“Your biggest fans will always be your harshest critics…” That’s how I’d sum up my relationship with Rocky Patel cigars. I’ve praised him for his great cigars and bashed him for his lousy cigars. Well, what can I say? This is one of those cigars well worth the praise. Rocky hit the Winter Collection out of the park!
You want body? You want flavor? You want richness? You want heat? You want bold? You want power similar to the Camacho Triple Maduro or the CAO Lx2? The Rocky Patel Winter Collection has all those elements with its Nicaraguan filler an Ecuadorian binder that blend and balance themselves wrapped inside a mouth watering dark maduro wrapper from Pennsylvania.
Video runs close to 14 minutes and just so there is no confusion. To enter my contest to win a 5 pack of these Rocky Patel Winter Collection, you must leave a comment on this post (one per person) by Friday. You can also enter to win another 5 pack by responding to the Daily Discussion thread for Monday, February 23rd in the SR Fan Forums (thread may not be available when this is published). One winner will be chosen (at random) from all those who have left a comment here and another winner will be chosen (at random) from the Daily Discussion thread on the SR Fan Forums.
Lastly, once you’re done watching and entering the contests, be sure to check out what others have to say about the Winter Collection:
Barry from acigarsmoker.com -> Rated it a 89 and suggested some age
Tom from Tom’s Cigar Reviews -> Enjoyed it more than the Summer blend
Lisa from Her Humidor -> Suggests having a cold beverage nearby
Okay. Now you’ve got me wanting one of these reeeeeaaaaal bad. I hope I can find them in my local shop.
I’ve had the exact same attitude towards Rocky Patel’s cigars – either they’re delicious or they’re duds, both per brand and per stick. This makes them riskier buys IMO, since I don’t know what the hell to expect with each go-around. I’ll pick up one of these, though, and hopefully it’ll fit onto the “hit” category for me.
Another good review Jerry. I did not enjoy the Autumn Blend’s that I’ve had. I’ll be sure to let you know how I like these when I win the 5’er.
Thanks for the contest.
-nick
I am so glad you liked this. I had a huge wave of relief come over me knowing this.
I seriously found it stressful you bought a box partially due to my review. After all SR is the granddaddy of all review sites if feel more like I belong in the review community more then ever…
Long Ashes Bro!
Nice review Jerry would love to give these a try. Sounds like these have some complexity to them; something I have always found lacking in most of Rocky’s blends.
woot!
great to see the review!!!!!!
Jerry,
You know I’m a self-proclaimed Rocky Patel fanboy, so this is just one more I need to try! Great review! Loved the JJ snapshot in the beginning too man!
Oooh sounds like high praise. And contest YAY
Great review as usual Jerry!! I had to laugh as I’ve never heard the words “smokey, heaty” used to describe a cigar before, but I did get your meaning so it seemed to work! I guess that’s why you video review cigars and I post comments. LOL
Jerry,
Another great review, but damn, I need to quit watching these because my “need to purchase and try” list is getting unmanageable. Anything that is gonna keep my “fingers and toes tingly” is one that I need to try.
Keep the great work!
Ted
I’ve had a bad run with the last RP’s I’ve had, so maybe this will turn the streak around. Looking forward to trying one of these. Great review as always, keep up the good work.
I am definitely not a rp fan but i’ll admit jerry, you have peaked my interest. I definitely would like to try the winter collection. Thanks for the quality review………….
Very nice review.. I wouldn’t mind trying one of these 🙂
Thanks for the review Jerry, am definitely interested in picking one of these up.
Just a bit of feedback if I may, but I definitely prefer to see you do the reviews indoors, you seem less rushed, and maybe a bit more focused and clear with your thoughts. I’m sure the chill and windy conditions can’t help a whole lot either 🙂
Anyway, thanks again, look forward to your next review!
So far I have great experiences with RP smokes, so I will definitely have to seek these out. Also just bought a 5 pack of RP Rosados that I am eager to try!
great review, sounds like a winning cigar. the heat that u say u get from it is deff a nice added bonus. wander if the blend was supposed to have that spicy/ heat bc of it being the winter blend hmm.
By far the best of the “seasonal” blends that RP has put out so far–the Summer being “pretty good” and the Autumn being somewhat forgettable. I was surprised by the overwhelming amount of spice right off the bat. It settled down after 5 or 10 minutes, but still a powerhouse of a smoke with a very full body and very full flavor.
Thanks for the review… Because RP is so hit or miss we really need these reviews so that we can steer clear of the not so great ones.
LFA!
Do you mean that one should just post a comment saying “enter me please!” or that one should actually make a useful comment adding to the discussion?
