Rocky Patel has a reputation for releasing a number of new cigars every year, and the offerings at this year’s IPCPR trade show and convention were no exception. As you saw in our recap, the company showed off six new cigars:

  • Rocky Patel Platinum
  • Patel Family Nimmy D
  • Legend Series Gary Sheffield
  • Legends 52 Ray Lewis (since put on hold)
  • Bold by Nish Patel

The Bold by Nish Patel isn’t the first foray into the cigar world for Rocky’s younger brother. At the 2011 IPCPR Convention and Trade Show, the company released the Zen by Nish Patel, a Connecticut-wrapped cigar that quickly had its name changed to Xen by Nish Patel in August 2011.

Bold by Nish Patel is being released in four sizes, all of which come in 21–count boxes:

  • Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) – $8.60 (Boxes of 21, $180.60)
  • Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52) – $8.80 (Boxes of 21, $184.80)
  • Toro (6 1/2 x 52) – $9.00 (Boxes of 21, $189.00)
  • Sixty (6 x 60) – $9.80 (Boxes of 21, $205.80)

From the press release announcing the Bold by Nish Patel:

Nish Patel’s latest release lives up to his name with well-rounded strength and complexity. Bold by Nish Patel teases the palate with a punch of white pepper and cocoa before transitioning into a hearty profile of sweet spice and roasted coffee.

Nish told CigarNews:

It transcends a flavor profile of what I like to smoke. I have been working on Bold for the last five years and am really excited to share this great blend with everyone. This cigar has aged broadleaf wrapper with fillers from our farms in Jalapa and other aged tobaccos from Estelí. I am also using two binders on Bold, one from San Andrés and the other from Connecticut. I have one word for this: “wow.”

The finished cigars will look like this, according to pictures released by the company:

Bold by Nish Patel Boxes

Bold by Nish Patel Robusto 1

  • Cigar Reviewed: Bold by Nish Patel Robusto
  • Country of Origin: Nicaragua
  • Factory: TAVICUSA
  • Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Binder: Mexican San Andres & Connecticut
  • Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa & Estelí)
  • Size:  5 1/2 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 50
  • Vitola: Robusto
  • MSRP: $8.60 (Boxes of 21, $180.60)
  • Release Date: August 23, 2013*
  • Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

*The Bold by Nish Patel is being launched at R&R Cigars in Tuscaloosa, Ala on August 23. The cigar is scheduled to arrive at other retailers in October.

The Bold by Nish Patel has a smooth glistening dark brown wrapper with black veins and spots of texture. The cap has a few ridges on it and isn’t laid as flat as it could be. The pre-light aroma is peppery with baking spices and a hard to place note that is somewhat sweet and saucy; describing it as a teriyaki or curry note would be a disservice to those dishes. The cold draw is a bit more savory though not as saucy or tangy – again, the flavor is difficult to place and something that seems to be geared toward a palate different than my own. I can’t help but think this is some kind of glaze that is going to end up on chicken or pork instead of a flavor offered by a cigar. It has a consistent amount of firmness from top to bottom and seems to be very well-rolled with just a bit of give when squeezed.

The first third of the Bold by Nish Patel has an up-front start, not necessarily a spice bomb but definitely showing a good amount of flavor, albeit a hard to place flavor. In the first few puffs of the first cigar, I can see smoke emanating from the seams of the cigar, which suggests it might not have been quite as well-rolled as I originally thought. There isn’t a ton of smoke coming from the cigar and the flavor is increasingly hard to place, with the pepper note increasing more in the eyes than on the tongue or in the nose. A slightly gravelly, earthy note comes along shortly after that and seems to be the Mexican San Andrés binder coming out giving a definitive edge to the flavor profile. Pepper continues to play a significant role, though again, this isn’t a pepper bomb and the strength doesn’t seem to quite match up with the amount of pepper I’m picking up. The light grey ash clings on for about half an inch or so before letting go, while the burn line is more or less even, though it does waver a bit in one cigar more than in the others. There is a meaty flavor that begins to emerge and carries the cigar into its second third, though any attempt to pin down the flavor notes is stymied by what seems to be a previously unexperienced preparation and spice combination.

