The Cigar Journal

Cigar Review of the Week - Rocky Patel Decade Robusto

Impressive-looking box-pressed stick. Interestingly the wrapper is a little short, revealing about a milimmeter of filler/binder at the foot. PERFECT draw. Blasted lots of black pepper up front, along with flavors of flint/charcoal when passed through the sinuses, although at this point it's not very complex. After an inch the flavor opens up to reveal bitter chocolate and dark-roast coffee flavors with an earthy base, the faintest touch of sweetness, and a medium finish. The aroma is predominantly leathery and spicy. Halfway through, the burn has really straightened out and the flavor has mellowed, taking on dry texture that causes me to salivate - not unlike the tannins in a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon.

After a purge, the flavors renew, revealing strengthened leather and sweetness. The flint and charcoal flavors have also returned, and I sense the cigar is reaching its coda. Smoked to the nub, I'm entirely satisfied with this cigar. I found great prices on this great stick at Thompson Cigars, and they offer free shipping on certian deals...You can beat that!

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The Rocky Patel Decade Robusto recieves a rating of 4.5 out of 5 smoke rings!

Appearance: 9
Construction: 9
Burn: 8
Draw: 10
Flavor: 8
Aroma: 8
Final Score: 8.6

Other Cigars Sampled

Partagas Black Magnifico

The name itself suggests quality and demands respect. From the very first cigars Don Ramon Cifuentes produced until this day Partagas has been a bench mark for other brands. The Partagas line of cigars is considered to be in the mild to medium body range, however the Partagas Black Magnifico breaks tradition with a bold full body and strong cigar utilizing a special Sun Grown Medio Tiempo Maduro wrapper from the Connecticut River Valley. Robust and enjoyable in larger ring gauges and offering flavors of dark chocolate, espresso and spice this cigar should be in every cigar smokers rotation. I give the Partagas Black Magnifica a 4 out of 5 smoke rings.

Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure

The Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure cigar is a 5 1/4 x 50 and is made by the General Cigar Company. This maduro wrapper is very well matured, not veiny, and has a nice oily sheen. At first draw off this unique cigar, you get a sweet taste of espresso coffee.
The cigar draws beautifully, and burns perfectly. The ash is milky white and very compact. The Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure cigar is not very full of deep flavors as you would expect the maduro’s to be. The cigar starts out with a espresso flavor and then opens up to a chocolate essence. Towards the end of the cigar, the cigar burned warm and had full flavor. The Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure is a very enjoyable smoke. I give the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure a 4 out of 5 smoke rings.

Bolivar Cofradia No. 554

The 54 ring gauge Bolivar Cofradia No. 554 has Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos that yield heavy aromas of spice and earth. This stogie sports a dark, rich-looking Ecuador Sumatran wrapper with a few protruding veins. After cutting this cigar, the leaf began to unpeel and resulted in some loose tabacco floaters. Even with the poor wrapper, The Bolivar Cofradia No. 554 has full flavors with a hint of rye toast and clove. This cigar is very pleasing with earthy flavors that were balanced by some sweet tastes.

The burn on the Bolivar Cofradia No. 554 was a even burn and was easily attained and maintained. the draw was clear and produced a lot of smoke. Overall, this cigar performed quite well – I give the Bolivar Cofradia No. 554 3.8 out of 5 smoke rings.

Cigar Information and News

Cigar Lounge Revew-Buena Vista Cigar Club

The Buena Vista Cigar Club offers a mysteriously dark storefront, where inside cigar czar Rigo Hernandez provides a smoking sanctuary for aficionados and in-the-know locals. This perfect cigar location has a warm, hospitable lounge where you are free to sit back and relax among the numerous tables and comfortable club style chairs, large flat-screen TVs and thief-worthy ashtrays collected by the owner himself. The lounge boasts a self-standing cigar shop with a variety of high end cigars and tobacco products. Evenings offer a livelier bar atmosphere of Cuban music and socializing around the day's hottest sporting event. I highly recommend the Buena Vista Cigar club for anybody looking for a good cigar, good conversation and/or a place to relax with a good glass of scotch. Location: 9715 Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Phone: (310) 273-8100

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Scotch Review

Edradour 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

Edradour is the last original 'farm' distillery in Perthshirea and nestled within a pocket glen in the hills above Pitlochry in the Southern Highlands. The distillery produces a unique, single Highland malt whisky, to be enjoyed in recognition of those small, significant moments that make up the ebb and flow of life.

Edradour is produced in Scotland's smallest distillery - and is hand made today as it was over 150 years ago by just three men who are devoted to the time-honoured methods of whisky making. Indeed equipment used at the distillery has remained unchanged since the day the distillery opened and is only just capable of producing commercial quantities. Only 12 casks of whisky are produced a week, making Edradour single malt a rare pleasure for a fortunate few.A truly hand-crafted malt, Edradour is golden in the glass, with a delicious aroma of sugared almonds and a hint of Oloroso. The smooth, creamy, light malty taste is followed by a mellow warming finish. Highland malts enjoy a unique depth of flavour and quality that's the result of a fine blend of altitude and mountain water. For many connoisseurs, with its exquisitely smooth and creamy texture, with just a hint of smokiness, Edradour is the jewel in the Highland crown.

Color: Full Amber

Nose: Full and well-balanced, with some smoke and mild sweetness

Body: Full

Palate: Complex, with peat, some sweetness, salt and citrus notes

Finish: Lingering, with a light touch of smoke and sweetness