Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro
Sunday, August 25th, 2013I used to smoke the Olde World Reserve back when I first started smoking cigars. Years later, they sort of vanished from local cigar shop shelves. Lately, I’ve seen them re-appear. It was inevitable that I would pick some up and see if I still liked them.
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Nicaragua & Honduras
Size: Robusto 5.5 x 54
Price: Around $7.00
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
The wrapper had a velvety, yet oily appearance. There were no visible flaws, and the odor was a fairly strong leather. Squeezing the cigar, I found minor variances, but nothing of concern. The draw had slight resistance. The pre-light flavor was sweet, earthy, and woody.
The ash held for almost an inch, and the burn required a few minor corrections.
Flavor:
The dominant flavor in the first third was black coffee. Behind that was an unidentified sweetness, along with dark earthiness and wood. An easy pepper was noticed when passing smoke through the nose, and the aftertaste lingered for awhile.
In the second third, the smoke feel became sweet, creamy, and thick. Coffee still dominated the flavor profile, but it was joined with a sweetness that reminded me of cocoa. Wood, earth, and nutty notes were behind the coffee and cocoa. The peppery component wasn’t harsh, but it had a little kick.
Coffee, with sweet cocoa, continued to build in the last third. The smoke feel became increasingly thick and creamy. Pepper was still there, but it felt smoother, without losing its zing. Wood, earth, and nuts, became background notes that I could barely notice.
Conclusion:
This was a very good full bodied cigar. The flavors were pretty bold starting out, and continued this trend right to the end. I’m glad this cigar resurfaced on cigar shop shelves. I find myself smoking one or two a week lately.