Wrapper : Habano Oscuro
Binder : Nicaraguan
Filler : Nicaraguan
Source : Bought locally

Welcome to this weeks review of the new Rocky Patel Freedom cigar in the toro size. You can purchase these in four sizes, robusto (5×50), toro (6×52), torpedo (6 1/8×52) and a sixty (6×60). Price range seems to be $7-$9 for singles and buying by the box lowers that by around $.75 – $1 a stick. I bought locally for $6.20 a piece, again, lower than any place I could find online.

Pre-Light

Taking a look at this Rocky Patel Freedom and the cigar looks very sharp with the red, white and blue band and minimal veins running through it. It is solidly packed and gives off an aroma that reminds me of the cocoa shell mulch. Snipped the cap easily and gave a nice free draw. Lit up the end and away we go.

First Half

Starting off this Rocky Patel Freedom and the first puff or two gave a dull tobacco taste kind of like you get when you relight a cigar. After the first few puffs it developed into a nice cocoa flavor with a hint of wood and almost a black cherry type taste. Got a bit of the zing coming into play. This zing has varied at strength and amount of time till it came in but it always showed up. Nothing horrible just that nice spicy zing. Rounding out this first half was a nice cocoa taste with a smidge of black cherry and the spicy zing. Might be around a medium strength at this point.

Second Half

Heading into the final half of this Rocky Patel Freedom cigar and so far so good. It does seem to smoke a bit fast for my liking but it has a great draw and excellent flavors to this point. Definitely a medium strength at this point but the flavors are still great. Flavors are proceeding as expected, the cocoa taste is still there with a little leather coming into play all the while it still has the nice zingy spice. Towards the end the black cherry taste came back and made me think of chocolate covered cherries but more of a bitter cherry than a sweet one. Gets a little bitter towards the end but if you slow down on your puffs it helps a lot. This is in the last inch to inch and a half so it is not too big of a concern for me.

Wrap-Up

Would I buy it again? Yes. I really enjoyed all of them I smoked. I have smoked some of the Sixty size also but I think I enjoy the toro better. If you have a chance, give this one a try if you like a medium bodied smoke with a pleasant flavor profile.