. I cant wait to see what he has brewing for the future.