Rocky Patel White Label Fifty-Five

The cigar industry is full of releases with names—either formal or informal—that most likely immediately bring to mind specific cigars or brands: say “Monster,” and I think Tatuaje; say “X,” and my mind goes to Fuente Fuente OpusX; say “Bee,” and I yell “RUN!!!”, but then think of Black Works Studio. However, the name “White Label” is a bit harder to specify since it could be referring to a number of different cigars, including Viaje’s White Label Project, Altadis U.S.A.’s Montecristo White or Davidoff, the latter two of which have been known informally as “White Label” for as many years as I have been smoking cigars (read: a bunch of years.)

In 2021, Rocky Patel decided to hold off on announcing it was releasing a new four-vitola line carrying the name White Label until just before the PCA Convention & Trade Show began, which was problematic for reasons explained by my colleague Charlie Minato in his review of the Rocky Patel White Label Toro:

The reason for not announcing the cigar was, apparently, related to some trademark concerns and with seemingly good reasons. Rocky Patel, the company, wanted to remain quiet about a trademark it has filed for regarding the name “White Label.” On April 20, 2021, that trademark was published for opposition, seemingly clearing the way for it to introduce a cigar with a name that probably irked a number of companies.

While I’m sure people at Altadis U.S.A. (Montecristo White) and Davidoff were not thrilled to see this name, I’m not sure either one of them could have done anything to stop this trademark as neither company uses the name “White Label” in its branding. There is one company that likely could have put a stop to this: Viaje, which has used the name “White Label Project” for more than a decade.

Blend-wise, the Rocky Patel White Label is made with a Connecticut shade wrapper covering a Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from the Jamastran Valley in Honduras, Nicaragua and at least one undisclosed tobacco. In addition, the company says the tobaccos used for its White Label line have been aged for a decade.

One year after the White Label line debuted with four different vitolas, Rocky Patel announced it was releasing a limited edition humidor containing 100 White Label Fifty-Five cigars during the 2021 PCA Convention & Trade Show. The 6 1/2 x 55 perfecto-esque vitola is the same one the company uses for its Rocky Patel Fifty-Five line—meaning each cigar is tapered on both ends— and while the blend is the same as the rest of the cigars in the line, the size is exclusive to the 200 humidors that were released.

• Cigar Reviewed: Rocky Patel White Label Fifty-Five
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A.
• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Honduras (Jamastran Valley), Nicaragua & Undisclosed
• Length: 6 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 55
• Vitola: Perfecto
• Est. Price: $25 (Humidor of 100, $2,500)
• Release Date: 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: 200 Humidors of 100 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

An extremely attractive light brown wrapper covers the Rocky Patel White Label Fifty-Five, and while it is smooth to the touch, it is also seemingly devoid of just about any oil that I can discern. There are a large number of thin, flat veins running up and down the length of all three cigars, and all three are also nicely firm when squeezed. A strong combination of barnyard and hay leads the aromas from the wrappers, followed by sweet nuttiness, earth, baker’s spices and generic vanilla bean sweetness. Notes from the feet seem creamier in nature, with cedar, peanut brittle, cocoa nibs, coffee beans, earth and leather tack all present. Finally, after a straight cut, flavors include sweet hay, espresso, cinnamon, creamy cedar, peanut shells and hay along with generic fruity sweetness.

While one White Label starts out with a noticeable harshness and a somewhat looser draw, the other two cigars feature a combination of rich espresso and light spice on my tongue. Main flavors of creamy cedar and hay quickly take over the top spots, followed by peanuts, cocoa nibs, leather tack, cinnamon and lemongrass that make themselves known randomly. The retrohale is full of white pepper and a light fruity sweetness that reminds me of orange juice. Flavor ends the first third at medium-plus, strength is just below the medium mark and the body is at a solid medium. In terms of construction, there are no issues at all with either the smoke production or the draws, and while one cigar runs into enough burn issues to necessitate a correction with my lighter, it is minor in nature.

As the second third of the cigar begins, the main flavors in the cigars shift slightly: the creamy peanut flavor joins the hay at the top of the profile—the cedar moves to the background but is still very much present—followed by additional flavors of lemongrass, coffee beans, cinnamon, earth and sourdough bread. In addition, while the white pepper remains noticeable on the retrohale, the orange juice sweetness has been replaced by a floral sweetness. Flavor bumps up to medium-full, strength increases to a solid medium and the body hits a point just over the medium mark. The construction is a virtual carbon copy of the first third as the draws and smoke production continue along their excellent paths, but one cigar needs a touch-up to remain on track, albeit a different cigar than the one that had issues in the first third.

A combination of hay and creamy peanuts continue to easily top the profile of the Rocky Patel during the final third, while secondary notes of cedar, gritty earth, sourdough bread, cinnamon, dark chocolate and leather tack flit in and out at various points. There is a bit more floral sweetness on the retrohale as well, and while the white pepper note has not completely disappeared, there is definitely less of it as the final third burns down. Flavor increases enough to cross into full territory while both the strength and body stay put, at a solid medium and a point just over medium, respectively. Finally, all three cigars continue to feature excellent draws and plenty of thick smoke and there are no burn issues to be seen before I put the nubs down with about an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• The first cigar I smoked for this review was noticeably harsher and had a much looser draw than the other two, although both issues corrected themselves by the time the second third rolled around.
• While Charlie had issues with some of the wrapper being pulled off when the main band was removed from his White Label Toros, none of my cigars had any problems in that regard.
• For what it is worth when I hear the name “White Label” when talking or reading about cigars, the first thing I think of is the Davidoff White Band Collection.
• The combination of the huge main band and the ribbon foot band take up more than half of the total real estate of the cigar, meaning the burn line has barely passed the end of the first third before you have to remove the band if you don’t want to be smoking paper.
• Rocky Patel Cigars advertises on halfwheel. 
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time averaged two hours and four minutes for all three cigars.
• If you would like to purchase any of the Rocky Patel White Label Fifty-Five cigars, site sponsor Cigars Direct has it for sale stock on its website.