Review of Rocky Patel Prohibition Cigars

Rocky Patel Prohibition cigars are made with a blend of Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, and are available in your choice of wrappers, either a Connecticut Broadleaf or Mexican San Andres Maduro. These cigars come in only a Toro size measuring 6˝ inches in length with a ring gauge of 52, and are priced at $8 per single stick, regardless of which type of wrapper. They are also sold in “bootleg” jars of 16 cigars.

The first Prohibition cigar that I sampled was the Broadleaf version. I found this cigar to be near the upper end of the medium bodied range. The cigar had a pleasant flavor of earth, cocoa, and natural Maduro sweetness. The draw was firm, but not too restrictive. The cigar held a long ash and had an even burn. Only one minor touch-up light was applied about 25 minutes into the cigar, and no relights were necessary. It took me 80 minutes to smoke the cigar down to two inches remaining. The Prohibition Broadleaf was not very complex, just simply enjoyable and deserving of a very good rating of 4 points on a 5-point scale.

Next up is the Mexican wrapped version of the Rocky Patel Prohibition cigar. I found this cigar to be at the lower end of the medium-to-full bodied range. This cigar was definitely more spicy than the Broadleaf version, with less of an earthy taste and not quite as sweet. After about 15 minutes, the flavor began to transform into more of a leathery taste with the spice moving into the background. By 45 minutes into the cigar, the flavors had gradually faded and the cigar was becoming less and less enjoyable. It took me 85 minutes to smoke the cigar down to two inches remaining. During that time, the cigar needed a couple of touch-ups and one relight. The cigar had a good draw, which was not quite as firm as the Broadleaf version, and held a medium-to-long ash. I rate the Prohibition San Andres cigar with a decent 3.5 points on a 5-point scale.

Overall, I enjoyed the Prohibition Broadleaf cigar more than the Mexican San Andres version. The latter cigar was a bit more complex with a different flavor profile than the former, but the flavor began to fade about half-way through, resulting in a lower overall rating. If each cigar was smoked only about half-way down before making the comparison, then my rating of the Mexican would have been almost as good as the Broadleaf. I would still prefer the Broadleaf version, but those who like a more spicy tasting cigar might pick the Mexican San Andres rendition. If still in doubt, try them both!