Stogie Reviews: Rocky Patel Fusion Natural Torpedo

Rocky Patel launched his Fusion line with a blend of his Vintage 1990 and 1992 tobaccos. This ambitious cigar earned an impressive four-stogie rating from Patrick S. back in July of last year. Recently I came across the latest Fusion offering – a natural and Connecticut combination – and simply had to give it a test drive.

This handsome, 6.2 inch by 52 ring gauge torpedo comes wrapped in an oily, soft Habano wrapper with an Ecuadorian Connecticut binder and a blend of Nicaraguan, Cameroon, and Honduran fillers. At roughly $9 per stick, it’s not exactly a bargain. But, as with many Rocky Patel products, you’ll get fairly high quality for your dollar here. (The Churchill size is pictured at right.)

Construction is solid, if a bit tight. The exterior is almost flawless, with small veins and a nice double cap. The stick is extremely firm to the touch – to a degree that scared me at first. Fortunately, a firm but manageable pre-light draw eased my concerns.

Upon lighting the RP Fusion, the first thing I noticed was a copious amount of thick, creamy smoke. So much smoke, in fact, that clouds of it hung over me for nearly the entire 90 minutes that I enjoyed the cigar. I don’t know how to blow smoke rings, but I imagine smoking a few more of these sticks would be a great way to learn.

The initial flavor and aroma are of lightly burnt wood, pepper, and earth. These notes give way to an intensified peppery taste, and a dash of butter and walnut, as the cigar progresses into its second third. By the finish, the cigar mellows out and allows its initial woody and peppery notes to take center stage. The body is a light to medium, with subtle cedar and pepper flavors lingering on the tongue after each draw.

My burn remained even throughout the experience, with two or three minor touch-ups required. The ash was a tightly coiled, beautiful white that hung on for at least two inches at a time. I imagine the ash would have held even longer had I not tapped it off.

Ultimately, the new RP Fusion is a fine cigar. I enjoyed nearly every minute of my experience, but I was underwhelmed – ever so slightly – by the complexity of the flavor profile. For these reasons, among others, I give the Rocky Patel Fusion four out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys