I have to give credit to this stogie to my older brother Chris, owner of Sebori Systems, for providing me with these stogies. I had a hard time finding the Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve or the Master Blend 7XX online and at my local shops. I’m not good at stogie hunting like others are. But like any good big brother my bro came thru for me and gifted me with 20 of these wonderful stogies. If anything, keep reading for the pictures. I’m really trying to improve my digital camera skills.
The details on the Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve (Toro):
Length: 6.50
Ring Gauge: 52
Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Corojo (Nicaraguan)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
These are one of the newer cigars released by the fine folks at Rocky Patel. Announced at the 2005 RTDA show the Olde World Reserve comes in two different wrappers. A nice medium to full bodied Corojo wrapper (technically classified as a full bodied) that I am reviewing today and a maduro wrapper that I hope Walt or I will review and a later time.
The corojo wrapped version that I am reviewing is just a delight to see in my humidor. Like most of you out there I find myself opening up my humidor to look at all my beauties lined up and waiting with anticipation for me to choose one of them as my companion for the evening.
A nice silky smooth, medium brown, no vein wrapper, just makes your mouth water. A nice brown band with gold lettering adorns the head while classy brown paper with the same gold lettering adorns the foot. The Olde World Reserve comes packaged in a nice wooden box with that “old world” charm look to it. It honestly looks like something that would be stowed away in the cargo hold on one of Columbus’s ships heading back to Spain, if he didn’t smoke them all on the way.
I tried several different cuts with this cigar and the v-cut, while reserved for smaller ring stogies, really brought out the flavors over the straight cut. A punch cut was okay but seemed to make the stick burn hotter. I’ve read a few reviews on the Olde World Reserve where folks have left the wrapper of the foot on or used it to light their stogie similar to how you use the cedar wrappers, but trust me on this, don’t do either. Folks have done this and wonder why the stogie has a burnt paper taste to it. I’m no genius but I have a feeling why.
Before lighting up you can take good whiff and get a glimpse of what’s waiting for you after you ignite it. The aroma of sweet chocolate jumps off the stick and into your nose.
Construction is solid and little effort is needed to get an even lite. The corojo wrapper stayed in tact and no relighting was needed and had a smoke time of an hour and thirty five minutes which was a God send as I smoked one while waiting for my wife to get her hair done.
The Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve is like most Rocky Patel’s (minus the Edge) where its smoothness and consistency in flavor is the stogies biggest asset. Its an easy smoke with sweet hints of chocolate and a syrupy finish on your lips with an aroma to match and like I said in the beginning, a v-cut is the way to go to get the best flavor out of the Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve. Normally I enjoy the complex stogie which this isn’t. Its an easy smoke that is one dimensional with little to no change in depth or in flavor. What you get in the beginning, is what you get in the end. In other words, its not challenging to the pallet and for me, that’s okay.
I had a hard time finding a place to pick these up near me. If you don’t have a brother like mine, then I’m sure it will be tough for you as well. If they are easy to find for you, consider yourself lucky and leave a comment and let us know where to go.
At $600 for a box of 50, its a pretty steep price in my opinion to justify a box purchase but if you’re looking for a great cigar to celebrate a great occasion, definitely give the Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve some consideration.
Stogie Review Rating Sheet – 87/100
Stogie Guys Review – 3.5 out of 5
Links Mentioned:
Sebori Systems (“Point of Sales Made Easy”) – http://www.seborisystems.com
Jerry,
Thanks for the mention and I hope you enjoy them fully. They are a great smoke and you hit the nail on the head with your review. I looking forward to reading your review on the AVO 80th Birthday Cigars as well. Keep up the great reviews and the site is perfect.
Your Brother
What a brother! As a general rule I won’t buy a box of cigars that costs more than my car payment, but what a sweet gift! Hey Jerry… make sure he knows about the “God of Fire.”
Cigarfan – Yeah my brother was the one who turned me onto stogie smoking so I’m kind of his protégé so he takes pretty good care of me. A few months back he gifted me one of those Fuente Opus X/DVD sets.
Check out the review done by our friends over at Stogie Guys:
http://www.stogieguys.com/2006/07/stogie-reviews-rocky-patel-olde-world.html
I had the opportunity to meet Rocky Patel a few Months ago and he had a few of these to hand out at a cigar event here in the Detroit area.
This is simply one of the best cigars I’ve ever had the pleasure to spend 2 hours with.
You heard me right 2 hours. A very nice slow burn and a cool smoke and after burning my fingers I was left with the thought that I might be waiting some time for the next one of these beauties.
Well my local tobacconists just got 20 box’s of these babies in and I had her put 2 away for me. They are a bit pricey at $13.95@ plus the damn state tax. But it’s well worth it for this stick.
If your ever in the Northville Michigan area come on down to Trader Toms for a great selection and some great people of the same interest, Fine cigars!.
LR
LR – Thanks for visiting and taking the time to leave a comment.
I am in total agreement with you these are one of, if not the best cigar I have enjoyed in at least 3 years!
I’ll make a note of Trader Toms…
Novice comments: I had the opportunity to smoke one of these tonight at a RP cigar tasting event here in Plano, TX. I smoked a maduro. It started off with decent flavor and the it seemed to come alive with more (of the same flavor) midway through. Agree with the comments that its not a complex smoke, but thats fine with me. Smoked it down to a nub. I did enjoy it. I still personally prefer RP’s Vintage 1990 Robusto, but I might be attracted to the fact that they are 1/2 the price (Picked up a box after probably buying 15-20 singles over the past year). This beginner gives the old world reserve maduro an 88/100 rating.
Great review! Im waiting patiently for my local shop to carry these, so I can pick one up, but if he doesnt have one today when I go down there, I may have to order some singles on line to try.. Great review, and great site!
Scott
Joe – After smoking the corojo I tried the maduro and will agree with you and everyone else that the maduro version is the way too go if you’re going to smoke one of these guys. The depth in the simple flavors are amazing.
Scott – Good luck finding them online. In interviews I’ve heard from the Patel family they are really pushing these guys to be only available in B&M and not online. But there are a few online places selling them. Once you light one up please come back and let us know what you think bro!
Yes i have to agree with you. I love these Cigars. There is not much of a bite. Now the price is a little steep. But i think they are worth the smoke. I love the creamy smoke you get on the draw. Good Cigar.
long ashes
brad
Brad –
I hope RP rethinks the price point on these stogies. Its the one downside…the maduro version comes pretty close to being worth it but the corojo version is overpriced in my opinion.
Thanks for visiting the site!
Loved the review. Now I am really looking forward to burning one of these guys. I haven’t made the purchase yet, but after reading the reviews, I am definitely in line to pick one up. BTW, for anyone in the Chicago Suburbs, a new cigar lounge called Belicoso just opened up in the south suburb of Orland Park. That is where I saw these beauties for the first time. It looks like they have quite a supply too. Other than that, I have not seen these anywhere, including the internet.
Katz…currently most places are stocking shipment #2 of the Olde World Reserve and they are even better than the initial shipment (which some say were rushed out the door). Like I’ve said in earlier comments the maduro is the way to go for maximum enjoyment!
I was just in Vernon Hills IL for for the day for a CDW event. Too bad I didn’t have time to check out any cigar shops.
I’m on the last day of a 5 day vacation. I’ve smoked a handful of more expensive cigars including the AVO 80th and Old World Reserve Corojo. The OWR was excellent. I agree with your assessment and will smoke one again. Thanks for the review.
Steve – Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment.
The OWR is a wonderful cigar. I still wish Rocky would drop the price on these.
Sounds like you had a great vacation with the OWR and another great smoke in the AVO 80th.
Hey everyone, I just bought a few at my local shop for $10.95 each, but with the seventh one free, it was definately worth it. These are excelent smokes. Anyone in mid Michigan should check out Smokers Outlet in Holly. Great new store, and worth the drive if you’re in the area.
I’m starting to see these start coming down in price at some of my B&M’s.
U might want to check out http://www.cigarsinternational.com they have some amazing deels. Including RB vintage 2nd 49.99 a bld of 15. I got 2 RB WOR in a sampler they had as a daily special they had that was 20 RB cigars for $50. They also have The Toro Maduro for 12.50 each buy 4 get one free
I also found this web site that u can get them over $200 if regular price. http://www.texcigars.com/p1261/Rocky-Patel-Olde-World-Reserve-Corojo-Toro/product_info.html
Sean
I really enjoy reading cigar reviews and the more I read the the more I realize that taste is base on personal preference. Now that I’ve said that, “I like this cigar”! Rocky Patel got it right with the “Olde World Reserve”. As for the experience, in the beginning I was pleasantly surprised by the easy draw that enhanced the nice chocolate taste as it flowed to back of my palate unlike any other cigar I’ve smoked (I’ve smoked many premium cigars because that’s my preference). I would be remiss if I didn’t add that at about 45 mins. into it, I noticed something that could be mistaken for a iron/metallic taste but for those who have taste pure dark chocolate you can compare it to that. Pure dark chocolate has a “not so” sweet & slightly bitter taste and that’s what I got at that point, so I put it down for a few minutes…picked it back up & it was back to enjoyment! It was an enjoyable cigar ; )
you can find them at Big Daddy’s Cigars of Naples. in Naples Long Beach
I am 2/3 the way through one of these right now and love it. I was a given a couple by a friend and am now “hooked.”
I picked up one this evening at Jungle Jim’s north of Cincinnati, OH for $7.95, and rate it a great smoking mid-price cigar.
Great review.
Really great stick. I run a cigar shop in Hattiesburg, MS.
Called the Leaf Cigar Co. We sell the toro for $10.99 a stick. Like
you said hard to find them now adays. Rumor is they are to quit
making this beautiful line.
We just reviewed this on Blind Man’s Puff and came to a similar
conclusion. These can be had even cheaper these days. Pretty good
bargain.