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With so many cigars out there, both old and new, it sometimes boggles my mind as to how manufacturers expect to differentiate new cigars with any success in such an already crowded market. I recently tried a 601 Habano robusto by Don Pepin Garcia and was enlightened a bit: You have to shoot for something that, while reasonably priced, is so good that it creates an instant buzz as it hits shop shelves.

In my estimation, that is the winning recipe for the 601 Habano. At around 6.00 bucks a stick, the Habano robusto delivers flavor, texture, density, and combustion that is comparable to that of much more expensive cigars.

Some have gone so far so as to compare the Nicaraguan Habano wrapper to that of a Cuban Ramon Allones. Having smoked hundreds of what I consider one of my favorite Cuban vitolas, I obviously don’t go that far, but I don’t mean that to down play how good the 601 Habano wrapper is. It’s simply deserving of accolades on its own merit.

I enjoy a cigar that conveys rich smoke while maintaining a creamy texture and a good depth of complexity. This the cigar does and more. It starts out with baking spices laced with some pepper and a very smooth texture. As it burns, a distinct cacao aroma fills the room.

The aroma gradually turns to sweet leather and musk at around the ¼ mark. Sweet wood comes out on the palate around now, while the smoke keeps yielding a very creamy texture.

Past the ½ way mark, the pepper notes pick up a bit and dark tobacco notes of leather and baking spices set in as well. Though rich, the smoke remains surprisingly smooth down to the last inch. If you are so inclined, this is certainly a stick to nub. The finish is clean and creamy. I recommend this great cigar to anyone.

As a big fan of Rocky Patel, I was really looking forward to sampling it’s R4 Corojo creation. Now, I normally tend to associate Patel sticks with robust, dark and full cigars that are generally on the stronger side. The Rocky Patel R4 Torpedo is in a completely different philosophy altogether.

Perhaps geared toward the mild cigar smokers among us, the R4 is almost nothing like its other, better known, Patel cousins. I always hesitate when I review a very light-bodied cigar; I’m afraid my bias for full-bodied sticks will cloud an objective review. So… let’s just acknowledge, from the beginning, that we’re talking about a cigar for the mild leaf lovers.

The R4 Corojo wrapper mildly exudes aromas reminiscent of baked French bread, cedar, and bitter nutmeg. The pre-light draw is grassy. Light herbs and maybe even some red tea (think: Darjeeling) can be tasted as well.

Once lit, the smoke is thick, as you would expect from a Rocky. The baked bread notes really dominate this stick through out; with one or two notes surfacing here and there as it progresses.

The cigar does get spicy into the second third, and a black pepper note is clearly present. I found this stage particularly interesting.

Around the half way mark, the smoke gets toasty. The pepper notes fade here and the flavor profile pretty much assumes its final posture. From here on end, I found the smoke doesn’t evolve anymore, except for some mild cedar coming in at the last second before the finish.

I generally would recommend a cigar like this to a beginner. However, we’re talking about a whopping torpedo here. It might be alright as long as it is put down before matters begin to get unpleasant.