Rocky Patel Disciple Staff Review
Recently, we hosted Rocky Patel for our annual Rocky event at Holt’s, and I had the chance to smoke a Rocky Patel Disciple while we sat down to catch up. The Rocky Patel portfolio is home to dozens of top-rated cigars because Rocky’s a cigar-maker who never stops creating. He’s constantly tweaking and perfecting his work, preparing to introduce groundbreaking new cigars throughout the year.
Rocky Patel Disciple came out in 2021, and it’s blended from a San Andrés wrapper leaf over well-aged Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos. I’m a big fan of San Andrés cigars because they possess complex flavor that oscillates between sweet and spicy extremes. They’re grown in Mexico’s Vera Cruz region where the volcanic soil produces tobacco with robust flavor and aroma. Other cigars with a San Andrés wrapper leaf in Rocky’s portfolio include Rocky Patel Sixty, the ‘#2 Cigar of the Year’ in Cigar Aficionado for 2022, and Rocky Patel Vintage 2006, as well as Rocky’s budget-friendly Mulligans bundles, Eagle Reserve and Crown Jewel. If you’ve enjoyed those blends in the past, Rocky Patel Disciple belongs on your radar.
Disciple cigars come in sleek, dark-brown 20-count boxes with a copper-and-black brand logo. Fancy copper-and-black cigar bands conceal most of the length of the cigars when they’re laid in the box. After extracting a Toro from the top row of a box I just opened and peeling off the bottom two cigar bands, the cigar’s wrapper glistens with a dark and oily complexion. Rocky Patel Disciple displays a stiff, well-packed density when I pinch the cigar from the head to the foot. The cap comes off with a firm snap when I clip it with my guillotine cutter.
The cold draw is earthy and dark with a touch of bitterness. Underlying notes of anise surface as the foot of the cigar fully ignites when I’m toasting it with my soft flame lighter. Rocky Patel Disciple unfolds with a blast of spice through the nose the second I retrohale the smoke. The Disciple reveals stark flavors in the first ten to fifteen minutes, but the profile shifts with straightforward notes of dark cocoa, hazelnut, and pepper.
Hints of black licorice strengthen throughout the second half of Rocky Patel Disciple. The Toro progresses with an easy draw while the cigar maintains its firm structure. Its earthy and peppery taste supports a touch of clove and mesquite. Disciple is a fitting smoke to go with a quality bourbon like W.L. Weller Special Reserve. The deep caramelly taste of the whiskey balances the profound smokiness of the cigar with a touch of butterscotch and honey.
Rocky Patel Disciple is medium to full-bodied. The aftertaste is dry and doesn’t linger. Once the band is off and I’m indulging in the nub, intense notes of cedar, coffee, and earth influence the finish of Disciple. It’s especially peppery in the nose during the final stretch. The Toro lasts a full sixty-five minutes before the final puffs expire. If you’re fan of other famous Rocky Patel cigars, Disciple will likely exceed your expectations. Add a few to your next order and see what you think.
