I was excited to receive a box of ten Rocky Patel cigars from Holt’s Cigar Company. It was quite interesting to find five of Rocky’s best cigars all together in one package. The box is called "Rocky Patel Luxury Collection – Toro Sampler - Made Exclusively for Holt’s Cigar Company." You will not find this deal anywhere else.

Inside were two of each of the following cigars:

• Vintage 1990
• Decade
• Renaissance
• Velvet Edition
• Ocean Club

Review of Rocky Patel Velvet Edition Cigar

I have in my past smoked many Rocky Patel cigars, and have never been disappointed. Being well familiar with Vintage 1990, Decade, and Renaissance I decided to smoke the Velvet Edition first. The cigar had an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper and is filled with a blend of aged Nicaraguan tobaccos. The cigar is touted as a medium smoke, but I would say it is way on the mild side of that.

The pre-light aroma is just like the roller handed you a freshly made cigar right from his bench. It is firm with a little give. I made a V cut so I could observe the very well constructed cap. It had a great draw.

I used an ‘oil-can-like’ table lighter, so I could give the best opportunity for an even burn. Yes, perfect lighting and perfectly even burn. I have to say that the cigar did not generate a lot of smoke, and it burned quite slowly making the outcome a very long smoking experience. On the smoke, even though there was not much of it, the aroma was clearly very floral and quite pleasing. The ash was light gray and held for about 1½ inches.

The taste of the Rocky Patel Velvet Edition is just as the name proclaims – velvety. As for other flavors, they were truly quite subtle. In my opinion, it had a woodsy taste and perhaps that of fresh coffee. Never did the cigar change in flavor until the very end. The smoke lasted me one hour and 50 minutes, which might be a bit longer than most might experience, since I am a very slow smoker.

Because I had two of each of these cigars to smoke, I shared one with a friend who happens not to be a fan of Rocky Patel cigars. When I asked him what he didn’t like about RP’s, he just replied that they are all too strong for him. Well then, I said to him, you have not tried the Velvet Edition, and he had not until then. He lit it reluctantly and had an angst look on his face, like a child about to take a spoon full of medicine. As he smoked it, he got a big grin and said it was one of the smoothest cigars he ever had. There we go, one convert to RP cigars.

Review of Rocky Patel Ocean Club Cigar

Next up for me was the Ocean Club. Again, a cigar I did not know. I also cut this one with my V cutter (in one of the pictures). This also had a great cap. There is nothing worse than smoking a cigar and after about 20 minutes, the cap falls off and the wrapper begins to unwind. Not the case here. A well constructed cigar with a Nicaraguan wrapper, Mexican binder and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. I find it just a bit odd that the cigar is made in a factory in Honduras and there is not any Honduran tobacco in it. No matter, it is well made.

Nothing hit on the pre-light aroma, but the draw was noticeably easier than the Velvet Edition. This cigar lights easily and burns fast. Ten minutes in and the 2” ash fell off. This cigar has a bit of spice to it, so it is certainly a medium plus smoke. The only way for me to describe it spice-wise is that it is peppery and you can feel it on the tip of your tongue. The aroma is much woodier and more earthy than the Velvet, but nonetheless a smooth cigar. The box pressed shape seemed to have the cigar burning a little uneven, but that evened out about midway. It did burn fast and the entire cigar was finished in just under 60 minutes.

Review of Rocky Patel Renaissance Cigar

The third cigar I smoked was the Renaissance. I know I have seen them before, but don’t remember how they smoked or if I ever really tried one. I am partial to V cuts and like seeing how the cap is constructed. Another Honduran gem from Rocky this time with an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper and a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran filler. Good draw and easy lighting. The first whiff of smoke takes you right to a South American coffee bar with espresso roasting aroma as well as taste. There was a bit of a change in the middle with a strange taste that I could not place, perhaps somewhere between caramel and sweet cream. This cigar held the ash to the midpoint and smoked a full 70 minutes.

Review of Rocky Patel Decade Cigar

On to the Decade. My first introduction to the Decade was on my return from Afghanistan and an assignment in the Washington DC area. I attend a Rocky Patel cigar event at a small shop in Virginia and Rocky was there. When he heard I was recently back from a deployment, he gave me a Decade. It was and still is a great smoking cigar. The Sumatra wrapper by itself lends to the aroma of roasted nuts and the flavor was quite earthy. About a third of the way through this cigar, all kinds of flavor and aromas burst through my senses, fruit, floral, nuts, and something that reminded me of allspice. Another great cigar.

Review of Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Cigar

The final and crown jewel of this Exclusive Luxury Sampler from Holt’s Cigar Company is the Rocky Patel Vintage 1990. This is another Honduran handmade with a Broadleaf wrapper complimenting Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. I really like these and usually have them in my humidor. In my opinion, this cigar is perhaps medium to full bodied probably because of the dark wrapper. The draw on this is very free and gives you nice clouds of smoke to help your senses get the full experience of a rich high end smoke. I found strong flavors of deep dark chocolate, the kind that is at least 80%. The flavor wraps around your tongue and then delivers an almost cinnamon-like taste.

Rocky Patel Luxury Collection - Conclusion

These cigars are right on target to give you one of the best smoking experiences you will have. The deal on this box is nothing short of amazing. Each of these cigars at your local shop could cost you as much as $10 a piece. When Holt’s Cigar Company and Rocky Patel teamed up to offer this great 10 cigar sampler, you might have expected to pay $100 – but no, it is only $29.95. Is this a good value? A resounding YES would be the expected reply. For any cigar smokers who are looking for a deal that cannot be equaled, I would suggest that you jump on this offer before it’s gone.