Budget or Not, There’s Nothin’ Like a Well-Aged And Cared-for Cigar

One of the mainstays in my daily rotation is the Rocky Patel Cargo. I buy ’em by the bundle because they go on sale quite often and can be had for under $2.00. But that’s not the only reason. I realized with my first batch of these that if I give them at least a month (more is better) to rest they go through an uncanny transformation. They burn much more evenly, they lose a lot of spice, which is replaced by a sweet smoothness brought on by the tooth that develops.

The stick shown in the picture above is a perfect example of the tooth that forms. It’s a bit difficult to see the little oil nodules in the pic, but I was amazed by what I saw when I removed it from its wrapper. And I knew I was in for a treat.

And this cigar has been a real treat. My latest batch has had just under two months of laying down. I smoked a couple since I got them, and they were enjoyable; but nothing compared to what I’m smoking as I write this. As I mentioned above, the first couple had a prominent spice component. But with just a little age, that spice has been moved to the background and replaced with a gorgeous sweetness and creaminess that didn’t exist before.

And don’t get me wrong. It’s not as if this has gained in complexity; a couple of components were added like the sweetness and subtle chocolate flavors. But the cigar didn’t suddenly transform into a premium stick. But that spiciness which some have labeled harsh is so miniscule now that one would be hard-pressed to attribute any harshness to it.

And one thing I forgot to mention was that the draw has improved significantly. With my first batch of these, the draw was not totally loose, but loose enough where I had to watch my puff rate and how hard I pulled on it. But now, there’s a gorgeous tension in the draw and it burns A LOT slower with a mostly straight burn line. In fact, the experience is similar to smoking a premium cigar. Yes, it’s a Cuban sandwich, but the way it smokes now makes it punch way above its weight.

I realize that others may say it’s still a cheap cigar. It is. But I tend to look at a cigar on its own merits rather than compare it – unreasonably – to other cigars; especially those that are outside of its class. In the case of the Cargo, if I were to compare it to something like an Opus X, that would be like comparing a VW Beetle to a Maybach. That comparison would be completely nonsensical, or to really put a fine point on it, stupid.

What I love about smoking cigars is each different blend brings its own set of qualities to the table. Some I absolutely love, while others fall flat on their face. I do my best to give each stick I bring into my humidor lots of TLC, yes, even my knock-arounds. I never know what might be hiding under the surface that a little time and care could reveal.