Dedicating himself to quality, Rocky Patel has become the authority for quality control. He puts forth an exorbinant amount of time and energy not only perfecting each blend he creates, but by monitoring quality control so closely he guarantees his cigars will burn and taste the same from box to box. He has earned countless accolades for his many blends, most of which received 90+ ratings, a common goal among all manufacturers. Rocky is currently considered one of the best cigar manufacturers in the business.

Rocky Patel Summer Collection was created using a toothy, Habano Ecuadorian wrapper that is dark in appearance and sports an attractive reddish hue. This toothy wrapper conceals a hearty concoction of Nicaraguan fillers held tightly by a true Cameroon binder. With an extra year of aging, the result is a medium-bodied cigar that fills the palate with thick smoke while emitting nuances of earth and cedar with a spicy aftertaste. Pepper is easily noticeable when cycling the smoke through the nostrils and the Habano wrapper adds a pleasant sweet character to the finish. Commonly referred to as part of his “seasonal blends,” Summer Collection are a must have for all Rocky Patel fans.

Drew Estate fanatics searching for a full-bodied, non-infused maduro will find solace in La Vieja Habana – The Early Years.
Drew Estate, although known for their infused blends, has more recently become a brand sought after for their great tasting, traditionally blended cigars. Determined to break free from being known as only producing flavored cigars, Drew Estate released a few traditional blends, such as Liga Privada and Chateau Real, which received rave reviews from even the most fastidious aficionados. Drew Estate proved they are not only the authority on flavored or infused cigars, but are true tobacconists with the ability to expertly blend exotic and conventional tobaccos to create premium, top-notch blends worthy of competing with the finest cigars currently on the market.

The Early Years are exceptional cigars. The blend consists solely of superlative tobaccos grown in the dark, fertile soil of Nicaragua. This filler is concealed by a beautiful, oily Nicaraguan-grown maduro wrapper, which creates a full-bodied character offering notes of coffee, mocha, and tons of earthy flavors. The finish is long and leaves an enjoyable hint of pepper on the palate, without becoming too spicy. Incredibly complex and very rich, The Early Years are a must try for all enthusiasts looking for a strong, flavorful blend under the Drew Estate flag.

Platinum Star (6.5" x 54) Excellent size for this blend. The torpedo shape allows the cigar to burn cool and even throughout, while providing the palate with many complexities consisting of earthy characteristics. The smoke leaves a pleasurable sweetness in the finish with a hint of pepper. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Wavelle Deluxe (5.5" x 54) Offered a perfect burn and draw from start to finish with a mellow character and many hints of sweet cocoa. The finish was smooth and the smoke was cool throughout. Highly enjoyable and a great 90 minute cigar. 88/100 [Buy Now]

Silencio (4" x 46) Short and fat, this size produces a ton of hearty, aromatic smoke. Many earthy flavors are noticeable from the start with competing notes of pepper and chocolate are scattered throughout. Burned hot to the touch but incredibly potent. 87/100 [Buy Now]

Red Velvet (7" x 48) Easily will last an hour so be sure to have time for this one. Draw was slightly tight and although this size was just as complex as the Platinum Star, the flavors did not change as rapidly. Smoke was slightly hot and the finish was long with espresso flavors masked by black pepper. 87/100 [Buy Now]

Zero Hora (5" x 60) A thick vitola, the flavors produced were earthy, peppery, and well balanced. Burned uneven after an inch of enjoyment. The last two inches change drastically in flavor, becoming twice as robust with a slew of peppery nuances noticeable when cycled through the nostrils. 87/100 [Buy Now]

Gurkha Blue Steel - Gurkha Blue Steel is a slight departure from most other Hansotia blends, but only in terms of price. The blend consists of tri-country filler stemming from Nicaragua, Honduras, and Columbia.

A.D.N. - A.D.N. offers a medium body with light complexities that produce flavorful, yet mellow characteristics due to its age.

Modesta (2000) - A medium-bodied concoction of Dominican tobaccos, Modesta, also referred to as Partagas Don Ramon, is an excellently aged blend worthy of competing against the most sought after cigars on the market.

