Rocky Patel Sixty - No.1 of 2022?

When it comes to the annual Top 25 Lists, the "Creme de la Creme" that everyone knows about is Cigar Aficionado Magazine and just as they have been doing since 2004, another Top 25 list hit the publications for 2022.  Now, a USA based publication awarding cigars sold globally might sound like hot deal, except that they awarded the Number 1 spot to a cigar that you CAN'T walk into your local cigar shop and purchase here in the United States. Yep, awarded to a Cuban. Not to say it's not a good cigar because I've had it (shh don't tell anyone). You as the reader of this can't walk into my shop and say "I want the 2022 cigar of the year from Cigar Aficionado". Think this isn't a hot topic? Trust me when I saw they awarding this cigar to a Cuban has been all over the cigar news and a lot of people are upset.  But as a customer here you can still walk in and say "I want the Number 1 Non-Cuban of the Year".

The Rocky Patel Sixty awarded the Number 1 spot that you can purchase "legally" in any cigar shop in the United States comes on the celebration of Rocky Patel's 60th birthday, February 26, 2021.  The blend uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and filler, which all gets two years of aging as finished cigars prior to their release. 

Being made and released for a celebration, this cigar comes dressed for the occasion. An elegant white band with gold and blue raised graphics bearing "60" at the bottom covers about half of this cigar with red and gold primary and secondary bands above. Each band making for a beautiful visual appeal thats so elegant you want feel ashamed for wanting to undress this stick. 

Cold Draw:

Light milk chocolate with a hint of black pepper and a background cedar are taste on the cold draw. Mildly firm tension drawing on this cigar before lighting is only expected due to the beautifully box-pressed design. 

Toast, Light, Enjoy:

The Rocky Patel Sixty opens with an earthy, peppery flavor that wastes no time getting to work tingling the taste buds. It’s a medium plus cigar, maybe even medium full and robust start that sees the tongue and throat both touched with flavor, the latter of which is a debatably good thing as it doesn’t come across as harsh but still leaves a mark during your smoking experience. The first third closes out with a sudden introduction of white pepper both on the palate and through the nose, where it is quite stimulating and enjoyable. The second and third third remains constant with notes of milk chocolate, cedar, black and red pepper notes. Not overpowering at all but definitely right at the forefront of the tastebuds that say "keep enjoying". 

Construction:

Again another elegant beautifully constructed cigar from Rocky Patel, making sure that each cigar in the back looks in color like the one next to it and constructed in the same manner stick after stick. Nothing disappoints more than opening a box of a companies "top level" cigar and there's a mix-match of wrapper colors and slightly different shaped cigars, even if they are all the "same". Not with the Rocky Patel Sixty. Every stick in boxes on our shelf look just like enjoyable one next to it in the box. 

Overall Thoughts:

If you're an experienced enough cigar smoker to have knowledge of what Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and filler is likely to offer, you're most likely to enjoy this cigar.If you like quality, consistency and hell, even just a cigar that looks good enough to eat your probably going to enjoy this cigar. It's certainly not a cigar for everyone, as earth, pepper and the general robustness won't sit well on every palate. It's refined but  distinguished but unafraid to cut loose for those willing to give it a shot.