Size: Corona, 5.5 x 46Price: $6.25 (Burns Tobacconist, Chattanooga, TN)
Today's review of the Rocky Patel Winter Collection will not only attempt to review the cigar, but will also attempt to answer the question "Can the Winter Collection alone keep you warm when it's 40 degrees with a wind chill of 32?" The prelight appearance of this stick is oily and dark. The aroma from the foot exudes cocoa and hints of coffee.
Immediately upon lighting, you are greeted with a massive amount of pepper, but also the undertone of cocoa. The body is quite full--definitely not a cigar for beginner smokers. Probably not a taste profile that would please everyone, either--if you don't like full-bodied smokes that are "in your face" spicy, then just pass this one by.
After 10 minutes or so the pepper tones down quite a bit--not nearly so in your face. The cocoa flavor becomes more prevalent, but there's still a bit of the spice on the finish. The draw is very good, but it is impossible to get more than half an inch or so of ash at a time. This could be due to construction standards or it could be a reaction to the tobacco to the cold weather.
At the halfway point, I had to relent to the reality of the biting cold (a dry cold, by the way, but still friggin' cold!) and I got some hot cocoa to ease the suffering. This was a "White Chocolate Mousse" cocoa that was a Christmas gift from someone at work and should be a nice, natural pairing with a "winter" cigar. I have to say, it was a bit strange, but it did work. I think it would work even better with some coffee, but I wanted to sleep later that night, so it wasn't something I was going to try.
Even as I got into the last third, there was plenty of spice on the finish, but the overwhelming flavors are of coffee and chocolate. The body is full, but it is not terribly strong. All in all, this is a very good cigar that does it's job: it is delightful on a cold, winter's day. Does it keep you warm, though? No--get a jacket...or three!!!
Body: 9/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 8/10
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10
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