Pre-light Experience

Seth: The Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP is an average looking cigar in appearance. The wrapper has this faded coloring, but it is consistent throughout, and there is a nice texture. The coloring is that of faded Natural, and it has this very light roast coffee bean color. Small veins that are barely noticeable on the pressed cigar, with a toothy texture. Aromas of barnyard, wood, soft spices and dry earth.
John: The Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP has a chocolate brown wrapper, and for artisanal complications it features a very firm box-pressed shape. I weighed the cigar at 12.9 grams and measured the humidity with the HumidiMeter Pro at 63.8%. Aromas from the wrapper were fairly muted, offering little beyond faint wood. From the foot, I was getting mild earthy tobacco and wood.
Jiunn: The Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP has an overall Colorado (near maduro) color with fine traces of toothiness. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Pre-light aromas give jasmine tea and cedar.

Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP

First Third

Seth: The first third opens with some herbs, dry wood and faint spice notes. Dry earth qualities are present with some faint vegetable and coffee qualities. Medium in strength and body.
John: The first third begins with sweet tobacco leading off, supported by a mild salty earth at the center. Medium-minus strength baking spices come through the retrohale and linger into the post draw. After just a few puffs, chocolate moves into the retrohale. As the first third settles in, musty tobacco quietly works its way into the finish. As the cigar approaches the halfway point of the first third, sweet tobacco continues to lead, with light-plus earth in the center. Light-plus baking spices and musty tobacco combine through the finish.
Jiunn: Upon initial draw, immediately there’s chalky and creamy cocoa powder. A few more draws in, minerals, cedar and mild dried red pepper spice. Retrohaling has more intense pepper spice but it’s not overbearing, as well as a hint of plums. The finish is lengthy with creamy, chalky chocolate. Strength is medium and body is medium-full.

Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP

Second Third

Seth: The second third is in line with the first. Vegetal with herbal and dry wood notes. Faint spice qualities with dry earth and coffee notes. Tobacco qualities are present on the end. Like before, medium in strength and body.
John: The second third remains largely consistent with where the first third left off. Sweet tobacco continues to lead, with light-plus earth in the center and light-plus baking spices and musty tobacco defining the finish. The musty tobacco, in particular, produces a very obvious and clearly defined room note. As the second third progresses, sweet tobacco begins to carry more fully into the finish. By the halfway point, tannic wood moves to the front of the profile at light-plus strength.
Jiunn: The second third’s flavor profile becomes more nuanced. There’s a slight bitterness picked up off the chocolate tones, which actually gives it another nice dimension. Strength has now ramped to medium-full, while body remains medium-full.

Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP

Final Third

Seth: The final third is in line with the second. Very similar flavor profile with a strength and body level around medium. No change.
John: The final third opens with creamy and musty tobacco combining with tannic wood. Sweet tobacco and earth make up the center of the profile. Chocolate returns to the center of the retrohale as the last third settles in. Through the bottom half of the final third, musty tobacco and dry wood define the profile.
Jiunn: The final third’s flavor profile is now showing a bit too much bitterness as well as introducing tannic notes. This time around, these notes overshadow the cocoa/chocolate notes a bit too much, making the experience less enjoyable. Strength and body remains medium-full.

Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP

Burn

Seth: The burn was great from start to finish.
John: The burn was reasonably straight through the entire review process.
Jiunn: Burn performance was great. Even burn, tight ashes, cool burning temperatures and ample smoke production.

Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP

Draw

Seth: The draw was perfect throughout the cigar.
John: I measured the draw at 42 inches of water with the Cigar Medics draw machine. Subjectively, I found the draw to be approximately one notch resistant, placing it firmly in the ideal range for an amazing draw score.
Jiunn: Draw performance was great as well, giving the ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

Seth: The Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP was an average cigar. It smoked well, but it lacked complexity and depth with the flavors. Transitioning as well. It wasn’t a bad cigar by any means, but it lacked characteristics to make it a good cigar. The herbal, wood and dry earth flavors were good, but not strong enough to carry the cigar.
John: This cigar delivers a steady, consistent profile that never strays far from its core components. Sweet tobacco forms the backbone from the outset, supported by earth, baking spices and a recurring musty tobacco note that becomes increasingly prominent as the cigar progresses. The early appearance of chocolate in the retrohale adds some intrigue, but it never fully develops into a dominant or sustained element. The middle portion of the cigar reinforces its identity rather than expanding it. The sweetness carries deeper into the finish, while tannic wood gradually pushes its way forward, tightening the profile and reducing some of the softer edges present early on. The room note becomes notably musty here, reinforcing the cigar’s overall character. By the final third, the cigar settles into a dry, wood-driven close, with musty tobacco and tannic wood dominating both the finish and the lingering palate impression. Chocolate briefly resurfaces in the retrohale, but it’s more of a reminder of earlier promise than a late-stage resurgence. Construction is a clear highlight, with both burn and draw performing at an excellent level throughout the smoking time. Flavor-wise, the cigar remains balanced and approachable, but it lacks meaningful transitions or depth to elevate it beyond an Average overall experience. This Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP is a cigar that stays true to itself from start to finish. It’s consistent and well constructed, but ultimately plays it safe and leaves little lasting impression once the smoke ends. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Jiunn: This Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP is a proper rustic cigar type experience. The combination of earthy minerals and spice paired with the chocolate notes were outstanding and made me want to go back for more and more. No doubt I’ll gladly have some of these in my humidor.

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$2.30

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.26

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.91

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Patina Red Pill 5×54 BP