The Rocky Patel Aged Limited Rare (A.L.R.) Second Edition Robusto is a 5.5x50 hand rolled cigar made in the Tavicusa Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The cigar has a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan filler. The A.L.R. 2nd Edition was a highly rated cigar from Rocky Patel and was told to show the continual improvement from the Tavicusa factory. Let’s see how it stacks up with my palate.
First impressions: The A.L.R. 2nd Edition looks like a King’s Sunday best. The two bands hide the cigar itself to display the over-the-top advertising. It’s a shame because the cigar’s appearance of a nice chocolate brown wrapper should have been enough to tell a story. The first few puffs occasionally found earth, hay, pepper, tobacco, and cedar. This cigar didn’t show strength or much flavor. Every note was fleeting and nothing dominated the first third.
Halfway through: Earthy flavors, woodsy flavors, and tobacco flavors come to the forefront. But none of them are interesting, or complex. So far, a VERY unremarkable smoke. My best reaction is “..meh.”
The final third: Much of the same. Earthy, oaky, and nothing else. The cigar required two touch ups in the final third, and if I’m being honest, I didn’t bother with the second re-light. It wasn’t worth it.
Overall: I cannot for the life of me figure out how this cigar was highly related. The flavors, when they were even present, were bland at best. The cigar had no strength, no flavor, and faltered in the final third. I’d love to know what the reviewers were smoking, because it couldn’t have been this.
Pass or Smoke? 100% pass. Don’t even give it a second look.
