I need to thank Patrick Vivalo (sorry I butcher your last name in the video) for sending two samples of the soon to be released Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary. Its all in the name and by now, most of you (don’t worry Brian Hewitt will catch on eventually) have figured out that the cigar is in honor of Rocky’s 15 years in the cigar industry and is due to make a national release on July 30th.
The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary features a Ecuadorian grown Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan (Jalapa) grown binder and a Nicaraguan filler. The cool thing is that this cigar is made in Rocky’s new boutique factory in Nicaragua. Word has it that one of the filler leaves is grown on a top secret farm in Nicaragua that only grows that particular tobacco.I’m not sure of pricing at the moment (waiting on that guy Brian Hewitt to send it to me) but I can tell you that the 15th Anniversary will be available in four sizes. Okay so Brian Hewitt came through with the pricing info:
Corona Gorda (6×46) – $8.99
Robusto (5×50) – $9.50
Toro (6.5×52) – $10.50
Torpedo (6.125×52) – $10.75
Video runs about 14 minutes and while I wasn’t out of this world blown away by the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary, I had a hard time coming up with any legitimate criticism (I did nitpick about the spelling error…talk about grasping for straws). The flavor was definitely compex 😉 , unique and balance but like I said, it didn’t blow me away. At the end of the day, I thought it was a good cigar that I’m certain I’d smoke again. After reading the results of Chief Hava’s Retail Pricing Poll where it shows that the average respondent spends $7 to $8 a cigar the 15th Anniversary pretty much fits in that comfort category. Will I seek out more? I definitely will and if they smoke like this one did, a box will be in my future.
Like I pointed out in the video, regardless of whether you like Rocky Patel Cigars or you don’t, Rocky needs to be applauded for all the work he does with IPCPR and CRA in really taking a leadership role in fighting for our right to smoke where we want and to be unfairly targeted by excess taxation.
For another take on the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary checkout Tony Casas review over at Casa Fumando or Chris’s review from a Nice Tight Ash.
Jerry got to love the jerisms lol lookign forward to trying this smoke when its available I’m a big rocky fan love the decade 6×60. Keep up the great work all you guys do.
Thanks for the mention to Casas Fumando, seems Tony had the same take on this. Started off decent but ended poorly. Maybe they are still young and just need a little age?
HAHAH! Fujamada!!! hahahahahah that made my morning. Fumando! Foo-Mon-Doh! 🙂
Been awhile since I’ve been guys…Jerry awesome review as always bro.
I’m definitely interested in trying these. You were the one who turned me onto Rocky Patel cigars.
“I’ll pretty much stick anything in my mouth one time….. that’s what she said!”
classic Jerry.
nice review man!
injustice? Bourbon will always seek out the truth Jerry!
Thanks for the review Jerry, keep them coming.
I was already laughing my ass off before you said “that’s what she said”. nice save.
Great review, thankx!
Great review. I am not a huge Rocky fan, but I do like some of the ones that you mentioned, such as the Winter Blend. So I am likely going to give this one a try too.
Jerry, that was a great review…I enjoyed it. I stopped by Draper’s yesterday and picked up a couple sticks and smoked one last night. I’m in Love as I really enjoy the cigar and look forward to smoking the other one tonight. You guys are awesome…keep doing what you do!!!
As always, nice vid Jerry. I picked up 3 of these yesterday while in Jax, and I’m looking forward to giving one a go tonight. Like you, I enjoy the Vintage(s) and am anxious to see how this one compares.
I smoked the RP 15 Anniversary a Corona Gorda. It was a good cigar but it was a high price stick. I preferred Comacho 11/18 cigar better size and price if I spended over ten dollars. Great review man……
The 15th Anniversary also did not blow me away but it is still a very good cigar. I will buy them again.
I smoked one last night and found it quite enjoyable, perhaps not as flavorful as I anticipated, but even with the hype factor taken into account, still quite enjoyable. For me it always comes down to the flavor-quality-to-price ratio. This was probably a tad over the price point for the taste. Quality, however, was excellent. I am certainly one of the few who does not appreciate Patel’s rabid ranting about the “right” to smoke wherever and whenever. Being in the health field, I have no problem with communities enacting smoking ordinances to reduce the proven dangers of second-hand smoke and improve the public health of food service workers and a community as a whole. I live in a state with one of the highest tobacco smoking rates in the country and also has one of the highest health care costs related to smoking. As a smoker of cigars, I also don’t have a problem with increased taxes; I will still buy the occasional box no matter the price. My state is now the lowest tobacco tax state in the country (South Carolina raised their tax by a few cents), which partially explains our dramatically increasing health care costs and death rates associated with smoking tobacco products, mostly cigarettes. Still, I enjoy cigars…I just don’t need to enjoy them in a public setting where I feel self-conscious just because of some perceived “right.”