Rocky Patel is well known for making full-bodied cigars, such as their Vintage lines of cigars, as well as cigars marketed under their Indian Tabac brand name. Another RP line called "The Edge" is a cigar that is supposed to be so strong that beginners are discouraged from trying it. However, RP has made another version of "The Edge" known as "The Edge Lite", which is promoted as having the same great flavors, but in a milder medium-strength cigar. Although Rocky makes a number of decent cigars, I was not overly impressed with some of the Rocky Patel and Indian Tabac brands of cigars that I have tried in the past. I have not yet smoked an original "Edge", but when I spotted The Edge Lite at a local tobacconist, it looked and smelled so delicious that I had to give one a try. I selected the Torpedo shape, which measured six inches in length with a ring gauge of 52. The Edge Lite cigars are made in Honduras with Nicaraguan and Honduran aged filler tobaccos, and natural Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers. These cigars now come with a band at the foot of the cigar, but my cigar was purchased (and aged) several months prior to this review, before this particular line of cigars supported cigar bands. Make sure to remove the band before lighting.
Flavor
As advertised, The Edge Lite cigar was medium in strength, but had a medium-to-full flavor that was very rich tasting. The smoke was mellow and creamy in texture, and was very enjoyable from start to finish. Beyond a doubt, this was the best cigar by Rocky Patel that I have ever tasted.Draw and Construction
The cigar had an excellent draw and provided a nice volume of smoke, with very little effort. The cigar burned evenly, carried a long ash, and did not require any relights. I smoked this cigar for just over an hour, and enjoyed it all the way down to about the last two inches. There were not any issues with the construction of this cigar to distract me from enjoying this very flavorful and mellow cigar.Value
At a cost of about $5 per stick when purchased in a five-pack or box (more if purchased as a single), "The Edge Lite" cigars are a very good value for experienced cigar smokers, and perhaps even for advanced beginners. I would not recommend this cigar to a beginner, especially in a large size. Although medium in strength, the cigar can slowly become overpowering to a beginner after 45 minutes or so. A smaller size, such as the Robusto, would be more appropriate for beginners (and don't even think about trying the original version of "The Edge" – make sure to get "The Edge Lite").
