We won’t hide the ball here. The Rocky Patel Decade pulled in a 95 rating from Cigar Insider (a publication affiliated with Cigar Aficionado), and Rocky himself has said that it’s the “best cigar he ever made.” Even if you only try one Patel, this should probably be your inspiration to find cigars online today. (And no, he doesn’t say that about every variety).
Tens Years Plus of the Patel Brand
The Decade was originally created to celebrate the cigar company’s tenth anniversary in 2005. Even though Mr. Patel isn’t from one of the ancient cigar families of Latin America, he certainly has one tradition down: launching special blends to commemorate company milestones. He was originally a practicing attorney, not involved in the tobacco business at all unless you count breathing in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s secondhand smoke between takes while on set to give him legal advice. But as with so many of us, once he got a whiff, it settled deep into his soul.
He would eventually pick up the habit of heading to the Grand Havana room from time to time to light up and relax. There he would make a contact who asked him to fund a new venture. The year was 1995, and the Indian Tabac cigar company was born soon after. Patel would be drawn into his new business, ultimately visiting factories and fields for long periods to learn the business from the ground up.
People told him he probably would have difficulty earning much success in the biz as an Indian outsider, but he brought a lawyer’s diligence to the task. He simply decided to outwork everyone and meet America’s cigar sellers one by one, visiting 600 retailers in 700 days. In the old days, we called that “pounding the pavement”—and what do you know? – it still works! You’ll find “against all odds” inside each box, which tells you how Patel viewed his journey to become a respected tobacco product maker and internationally-recognized brand. Chances are, it‘s a personal favorite each time you buy cigars online!
He changed the company name to “Rocky Patel” in 2002 and opened Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A. (“TaviCusa”) in Estelí, Nicaragua. A few years later, it was time to celebrate.
The RP Decade
The Decade is a work of art. From the seamless, oily wrapper that gleams in the light to the perfectly-packed filler that provides an even, consistent burn, this is a beauty to behold and to try for yourself when you next buy premium cigars online.
His team tried over 120 different blends to find just the right one for the Decade. The winner featured Honduran tobacco leaf in the filler, and comes in Sumatra and Cameroon-wrapped versions, both of which are fantastic. The Sumatra wrapper has become the favorite, however. It’s a medium- to full-bodied smoke with irresistible flavors of espresso, dark chocolate, sweet spice, and white pepper.
This stick is the perfect choice for any special occasion, whether you're celebrating a special anniversary or simply enjoying a relaxing day on the patio. The Decade is sure to please even the most discerning smoker.
It’s been over ten years since the Decade was released, but we’re still as excited to find it when we look for cigars online as we were the first time we heard its accolades.
Please browse our selection of Rocky Patel Decade premium cigars at your leisure.
