The Rocky Patel Disciple was released in 2021 alongside the Rocky Patel White Series at the PCA Trade Show.
According to the Rocky Patel website, “Crafted from the finest tobacco in Nicaragua, showcasing a signature Mexican San Andrés wrapper, this exquisite composition has come together to create a medium to full-bodied profile filled with smooth notes of wood, earth, and a subtle hint of pepper.
In all of our years creating world-class cigars, we’ve never produced anything that more rigorously adheres to our high standards and dedication to quality. We call it: The Disciple, and it’s anything but a follower.”
Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Disciple
Size: 6 x 52 (Toro)
Wrapper: Mexico San Andres
Binder: Nicaragua
Fillers: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A.
Release Date: July 2021
Production: Regular
Box Size: 20
The Cigar: Looking at Rocky Patel on the shelf the black and bronze branding doesn’t fit the portfolio in terms of appearance and it sticks out like a sore thumb which is why I often pass it by. But this week it was one of the Pastor’s picks at my local cigar ship. Pastor Padron, like me a former outcast of a cigar shop we both worked at is someone whom I trust immensely. We go back to my days in NY when he worked at the Little Taste of Cuba in Princeton, NJ. So I decided to give the cigar with its ominous black and bronze motif a try. Once we remove the foot sleeve the rustic and coarse San Andres wrapper is loaded with oils and is virtually flawless. In the hand the Disciple has a nice wight to it and feels like fine sandpaper.
The Taste: The cold draw reveals notes of mocha and marshmallow fluff and touch of dried apricots. Meanwhile on the foot of the Rocky Patel Disciple there is cedar and earth with a subtle amount of pepper. Once the cigar is toasted and lit the cigar mmics the cold light experience.
The first third continues with notes of mocha and apricot for about the first inch when it is joined by notes of warm chocolate tips just before the ash unexpectedly drops 1″ in to the experience. As the first third comes to a close notes of nuts and cedar join the mix with the retrohale revealing pepper and earth.
Moving into the second third the Disciple mocha remains dominant with notes of earth and dried apricots creating a delicious smoking experience. There are notes of pecans that develop around the halfway point which becomes dominant at times. After dropping the ash in the first inch the ash is still holding before I choose to roll it into the ashtray. Once that is done the second third closes out with notes of vanilla bean and a touch of pepper and strong espresso.
The final third of the Rocky Patel Disciple still hold on to some of the dried apricot notes, but the focal point is strong espresso and earth. Occasionally some chocolate notes emerge as well as a generally nuttiness with the retrohale enhancing the espresso with a copious amount of black pepper the smaller the cigar gets.
Conclusion: Shame on me. I often state when it comes to a cigar that looks shouldn’t play into it as you can’t smoke the band and I did not listen to my own words for 3 years on the Disciple. This is a cigar that I should have been smoking for years. It’s a decadent cigar with rich and bold flavors that are easily identifiable and enjoyable while coming off as medium-full in terms of perceived strength. This is one Rocky Patel smoke that should not be missed.
Score: 94
Price: $12.80 (Before any local or state taxes)
You can find the Rocky Patel Disciple at Small Batch Cigar and if you use the coupon code BARRELBURNER you can save 10% off your order.
