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| ROCKY PATEL GOES SEASONAL |
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Page 1 of 2  Tasting and grading the new Rocky Patel Summer Collection and NicaraoLos Angeles, May 30 – The U.S. Mint found out in 1892 that limited-edition, commemorative coins could be profitable. The Columbian Exhibition Half Dollar commemorative started a series which has celebrated special events in the U.S. ever since, at considerable benefit for the Mint and for the Treasury Department. If it works for money, why not for cigars? Although specialty, small-production cigars have been around almost as long as cigar stores, the idea of producing a widely-available, commercially-sold line – as opposed to a private label – that’s available for a limited time only is much more recent. Limited-edition cigars, as we know them today go back to at least 1987 when Cubatabaco created 100 editions of a 25th anniversary humidor, each with 50 cigars. A 500-cigar 1492 humidor followed five years later and then in 1995, a special edition of 500 Partagas 150 Aniversario Humidors was created, each containing 150 cigars. Not long after, Davidoff of Geneva created a limited-edition cigar – the “535" – to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its U.S. flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York, possibly the first limited-edition cigar on the U.S. market. There are lots of limited editions today, but in 2004 General Cigar pioneered another new concept: the seasonal cigar. Its Partagas Cifuentes Seasonal Blend Fall 2004 included three sizes (named for the three Fall months!) in a blend which was made specially for that production and will not be made again. A Summer Blend 2005 followed the next year and the most recent edition is the Winter Blend 2006-07, of which a few boxes can still be found here and there. It’s a good idea and gives smokers something new to try on an annual basis without introducing a completely new brand. It’s a wonder that the idea hasn’t been tried by others . . . until now. Rocky Patel has introduced his “Rocky Patel Seasons Collection,” with the “Summer Collection” being the first of four blends which will change seasonally, with Fall, Winter and Spring lines to follow. The Summer Collection includes four shapes: Robusto (5 inches by 50 ring), Toro (6 1/2 x 52), Lancero (7 x 42) and the Toro Grande (6 x 58), all offered in boxes of 20. Made in Honduras, the blend is rather exotic, with an Ecuadorian-grown, Habano-seed wrapper, a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan-grown filler leaves from the Condega, Esteli and Jalapa farm areas. We checked it out and discovered an interesting new cigar: Rocky Patel Summer Collection: [Honduras: available in 4 sizes] What kind of a cigar should be smoked in the summer? Rocky Patel recommends something spicy and even a little peppery to liven up the hottest months of the year and his new Summer Collection blend delivers. |
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Did you know?
“"Sandwich" filler includes both long and short pieces, with the long pieces folded over to form the "sandwich."
