First Look: Rocky Patel Sapphire
First there was the Gold Label in 2024, then the Emerald line came later that same year. In April, Rocky Patel will be adding another jewel to its unofficial “crown” series: Sapphire. According to Patel, Sapphire is not only richer and stronger than Emerald, but a higher-end smoke due to slightly older tobaccos.
Rocky Patel Sapphire consists of a Mexican San Andrés wrapper and Nicaraguan filler from Estelí, Jalapa and Condega. In between are two binders: one from Estelí and the other from the Jamastran Valley in Honduras. With the exception of the wrapper, all the tobacco in this blend was grown on farms owned by Patel.
“All the tobacco is ours,” he tells Cigar Aficionado. “Even the Jamastran binder. We’ve had that farm for three years and this is the first time we’re using our own Honduran leaf.”
Patel says that the tobacco in Sapphire is older than the leaf in its predecessor, Emerald, which makes it slightly more expensive. The fillers are six to seven years old amounting to a cigar that’s supposed to be medium-to-full in body.
Made in Nicaragua at Patel’s Tavicusa factory, Sapphire comes in four sizes: Robusto, measuring 5 1/2 by 50 ring gauge ($15.95); Toro, at 6 1/2 by 52 ($16.95); a 6-by-60 aptly called 60 ($17.95); and a Corona Gorda that measures 6 by 46 ($13.50). They all come in polished, gem-shaped boxes of 20 and will ship to retailers right after the PCA trade show in New Orleans next month, but don’t look for them in any catalogs or online. Patel says that Sapphire is intended to be a retailer exclusive.
For a vertical brand tasting of Rocky Patel Sapphire, see a future issue of Cigar Insider.