Perdomo Reserve 10th Criollo - A spicy concoction of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long leaf tobaccos, impeccably rolled with a Cuban-seed Criollo wrapper. The combination produces peppery nuances but offers a tremendously smooth character featuring notes of coffee.

3/17/09: Alex and Kim go to AJ Fernandez's factory to show you how the professionals do it. Watch as experienced torcedors practice their craft in Esteli, Nicaragua! [Listen Now]

Q: What is herf etiquette?

A: Believe it or not, cigar enthusiasts are not individuals searching for a “nicotine fix,” such as cigarette smokers. Creating and enjoying cigars is an art form and like other forms of art, there are unwritten rules to follow when “herfing” with other fellow devotees. For starters, you should never cut, light, or puff another individual’s cigar. Cigars take years to create and therefore a “pre-light ritual” exists so you can truly appreciate the entire experience of enjoying a flavorful stogie. By cutting and lighting a cigar for someone else, not only are you ruining the experience, but also in most cases it is far from sanitary. However, if a fellow enthusiast asks you to cut his or her cigar as a favor, this is obviously acceptable.

When attending a herf, always bring your own cigars. It is down right rude to expect a fellow enthusiast to offer you a smoke. Some cigars cost $2 while others cost $150 or more, so it is unreasonable to expect a free hand out even though many aficionados do bring extra cigars for sharing. Finally, stamping out a cigar in an ashtray is the most common offense among cigar connoisseurs. When finished with your cigar, you should never stamp it out as done with cigarettes. Doing so breaks apart the burnt tobacco, which creates a foul aroma. Since aromas are some of the most enjoyable aspects of a cigar, stamping out a finished stick ruins this experience for the aficionados around you, so simply lay the cigar down and let it extinguish itself.

Few cigar enthusiasts realize just how much work it takes to create a cigar before it finds its way into their humidors at home. In fact, for some brands, it can be a five-year process; from the time the seeds are planted in the ground to when they are burned by cigar lovers in the US. For your reading pleasure, we have prepared a handy timeline so you can learn about each stop in the life of a cigar.

Week 1 to Week 3 – Tobacco seeds are unbelievably small. In fact, one single seed is barely visible to the human eye and one pinch of seeds is sufficient to grow a full acre of tobacco. During the first two to three weeks of a cigar’s life, seeds are densely planted in fertilized seedbeds where they remain until they grow approximately six inches tall.

Month 1 to Month 4 – The strongest and most promising plants are transplanted from the seedbeds to the fields. Over the next three to four months, the plants will be watered and cared for by hand on a weekly basis. Toward the end of this time, the tobacco will grow from four to six feet (depending on the type of tobacco). The leaves are then primed from the bottom of the plant to the top, a process done during the last two weeks.

Month 4 to Month 6 – Once picked from the fields, the tobacco leaves are brought to large curing barns called “casa de tobacco” where they are cured, turning their colors from green to brown. They are then sewn into hands, two leaves at a time, and hung on large wood poles. The curing process usually takes a month and half and is carefully monitored to maintain a proper humidity and temperature.

Month 6 to 2.5 Years – After curing, the tobacco is fermented. This process involves organizing the tobacco into large piles and then consistently raising the temperature, repeatedly. Fermentation evens the color of the leaf and breaks down the tannins in the tobacco, removing many unwanted qualities such as acidic content or an ammonia flavor. This process allows the tobacco to product a rounded and enjoyable flavor when lit. On average, fermentation takes about two years to complete, but can also be a process as short as 12 months or even as long as three years, depending on the thickness of the tobacco.

2.5 Years to 3.5 Years – After fermentation, the tobacco is dried and packed in 150 pound bales, then aged until it is ready for cigar production. While the aging time varies by tobacco and factory, most tobacco is aged for a full year after fermentation.

3.5 Years to 3 Years, 9 Months - After aging, the tobacco is delivered to the blenders who organize the materials for the rollers. The tobacco is moistened and rolled into a cigar. Once completed, the cigars are put into temperature controlled aging rooms where they sit for a minimum of 90 days as the tobaccos settle and marry into the designated blend.

3 Years, 9 Months to 4 Years – Cigars are packed into boxes and shipped to the US where they are imported and sent to consumers.