Pre-light Experience

The square pressed Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto has a wrapper that is medium brown and carries a network of lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the head well finished. There are two bands, both in a black and gold color combination. The primary carries the company name and logo, while the secondary denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of earth and wood, while the foot brings smoky wood along with some earth. The pre-light draw brings cedar, stone fruit sweetness and some earth, along with a mid-level spiciness on my lips.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto

First Third

The cigar begins with toasted cedar, earth with some decomposing leaves and some black pepper. At a half inch in, the leaf note mellows a bit. The retrohale is toasted cedar and earth. At an inch in, a mellow creamy sweetness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth that carries a light decomposing leaves note to it, black pepper in the middle of the profile and some creamy sweetness in the background. The strength was right at medium.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto

Second Third

As the second third begins, the decomposing leaf note departs. At a half inch in, the earth increases to become even with the toasted cedar up front. The retrohale remains toasted cedar and earth. At an inch in, the creamy sweetness departs the profile. At an inch and a quarter, the toast level increases a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with black pepper in the middle of the profile.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto

Final Third

As the final third begins, the earth takes a slight lead over the toasted cedar. At a half inch in, a vegetal note joins the back half of the profile. The retrohale is now toasted cedar and earth with a light vegetal note. At three quarters of an inch in, some creaminess joins with the vegetal note. At an inch in, the creamy vegetal note picks up a fair amount and gains some bitterness. As the cigar wraps up, the earth is just ahead of the toasted cedar with the creamy vegetal note carrying some bitterness right behind that. The black pepper remained in the middle of the profile. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy throughout, and the cigar went out once in the second third, requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with toasted cedar, earth with some decomposing leaves and some black pepper. The leaf note mellowed a bit later. The second third saw the leaf note depart and the earth increased to become even with the cedar up front. Later, the toast level increased a bit. The final third saw the earth take a slight lead in the profile. Then, a vegetal note joined in, which later gained some creaminess. Later, the creamy vegetal note ramped up and gained some bitterness. The Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto had a nice start as the earth with the decomposing leaves, that doesn’t sound all that appealing, actually was. It took a step down in the second third as the leaf note departed, and remained at that level the rest of the way. I liked how things started and hoped that it would have continued longer, but it wasn’t to be. Overall, not a cigar that I’d really see myself coming back to.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.89

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Sumatra Robusto