The Rocky Patel booth is always one of the more happening ones at the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show. Patel himself holds a room about as well as anyone. The big open nature of the booth, live music and bar, and the diversity in customers, really makes it an interesting one to people watch, relax, and of course, smoke a cigar.
As for the booth, it’s a series of cases holding a single line from the company. It’s really somewhat ingenious, as it allows two dozen or so sales reps to be showing off product at any one time without feeling like you are tripping over something. It’s also substantially more practical when it comes to set up and the costs of transport, since the booth is much simpler than many of the company’s competitors.
I smoked the new Hamlet 25th Year and liked it a lot better than the original Tabaquero. It pays tribute to Hamlet Jaime Paredes, the famed Cuban roller who began working for the company a few years ago. The 25th year refers to Paredes’ quarter of a century in the cigar business. As for the cigar, it’s intended to be a medium-plus, something it definitely achieved.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
- Binder: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
- Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
- Hamlet 25th Year Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) — $8.75 (Boxes of 20, $175)
- Hamlet 25th Year Sixty (6 x 60) — $10 (Boxes of 20, $200)
- Hamlet 25th Year Toro (6 1/2 by 52) — $9.30 (Boxes of 20, $186)
Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 San Andreas
Yes, my OCD really wants to replace Andreas with Andrés, but the newest Rocky Patel Vintage is here. As the name implies, it uses a Mexican wrapper leaf, the first for any of the Vintage line. I haven’t smoked it yet.
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
- Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 San Andreas Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) — $9.55 (Boxes of 20, $191)
- Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 San Andreas Toro (6 1/2 x 52) — $10.10 (Boxes of 20, $202)
- Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 San Andreas Churchill (7 x 48) — $10.10 (Boxes of 20, $202)
- Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 San Andreas Sixty (6 x 60) — $11.75 (Boxes of 20, $235)
Launch Date: August 2017
The famed Rocky Patel Fifty is back with just a single size. While it may not be as opulent as the packaging was on the original, I think I like the updated version better. Orange is one of my favorite colors, yet, I really like the red on here a lot more.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Rocky Patel Fifty Toro (2017) (6 1/2 x 52) — $21 (Boxes of 10, $210)
Launch Date: July 2017
Rocky Patel The Edge A-10 Robusto
A late addition to the company’s portfolio, the barberpole version of The Edge gets a third vitola.
- Wrapper: Honduran Corojo & Maduro
- Binder: Honduras
- Filler: Panama & Nicaragua
- Rocky Patel The Edge A-10 Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) — $7.30 (Boxes of 20, $146)
Launch Date: July 2017
The new Java Red will sell like crazy. It’s probably not the favorite cigar of many of our readers, but Java is one of the top-selling cigar brands in the world.
- Wrapper: n/a
- Binder: n/a
- Filler: n/a
- Java Red Corona (5 x 42) — $8.30
- Java Red Petite Corona (4 1/2 x 38) — $7.05
- Java Red Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) — $9.20
- Java Red The 58 (5 x 58) – $10.55
- Java Red Toro (6 x 50) — $9.75
- Java Red Wafe (5 x 46) — $7.50
Launch Date: July 2017
None of the X-Press sizes were on display.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Java Latte X-Press (4 x 32) — $2.40 (Tins of 10, $24)
Launch Date: Fall 2017
- Wrapper: Brazil
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Java Maduro X-Press (4 x 32) — $2.40 (Tins of 10, $24)
Launch Date: Fall 2017
- Wrapper: Brazil
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Java Mint X-Press (4 x 32) — $2.40 (Tins of 10, $24)
Launch Date: Fall 2017