Jerry…..you are one brave crazy cigar smoker! It’s cold out there……32 degrees? Wow……Idont know if I could do it! The Rocky Winter sounds so good……your review made my mouth water. I have’nt seen those yet, can”t wait to try it….I’m also a huge Rocky fan! Good job on the review. Thanks.
Jonathan
Thankx, Jerry! Based on your review I will have to keep my eyes open for these…I’m dying to try it now!
I’ve been watching your reviews and find them all entertaining, but I like this one the most because of the tribute in the beginning.
Respectfully,
Leroy
I’ve really enjoyed some Rocky’s other cigars (Sun Grown, 1992, Old World, and the Edge) so hearing this review has got me craving one of these cigars. I will definitely be searching for some of these. You guys rock, keep up good reviews.
a free fiver of smokes… I think we can guarantee that Jerry will continue the wear the Comment Love King crown… think we can get to 100 comments on this review? great review as always Jerry
A filmy layer of heat. Hmmmm. Brainstorm. Tobasco infused cigars. Drew Estate, are you listening. Good review Jerry. I like the shorter videos. I usually don’t have a lot of time to watch video reviews, but these are just the right length.
I once saw an exhaustive listing of all of the Gurkha cigar lines, and it was something like 80 different blends. Has anyone attempted to assemble an exhaustive list of Rocky’s blends? And I would include his various lines for Famous. Just playing the percentages, he was bound to hit upon a couple of blends that were terrific and a couple of blends that were horrible and the rest are somewhere in between. This sounds like one of the good ones.
I’m big fan of Rocky, I typically have a box of Sun Grown in my locker at my cigar club. I tried the Autumn
Collection and wasn’t that impressed. Maybe too mild for my taste, however, the Summer Collection I loved! I really like the Churchil or Robusto size, but really enjoyed it in the Lancero.
I wonder how well I will like the Winter collection compared to the Summer? Will we see it in Lancero?
Thanks for a great review Jerry!!!
Very nice review. I didn’t think these would be up your alley because of the strength, but glad to see you enjoyed them. I picked up half a box of the coronas on Friday. I agree about the slow burn, but I definitely felt pepper for the first couple inches before turning into that heat you spoke about. Good work as always.
Great review as always Jerry! Hit me up with that 5 pack brutha!
Jerry! Awesome review man! Very descriptive.
Shorter reviews are a double edge sword. Maybe a minute or two shorter but then again, I like when you talk about whats going on in your life which would extend a video.
Anyway dude…really enjoy the shout out to JJ in your videos.
I would love to add these to my humidor. Its getting a little empty these days.
Nice once again!
I think I’m the only person in the world who really likes the summer collection…but I am going to jump on these once they hit the stores…
Jerry, great review.
You’re right smoking Rocky Patel cigars is like a rollercoaster ride. When you smoke a good blend it’s like cresting the top of a rollercoaster and then getting a rush of flavors and when they’re not so great you’re just sitting there in the sun, sweating waiting for the ride to start and it just doesn’t happen. The one thing though is that when you take that great ride it makes you wonder if the next one that you haven’t tried yet will be as good or be even a better ride and the only way to find out is keep on smoke’n!
Great review Jerry, and I agree with the heat vs spice 100%.
I’ll have to find a 5ver of these now. Thanks for the review!
Great review as always. I especially like that it is available in the corona format – too many manufacturers do not give any love to small ring cigars 🙁 I’d definitely pick one up if I come across it.
I loved the summer collection of ’08, and wanted to find this one for a try. Looks like I will have to go out and get one! Many thanks to the GREAT Torpedo for the Review.
-M.J.
Great Review Jerry as always. Love Rocky’s sticks, but for some reason they tend to be rather elusive in my neck of the woods.
Thanks again for all of your hard work and long ashes to you and the rest of the crew.
Jerry, isn’t the cold affecting the experience of smoking you in any way? I usually cannot smoke that relaxed if it’s too cold outside…
Anyways nice review, keep em coming! 🙂
Long F’n ashes!
Lol
Jerry,
Yet another fun review. I have been waiting for these to be released and need to go pick up a few. The Summer blend was enjoyable, and I hope the Winter blend well be even more so. Oh and on a side note, I am glad to see this wasnt a cigar that didnt make you swear more than Goodfellas.
Long Ashes,
Derek McKee
I’m a big fan of Rocky Patel’s cigars. Even met him at the Chicago CRA event last year. So after reading your review I will definitely be putting these on my to-buy list … Of course, I would appreciate winning a 5pack from Stogie Review even better!! 🙂
Yet another great review…
jerry,
Great review as usual, i have one of these just haven’t gotten to it yet good to know its that good.
