Rocky Patel Grand Reserve Robusto
Between his many catalog lines and huge portfolio of brick-and-mortar brands Rocky Patel truly sets out to make a cigar for every palate imaginable—even for palates in other countries. When he first released the Grand Reserve, it was for international markets only. If you wanted to try it, you probably had to travel to Europe. The Grand Reserve debuted in Austria before its release across the European continent. In 2020, it found its way to the United States and the Robusto proved to be a great addition to Rocky Patel’s many brands. They’re made in Honduras at the El Paraiso factory, an operation owned by Nestor Plasencia that is dedicated almost entirely to producing Rocky Patel products.
Any time you hear a cigarmaker say that he’s blended a smoke for “international tastes” that’s usually shorthand for “Cubanesque.” But Patel never said that the Grand Reserve was meant to mimic Cuban cigars. Rather, this is a confident assembly of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos brought together by an Ecuadoran wrapper. Each puff is loaded with a savory, leathery quality that sets the stage for subsequent notes of crushed peanut and red meat. Sweet transitions to salted caramel and licorice are seamless. The Grand Reserve may have targeted an “international” audience at first, but this is simply a smoke for anyone in the world who loves a fine cigar.