In 2015, Rocky Patel began his relationship with accomplished Cuban Cigar Roller, Hamlet Paredes. In addition to being a cigar roller Hamlet worked as a brand ambassador for Habanos SA in addition to the Partagas and Romeo y Julieta factories before winding up in Naples, Florida.
The cigar which is made by Rocky Patel as the Tavicusa factory in Nicaragua was actually blended in Naples, Florida at the offices of Rocky Patel when Hamlet couldn’t travel to the factory due to visa issues. Today we review a size called Bala which translates to bullet from Spanish to English.
Cigar Review: Tabaquero by Hamlet
Wrapper: San Andres Mexico
Binder: Brazil & Mexico
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5.75
Ring Gauge: 58/50
Size: Bala
The Look: Packaged in a wooden slide top box, the Hamlet features 20 cigars. The band of the cigar has me refer to this as the Christmas cigar with colors of red, green and white. The primary band features an H with a secondary band denoting Tabaquero which is the Spanish word for tobacconist. The foot of the Bala size is closed except for a bullet/punch cut at the bottom. In the hand the cigar is firm to the touch and fairly hefty.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Tabaquero has a nice sweetness to it with a touch of mocha and raisins. The aroma off the foot is earthy with a hint of sweetness as well. Once lit, I expected it to burn a little wonky due to the nature of the foot. However, the cigar quickly corrects itself as we move past the crown. The initial notes are incredibly complex but the first one to stand out is mocha.
As we smoke the first third, the mocha is joined by touches of leather, cedar and raisins. The complexity is almost lost with an abundance of pepper that subsides as the we move past the foot allowing the other notes to shine. As we finish the first third of the cigar there is a subtle maple sweetness that gives the impression it would pair well with Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon.
The second third continues to be mouthwatering as it sees the maple notes intensify with hints of cacao. The two notes disappear from the palate around the halfway point of the cigar as it becomes rich with espresso and leather notes. The maple lingers a bit longer on the retrohale of the cigar causing it appear on the long finish of this tasty smoke.
As we finish the Tabaquero by Hamlet Parades sees the primary note become leather with a secondary note of espresso. There is a faint cocoa sweetness that lingers in the background and on the finish. The retrohale adds a touch of cedar and abundance of black pepper.
The Finish: If you took the band off this cigar, never in a million years would I think it was part of the Rocky Patel portfolio. The Tabaquero is incredibly complex and bold with a medium-full body. As far as the size, I am a fan and love the bullet punch at the foot tying it into the name of the cigar. Definitely a cigar to try if you prefer them to be stronger as I do.
Score: 94
Price: $10.69 / $188.99
Tabaquero by Hamlet
Tabaquero by Hamlet Foot