Bold by Nish Patel Robusto 2

The flavor from the Bold by Nish Patel stays fairly steady and consistent heading into its second third; there isn’t any noticeable increase in strength or pepper and the overall profile stays medium-plus but in a different way than most cigars. Towards the midpoint it begins teetering on the edge of bitterness, as some sour notes start to come out. They back off just a touch heading toward the final third, though it seems like the needle could swing back at any moment. Again, the earthiness and notes of rough soil seem to indicate somewhat under-cured Mexican tobacco than what the Bold by Nish Patel is said to contain, and begins to push the cigar into a territory of unpleasant flavors. The chalkiness is distinct and clean and a bit of minerality seems to be lingering in the background, but in this case the whole just doesn’t seem greater than the sum of its parts.

Bold by Nish Patel Robusto 3

Given the roughness of the flavors that have developed, the final third isn’t terribly anticipated other than that it might bring about some respite, or it will soon bring an end to the cigar. What I can only describe as the flavor of scorched earth is just too bold for my liking and I almost hesitate to use the term bold here. The aroma that comes off the cigar remains the best part of its offerings, with notes of steak and leather filling the nose while it rests in the ashtray. A final harsh note finishes out the final inches of the Bold by Nish Patel, including some cough-inducing roughness that solidifies this cigar’s standing. The finishing strength is still medium at best and didn’t leave any residual feeling in my chest or gut.

Bold by Nish Patel Robusto 4
Final Notes:

  • The name of this cigar makes me think of cologne for some reason. There is in fact a cologne called Bold by The Gap, that was released in 2007 but seems to have been discontinued.
  • The Bold by Nish Patel was originally announced on CigarNews.com during an interview with Nish Patel, Nimish Desai and Patrick Vivalo of Rocky Patel. In that interview, Nish said he wasn’t thrilled by the name of the cigar.
  • I have seen the 6 x 60 referred to as both the Sixty, on the boxes and in certain marketing materials; as well as the “60,” in a press release the company sent out.
  • The release is technically part of the Patel Family Collection.
  • Charlie wasn’t terribly impressed by the bands at IPCPR. Since I didn’t visit the Rocky Patel booth, I’m reserving judgment until I see them in person. As you can see in the pictures, the cigars I was given had plain white bands on them. Here’s a mock-up of the band:
    Bold by Nish Patel Mock Up
  • Among the chatter at IPCPR about Rocky Patel’s new releases was how Nimish Desai didn’t like his latest cigar being called the “Nimmy D.” To top it off, numerous people were coming up to him with various salutations that incorporated Nimmy D, furthering his seeming frustration with the cigar’s name.
  • For all that is made of the plethora of releases that come from the company, it also discontinues cigars at a pretty consistent pace.
  • The national launch for the Bold by Nish Patel is happening on Friday, August 23 at R&R Cigars in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Nish Patel will be there to officially release the cigar to retail.
  • The Bold by Nish Patel is scheduled to arrive at retail in October, though the company hadn’t confirmed a specific date as of now.
  • I’m intrigued by Rocky Patel’s listing of unauthorized retailers on their webpage.
  • For the ultimate Rocky Patel experience, the company hosts an annual cigar cruise.
  • The cigars for this review were given to halfwheel by Rocky Patel Premium Cigars at IPCPR 2013.
  • Final smoking time is about one hour and 20 minutes.
  • Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar, BestCigarPrices.com, Cigar King, Famous Smoke Shop, Mike’s Cigars, Superior Cigars and Tobacco Grove are all Rocky Patel authorized retailers.
75 Overall Score

After smoking the first two cigars for this review, I was puzzled as to what to make of the Bold by Nish Patel. The flavors were just so different and so unfamiliar that I couldn't believe what I was smoking was the latest offering in Rocky Patel's extensive portfolio. While not all of the company's cigars are fantastic, at least you can fairly safely say that they are all palatable, while the Bold by Nish Patel simply wasn't. After waiting a few days to smoke the final cigar, I still found some of the same flavors but also a rough harshness in the second half that just made the cigar too unpleasant to recommend. Maybe there was something wrong with the samples, maybe the trade show took its toll on them; I don't know. I feel almost obligated to try another one once they hit retail to compare notes because I was just so puzzled by this cigar. For now, the Bold by Nish Patel lives up its billing as bold, but not in a way I would recommend.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.