With Rocky Patel celebrating his 30th year in the cigar biz this year, we turn to one of the first celebratory stogies rolled for the guy. Decade by Rocky Patel was produced to honor Rocky's first ten years of success in the cigar arena, and the blend absolutely cleaned up the awards with a #15 Cigar of the Year for 2008 in Cigar Aficionado, being one of its greatest achievements.
But a lot has changed since then, and with people griping about RP's quality control going downhill in recent years, we approach the Sumatran stick that started Rocky's entire anniversary line of celebration cigars with a skeptical eye. Does this smoke still have what it takes to be a top contender, or is it just a dated blend that is resting on its laurels?
Even after all these years, people are still buying this blend in large quantities, so that gives us cause to believe that the cigar itself is still solid. I also know that the Lonsdale format that we stock is particularly good, as it encourages both clean combustion and an even lighter cigar flavor profile. A vitola that sadly I did not have in my possession at the time of this review, and is worth recommending to those of you who favor a more medium smoking session than a medium-full experience. So with these things in mind, I set a Decade afire one afternoon, to see why so many people think this smoke was still worth celebrating.
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Unlit Impressions
Extremely blocky, with tight, 90° corners on all sides, the box-pressed torpedo looks and feels very well put together. The Ecuador-grown Sumatran wrapper on the outside is a light, almost camel khaki color, and at first, it appears both dry to the eye and to the touch. Upon closer inspection, a slight sheen of oil can be found, but it's not enough to constitute this as an "oily Sumatran leaf."
Smells along the wrapper are musty and muddled, with only the cap section smelling Sumatran-like, and even then, it's little more than a dusting of spices. Scents down the rest of the barrel remind me of my grandparents' basement, which was always a joy to explore. This is joined by a mixed scent of fresh carpet and dried cedar.
The mustiness continues down around the foot, but with sweet smells of maple sugar, spiced rum, green raisins, and an impending darkness leveling everything up. Mixing spiced with sweet, and encouraging a cut is what the foot is all about, and I take the bait and reach for my guillotine.
Mellow milk tea, hay, cedar, cardboard, and coriander, another scoop of green raisins, and a dank mixture of wet wood and soil funk flow forth from the severed torpedo cap. Not a bit spicy, but definitely spiced, this teaser is a delicious reminder of what Sumatran and Nicaraguan leaf can offer when combined.
I will say that the banding and branding associated with the Decade have always left me wanting. It's easy enough to read, but a bit busy with that wallpaper-like back print, which, due to its coloring, makes the gold seem a touch over the top. I guess not all banding can be as balanced and alluring as what's found on the 30th Anniversary, the Sixty, or Conviction.
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Initial Smoke
Cinnamon toast and dry cereal grains swirl about at first, followed by potpourri spices and some more maple sugar. Clean and controlled, and rather lightweight, the start to this smoke is pleasantly pure in nature and not a bit spicy beyond those toasty cinnamon notes.
1st Half
Still just as light and refreshing as before, the first third sets down a series of cedar planks for your taste buds to hopscotch across, with abundant amounts of baking spices sitting on the other side. Retrohales are outstandingly Sumatran, somewhat strong, and are repeatedly smoothed over by a creamy note of milk chocolate.
As the draw loosens up a bit (more on this later), the cigar gets slightly darker, earthier, and more medium in body. It's also sweeter, and with the potpourri bouncing back, floral finishes are everywhere. There's a raw, dough-like texture and taste to the smoke that is difficult to pinpoint, but easy to enjoy. And as the center of the barrel is reached, any rough edges leftover from earlier fade away.
2nd Half
Medium-bodied build-up well underway, the second third shoves both baked and raw sugar cookies at the tongue, both of which are quickly gobbled up. Potpourri and cinnamon-based spices are still shuffling about on the nose, and everything from the retrohale to the texture of the smoke upon the tongue is smooth, satisfying, clean, and medium.
Reminding you that this is still a Sumatran cigar on paper, the wrapper lights a fire in the belly of the final third that is more of a smoldering mixture than an increase in flavor. Candied ginger slices join forces with the cinnamon to produce a pop of spicy intensity that is tasty to say the least, and with roasted tea notes and milk sitting on the backend, the final third ranks well when it comes to taste. Flavors can get a bit grainy at times, though, and spikes in spiciness are inconsistent and will easily catch the tongue off guard.
Parting Puffs
Darker grade cocoa powder, and a gradually more roasty taste that borders on being burnt at times, turns the blend from medium to nearly full all at once. Soil and peppery spice, along with loads of toasted cedar and malty cereal grains, settle in as secondary notes, turning the final section of the cigar into a strong, smooth closure to the set list.
Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw
Although a large touch-up in the first third deducted some points from the overall score, the remainder of the blend burned rather well. Yes, there was almost a need for another touch with the torch in the second third, but the cigar did pull off a smooth last-minute self-correct. Ok, so there was some ash flake here and there too, but as the draw opened up further down the barrel, the cigar settled into a very nice rhythm. Smoke texture and production levels were also on point, and I did not once feel that the box-pressed torpedo was growing too hot.
Final Thoughts
Ignore the sizable burn issue in the first third for a moment, and look at this blend in its entirety, and you will see a very enjoyable Sumatran cigar that stacks flavors and aromatics with care until a medium-full finish is achieved. This is one of those gradual, slow-burning sorts of sticks, where transitions come slowly and stir the senses with aromatics more than flavor half the time.
Sensationally smooth, and quite a bit lighter and more floral than say, Karatoba by Oz Family Cigars, Rocky Patel's first stab at an anniversary stick is as smooth as it is clean-tasting. Bitterness only comes when darker cocoa tastes are detected, and it is both welcoming and balanced. Even when the stick started growing spicy at times in the final third and parting puffs, it never felt like the blend was raging out of control.
These factors all influence the final review seen below, and give me all the more reason to recognize the fact that, yes, the Rocky Patel Decade is still relevant today. This blend is definitely worthy of consideration if you aren't in the mood for a heavy or dark Sumatran smoking session. I just think that the blend performs better and tastes cleaner when it is puffed in Lonsdale format.
Flavor, Aroma & Transitions
Depth & Complexity
Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal
Backstory & Branding
Overall Balance & Repeatability
Stogie Specs
|
Cigar |
Rocky Patel "Decade" |
|
Wrapper |
Sumatran (Ecuador) |
|
Binder |
Nicaragua |
|
Filler |
Nicaragua |
|
Factory |
Honduras |
|
Size |
6″ x 52 (Box-Pressed Torpedo) |
|
Strength |
Medium |
|
Pairing Drink |
Woodland Spiced Iced Mocha |
|
Rating |
4.3/5 |