I must fully disclose that I am a huge fan of Rocky Patel cigars. They are well constructed and each line that is produced gets better and better. I fell in love with the Vintage 1992 until I smoked the EDGE. I was a big fan of the EDGE until I smoked the Olde World Reserve, which won a GoldenMonkey Award. Just this month I fired up the Rocky Patel Meritage and that blew my taste buds away also winning a GoldenMonkey Award. Now, I had the pleasure of smoking the Rocky Patel Decade. Once again, Rocky Patel does not disappoint.

The Rocky Patel Decade commemorates the 10th Anniversary of the Rocky Patel line. It is constructed with Nicaraguan binders and fillers, but what makes this different than all other Rocky Patel smokes is it's wrapper. It is a thick, oily, dark Ecuadorian Sumatra. This combination of tobacco is then box pressed to give it a solid feel. It is one of the best looking smokes that I fired up in a long time. I enjoyed the robusto which measures the standard 5 x 50. They come in a box of 20 for as little as $169. I bought mine at my local smoke shop for $10 a stick. A steep price but it was worth it. This smoke lit easy and held a firm ash. The draw was smooth giving off a strong spice and pepper flavor which was pleasant on the palate. This is a powerful smoke giving me one hell of a buzz. It is not recommended for the novice. The Rocky Patel Decade is a phenomenal smoke to represent the 10th Anniversary of the line.

After much thought, I have to give Rocky Patel another GoldenMonkey Award for it's Decade! It was an unbelievable smoke and a must try. Is it better than the EDGE? Yes. Is better than the Vintage? Yes. Is it better than the Meritage or Olde World Reserve? I will leave that up to you.

Now available at CigarMoneky, Inc., a 5-Pack for just $39.95 and the 8-pack Decade Celebration Sampler for $45.95.

MonkeyDan Rating: 95