Matt M.
So, it was a spiciness as opposed to a hot heat like chicken wings? Ha! j/k. Good review. I didn’t know that the wrapper was Pennsylvania grown. That is definitely something that makes me want to try this one, even though I didn’t really like the other two seasonal blends.
Thanks.
schedel – other way around…it was spicy hot/heat like eating buffalo wings and not the usual spicy/pepper thing.
I’m a fan of several lines of RP cigars; however, I have not had the opportunity to try the Winter Collection. I’ll throw my hat into the ring for a shot at these.
Great stuff as always Jerry!
Gonna have to search for a box of these, god my wife is gonna gut me.
Jerry, I agree what a nice smoke.. ! I too am a Rocky Fan..However, not that big on the Fall selection. But I like this one and the summer one… Rocky Rocks… !
I have been drooling over these since they came out and you haven’t helped me at all. My local shop doesn’t carry Rocky, the next closest one 1hr doesn’t have them yet, hopefully soon. I’d drive tomorrow to find some, but my son would snitch me out, maybe I can bribe him with a new DS game?
A Connecticut Maduro? Count me in to give it a shot! Very nice review. You make it sound very good.
Thanks for pimping my site Jerry. Like Berry from acigarsmoker.com, I was kind of worried that you bought a box somewhat based on a review I (we) did.
I am VERY relieved that you liked em. Good review as always.
Also, there is no need to enter me in this contest. I’ve already tried these, so let someone who hasn’t have a chance win!
Thanks for the great review on these Jerry. I agree 100% that RP makes some great cigars but these seasonal ones haven’t been that impressive.
I now can go out and get a few of these knowing that they won’t disappoint.
A new maduro cigar that I have not tried! I will have to pick some up in the event someone else is the lucky winner.
This was the first (failed) review that sdlsatcom and I created. Unfortunately, the master audio file got corrupted in conversion. They are good sticks. We both enjoyed them, but it faces very stiff competition at its price point.
Sounds delicious.
Hopefully they get them in at the local B&M soon.
Great review of a great smoke! I love these things!
Another awesome review Jerry!!! I am going to have to find this cigar and get some. They sound great!!
That sounds like my kind of smoke right there. I hope my b&m gets some.
Good review Jerry. Smokey Heaty?
How many Scoville units? =)
Taste like one of these:
http://budurl.com/9u7v
Chief
Great review as usual. Now give me the five pack. (Just kidding).
“long.. fuckin ashes….CHEA!” lol loved that part
Know what this video is missing Jerry? A seal of approval. Gee, wonder where you could get one of those? LOL. Great job. I hate Rocky’s stuff, but I am picking up one of these bad boys thanks to this review.
dk
Nice review Jerry!
Hoping to win the fiver!…
Great job @jcruz love your reviews. With any luck its going to start getting warmer here in Wisconsin soon, I could use an extra 5’r to be ready for it:)
Nice review. I love the label
Jerry,
Another great review but man you should have wore a winter hat (LOL). Thanks to your review, I will add this cigar to my list. See you on Twitter.
Stew
Great as always Jerry, and I’m glad to see your on much more again lately, I have an LX2 in the stash box but still have yet to find the right time to try it. Mabey I will find some of these at my local shop…or win them :)~
Man, so many comments on this video! I wonder why…lol
In all seriousness, I love your reviews, Jerry. You’re always entertaining to listen to (and a great reference since we share a similar palate!). Keep up the good work, man!
Thanks for the review and I look forward to my fiver.
:p
Jerry, I gave you that Summer Collection Lancero in the Super Bowl Pool, where my love at?
Yet another great review. Thanks, Jerry!!!
I’ve been wanting to try one of these, I guess I’ll give it a go now!
Comment love baby!!! Plus I’m an original SR contest whore LOL!!! And an unabashed Rocky Patel fan although I hate the fusion and think the Vengence cigar should be named the Quite Lamb cigar.
But great review and got to love your commitment to smoking in the cold. I use a heater because I’m banned to smoking in the great outdoors here in Sacramento.
Awesome review. I stopped by the shop yesterday and picked up a couple in each vitola based on your review. Can’t wait to try one.
Another great review Bro. I’ll definately be picking up a couple of these this week. Keep up the great work and “Long Fucking Ashes” to ya!
Bugs
JERRY… You said that these reminded you of the Camacho Triple Maduro. How much? These things are like half the price of a CTM, and if I can get that taste in these guys I’m sold.
