Rocky Patel Gold Label Robusto

Cigar ReviewNicaraguan CigarRocky PatelGold LabelRobusto

13 Oct

Written By Ray Prodanov

📌 Brand: Rocky Patel
📌 Line: Gold Label
📌 Size: Robusto (5 1/2" × 50)
📌 Weight: 12 g
📌 Age:1 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua

Tasting Notes

Cream – Smooth, mild base
Cedar – Light woody character
Toasted Bread – Subtle, bready sweetness
White Pepper – Gentle spice, faint on retrohale

First Impressions

The Gold Label Robusto wears a silky dark wrapper with a refined look. Pre-light aromas show cream, hay, and cedar. Cold draw is mild, with faint sweetness.

Smoking Experience

First Third – Cream and cedar dominate, with toasted bread in the background. Burn line quickly becomes uneven.
Second Third – Pepper adds some life, but burn problems worsen, requiring repeated touch-ups.
Final Third – Cream fades, cedar remains flat, and uneven combustion continues to frustrate.

Pairings

Alcohol – Calvados Pays d’Auge VSOP , apple brandy with fruit and oak, adding vibrancy to a muted profile.
Tea – Darjeeling First Flush (India), floral and brisk, providing brightness against the cigar’s mild cream and cedar.

Music Pairing

“Chan Chan” – Buena Vista Social Club

Smooth, earthy groove, lending soul to a flawed cigar.

Final Thoughts

The Rocky Patel Gold Label Robusto offers mild cream, cedar, and bread notes but is let down by poor construction. Persistent uneven burn overshadows what could have been a smooth, approachable smoke.

Final Score: 6/10
Why not a 10?
Severe burn issues disrupted balance and enjoyment, keeping the cigar far below its potential.

Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.