Rocky Patel The 1865 Project Toro

There have been cigars released to commemorate many important historical dates over the years: from multiple different July 4th releases to Christmas and even the sesquicentennial of a small Texas town.

Late last year, Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, Inc. started shipping a new line celebrating Juneteenth—a holiday honoring the date June 19, 1865—carrying the appropriate name of The 1865 Project. That is the day U.S. Army Gen. Gordon Granger told the slaves in south Texas that they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted. It is believed that these were the last slaves freed in the U.S.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The 1865 Project cigars is being donated to The Juneteenth Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity that seeks to not only celebrate the federal holiday of Juneteenth but also help Black Americans in other ways through events, scholarships and other programs.

In terms of the blend, the Rocky Patel The 1865 Project incorporates a Mexican San Andrés wrapper covering two binders—one from Honduras and the other from Nicaragua—as well as filler tobaccos grown in Nicaragua. The regular production line is being rolled at the company’s Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A. factory located in Estelí, Nicaragua.

There are currently three different vitolas in The 1865 Project lineup:

Each of the three sizes in the 1865 Project line is packaged in 20-count boxes, which started showing up on retailer’s shelves in October 2022.

• Cigar Reviewed: Rocky Patel The 1865 Project Toro
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A.
• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Honduras & Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 6 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Toro
• MSRP: $13 (Box of 20, $260)
• Release Date: October 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The gold highlights that dominate two of the cigar’s three bands combine with the dark chocolate brown wrapper, which results in a visually appealing combination. The wrappers on all three cigars feature just a bit of tooth as well as a small amount of oil. There are large, overt veins running up and down the length of each cigar and one cigar has a small soft spot located between the foot and the secondary band. Aromas from the wrapper include not only a strong combination of cedar and barnyard but also cloves, earth, espresso beans and generic sweetness. While still present, the clove note coming from the foot is not as strong and it is joined by more gritty earth, cedar, hay, clay and brown sugar. After a v-cut, the cold draw brings flavors of sourdough bread, leather tack, citrus peel, cedar and light vanilla sweetness.

Strong black pepper and earth start the cigar off, but both recede to the background fairly quickly as the profile transitions to a main combination of creamy leather and freshly brewed coffee. Secondary flavors of generic nuts, hay, tobacco leaves, cloves and a light vegetal note flit in and out at various points, while the retrohale includes a touch of black pepper along with a slightly stronger brown sugar sweetness. Flavor starts off just under medium, but both the body and strength are lagging behind at mild-plus. In terms of construction, there are no issues at all for all three of the cigars, with the burn, draw and smoke production seemingly working in harmony.

As the second third of the Rocky Patel begins, the leather and brewed coffee notes that dominated the first third have been replaced by a singular powdery cocoa nibs flavor, followed by additional notes of raw asparagus, cloves, dry straw, espresso beans and gritty earth. I can taste a mineral saltiness on my lips on two of the three cigars—it never shows up in the last one—while the retrohale has changed very little, still featuring a small amount of black pepper and slightly more brown sugar sweetness. Flavor has bumped up to a solid medium, body has increased to just below medium and the strength has crossed into the solid medium range. While both the draw and smoke production continue to impress on all three cigars, the burn on two of the three cigars becomes problematic enough to warrant corrections with my lighter, although both are fine after that.

The profile of the 1865 Project Toro becomes noticeably more complex in the final third, as the main flavor has shifted from a powdery cocoa nibs note to a more interesting combination of espresso beans and cloves. Notes of lemongrass, toasted bread, earth, leather tack, dark chocolate, dry straw and cinnamon all fight for space, while the sweetness on the retrohale has shifted to a flavor that reminds me of bananas. In addition, there is slightly more black pepper on the retrohale as well as some new spice on my tongue, although the latter seems to ebb and flow throughout the final third. Flavor has increased to medium-full, but both the body and strength end the cigar firmly at a solid medium. Finally, all aspects of the construction seem to be back on track for all three cigars, as there are no issues with the burn, smoke production or draw before I put the nubs down with about an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• Last year, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill making June 19th a federal holiday.
• Rocky Patel (the man) is personally involved with The Juneteenth Foundation and Rocky Patel (the cigar company) is a corporate sponsor of the organization’s Freedom Festival.
• Nine years ago, I photographed a portrait of Rocky Patel that I still put at the top of my favorites list in my series of cigar industry portraits.
• Rocky Patel advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time for all three cigars averages one hour and 48 minutes.
• If you would like to purchase any of the Rocky Patel 1865 Project Toro cigars, site sponsor Cigars Direct has them on its site here.