Adam – sorry bro…you did indeed send me a lancero RP Summer but so did someone else…but yes, thank you. 🙂
Patrick – They are similar to the Camacho Triple Maduro in body/strength/power. One thing that I didn’t mention in my review is that the RP Winter is a limited edition cigar. Only 3,000 boxes (1,000 per size) of 20 were made.
Nice review. I have only tried the summer collection and now I am looking forward to trying the winter and autumn blends as well.
Nice review Jerry. I agree – the Winter Blend is a great smoke. I found the Summer Blend to be on the low end of medium body, but with plenty of flavor. The Autumn Blend is, to me anyway, lighter than the Summer, which didn’t make a lot of sense to me. With the Winter, he hit it out of the park. Flavor-wise, I’d put it in the same general ballpark as a La Flor single Ligero, but not as peppery…spice and a sweet, charred wood flavor with some chocolate accents.
I wonder how much the wrapper had to do with the taste because it is a corona size, I wonder if the thicker cigars come across with as much flavor
ill have to check these out at my local shop (assuming i dont win the 5er)
Nice review. I need to pick up a few of these. There is a Rocky event this Friday at my local Stogie’s, hope they have some.
Great review Jerry, I’m excited to try this smoke now. I like the looks of the cigar as well, and the wintry review was fitting!
Ah Jerry…i feel like snipping tour head off and lighing you up.
I always love your reviews Jerry. This video makes want to go out and buy one right now.
Thanks for another great review Jerry! I didn’t get into Rocky Patels until recently and am now a huge fan as well. I have the day off tomorrow and think I might just have to go look for a few of these… too bad my local shop doesn’t carry them, looks like I have a drive ahead of me.
Thanks for the review Jerry! I recently was able to smoke one of these and really enjoyed it. It would be nice to win some more.
Great review Jerry…..
Great review Jerry. I got to try a couple of these last Friday and they knocked my socks off. The Winter Collection is officially my favorite RP cigar.
Great review, as usual. I’ve only had the ’90 and the Decade and both were superb I thought. I didn’t know they made this winter collection cigar so I’m definitely going to keep an eye open for it.
I actually like the Summer’s; I just dig a good cigar with filled, bound or wrapped in Cameroon.
My local tobacconist only recently received the Fall cigars and I passed as I am not a fan of Connecticut wrappers and didn’t care to investigate further.
I was wondering what the Winter would be after enjoying the Summer’s and passing on the Fall. Is this cigar anything like a dark Padron? I rarely find the time to do much research on new cigars and get most of my info here and from the local guy.
I am a big fan of the RP line, and after watching the review I definitely want to try the winter collection. Hopefully I can pick some up at my local B&M.
Why do i feel like I am watching Survirorman? lol
When i saw this post i was like, “coo, the homie got a new video review up” and then I was like, “DAYUMMMMMMMM! talk about COMMENT LOVE! 93 comments?? Wow!” Then i thought to myself, “Well, he is the great torpedo!” Then i finished watching the end of the video and i knew the real reason. LOL
I havent had a RP in a very very very long time. This one sounds to strong and bold for me. I like to taste the flavors and not get all power.
Great video, great review. You the man!
– Agent 15
Sounds awesome! As a new guy to cigar smoking, I’ve tried quite a few RPs and have enjoyed most of them. I have a feeling these will be hard to come by out in South Dakota, but I’ll try my damndest, Thanks for the review!
Chosen at random…the winner of the 5 pack is…Tim Valw
A great cigar….
lucky no. 100!
(and maybe 10,000??)
Jerry,
I agree!!! Great cigar………..I really like the prelight aroma and cold draw tase. I would hope that Rocky would make this a permanent addition to his line.
There was a Rocky event in town last week and I missed it due to the passing of my mother; however, Sunday it was time to stop by my local cigar shop and I was pleased to see a whole box of the Winter Collection, so I picked up two. After cutting the cigar I took a nice puff to savor the pre aroma and it got me even more excited. I lit my stick in anticipation of a great cigar, as a am a huge Rocky fan (smoking a 1961 currently) As with all the collections except the spring, I really enjoyed the rich flavor the spices that came out. The first third was outstanding full of flavor that made me think of Christmas time. As I smoked more, I looked forward to smoking the next one I have, but I will wait on that. Overall, I would give the cigar a 92 because it was everything I expected from a Rocky.
Blake
Great review Jerry! Love the hat btw! GO CAPS!! Im a huge
RP fan, and I loved the Winter Collection. Great smoke. Keep up the
good work!
Jerry I found a few boxes of winters last week!!! #winning
My local smoke shop in San Diego found a couple boxes of these recently (2014). They must get better with age – incredible! If anyone knows where I get more, please let me know.