When a company works on a cigar blend, the cigar is often labeled with a code. When the blend of today’s stick was being worked on at Rocky Patel’s El Paraiso factory in Honduras the cigar was designated the name LB1. The company decided to keep the name of the cigar allowing consumer a look into the process of how a blend becomes a brand.
The Rocky Patel LB1 was smoked on The Cigar Authority Podcast where we welcomed Rocky’s area representative to the show. We spoke with Mike the Cop and asked him a lot of questions that you should probably never ask a police officer. It was part of the care package and as has become customary we offer a full review the day after the show airs.
Cigar Review: Rocky Patel LB1
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5.5″
Ring Guage: 50
Size: Robusto
The Look: Packaged in a flip top wooden box, the Rocky Patel LB1 features a dark and oily looking Habano wrapper from Ecuador. The white and copper features subtle Mehndi artwork which originated in India. In the hand the cigar feels pretty light with no soft spots or voids of tobacco detected.
The Notes: The foot of the cigar at first offered a marshmallow sweetness before it was overpowered by a touch of red pepper and paprika on a long inhale. The cold draw of the smoke offered more of the latter with red pepper and paprika. Once the cigar is toasted and lit the red pepper is dominant especially on the nose.
Moving into the first third of the LB1 the pepper quickly pulls back as a lemon citrus note becomes dominant. While the citrus note is strong on the front end of the cigar the finish offers up some offers up a subtle leather note along with milk chocolate sweetness. The retrohale of the cigar gives the cigar a stout feel to it leaving me to believe it would pair well with a Samual Adams Chocolate Bock.
In the second third the lemon notes disappear by the midway point as cedar notes develop as the dominant taste. The resting aroma offers some red pepper notes while the finish sees the chocolate notes fade to an afterthought as leather creates a long but enjoyable finish.
The last third of the Rocky Patel LB1 is perhaps the least noteworthy part of the cigar. It’s rather pedestrian with hints of cedar and leather with some pepper mostly noticeable on the resting aroma and finish.
The Finish: The first third of the cigar I found to be extremely enjoyable with its chocolate stout finish. There was enough going on in the rest of the cigar to keep me interested, but for my money I rather reach for a Rocky Patel San Andreas Vintage 2006.
Score: 90
Price: $8.89
Rocky Patel LB1
Rocky Patel LB1 Foot
Rocky Patel LB1 Burn
