Rocky Patel The Edge Toro Maduro - Bold Taste From My New Favorite Cigar Maker
Written: Apr 24 '07 (Updated Apr 24 '07)
Product Rating:
Weight:
Color:
Pros: Lots of flavor, well balanced, good value
Cons: Might be too strong for mild cigar smokers
The Bottom Line: The Edge is an excellent full flavored cigar that isn't quite as over the top as it is billed. A great combination of flavor and balance.
mongkut's Full Review: Rocky Patel Edge Toro Maduro
In my ongoing search for new maduro delights I stumbled upon my new favorite cigar maker. My favorite cigar bar (MFCB) has a pretty good selection of cigars in both a walk-in humidor and a humidor cabinet which holds the top shelf lines. I had noticed a large tray of cigars in the center of the walk-in for several months but never gave them much thought. And then I kept hearing people talk about how much they loved ‘the edge.’ So finally I asked one of the bartenders what the heck the edge was all about, to which he said they were the best selling cigar at MFCB. He told me that they were very tasty, full flavored smokes and suggested I try one. I did and was very impressed.
The Cigar
Rocky Patel’s The Edge Toro Maduro is a 6 x 52 Toro with a Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper, a Mexican binder, and a mix of Nicaraguan, Panamanian, and a mystery tobacco filler. The Edge line was first released in 2004 and is marketed as being for ‘professional smokers only.’ They are considered very full flavored, full strength cigars and come in either the maduro wrapper I’m reviewing today or a Corojo wrapper. Unlike most other premium cigars, The Edge are sold in boxes of 100, obviously intended for tobacconists. As a result many online retailers sell them in bags of ten or twenty, much like bundle cigars. I’ve even seen them sold in their own humidor by one creative retailer. The Edge cigars initially came with no band at all but now posses a very thin band at the foot, which I assume is a visual reference to ‘the edge’ of the cigar. The Edge Toro Maduro has been rated an 87 by Cigar Aficionado. Average burn times should run around one hour.
The Brand
Rocky Patel was an attorney when he decided to get into the cigar business with his first brand Indian Tabac back in the mid-90s. The brand did so well that he eventually decided to develop other lines under the Rocky Patel brand. The Rocky Patel cigars are manufactured in Nestor Plasencia’s Danli Honduras factory. In fact Rocky Patel and Plasencia have a very close relationship including first choice of any of the Plasencia family’s massive tobacco production. Patel considers himself to be a perfectionist and judging by the fantastic cigars his company produces I’d have to agree.
My Experience
My first The Edge was approached with a bit of apprehension as I’ve come to be wary of hyped up cigars. Plus it looked like it was packaged like a bulk cigar. Looking at the Toro Maduro I took note of the oily wrapper and was immediately impressed by an overall lack of imperfections. A sniff of the unlit cigar let me know that there was power there with leather and bitter coffee backed by more spice than I’m used to in a maduro. I used a double guillotine cutter to snip the cap and it cut perfectly leaving the cap fully intact, again indicating a well manufactured cigar. Toasting the foot gave off a wonderful aroma of spiced espresso and my first draws confirmed this flavor. The cigar drew tightly but easily and the flavor was very bold. From the maduro wrapper I got coffee and a hint of leather, from the interior tobacco I got lots of spice. I wouldn’t say this was the strongest cigar I’ve smoked by any stretch but it was certainly in the top ten anyway.
As I smoked the stick down it burned pretty evenly and the flavor intensified slightly. Unlike some other more full bodied smokes I’ve tried The Edge was much better balanced and actually very smooth. It didn’t instantly become my favorite cigar, although another Patel stick did, but I very much enjoyed this smoke. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys maduros or medium to full bodied smokes.
Pairings
The Edge has a lot of flavor without being too over the top and would pair well with many equally full flavored beverages. Since it doesn’t really have one dominating flavor, due its being well balanced, I’d say you could go either sweet or dry with equal success. Aged rum, spiced rum, bourbon, scotch, and tequila would probably all pair equally well.
Price
I paid about $5.00 for my stick and for those who want a lot of cigars a box of 100 goes for around $475.00. Pricing on bundles varies wildly because these bundles are made up by the retailer and can be packaged in any number of ways. I’ve seen bundles of 20 cigars advertised for $170, which is pure insanity when I can buy 20 individual sticks for $100 locally. I would say to use $5 - $6 per stick as a rule of thumb and multiply that times the number of sticks being offered.
Recommended:
Yes
Cigar Name: Rocky Patel The Edge Toro Maduro Cigar Rating: Better than most Price per cigar ($US): 5.00
The Rocky Patel The Edge Toro Maduro cigar has a nice range of cocoa, cream and wood notes. The earthy finish carries coffee and mellow spice. Good oi...More at The Cigar Hut
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