Cigar:            Rocky Patel Sun Grown Petite Corona

Size:             44 x 4.5"

Country:          DR

Wrapper:          ECSU, Sun Grown 5 YO

Binder:           Nic

Filler:           DR/Nic

Flavor Strength:  Full

NicotineStength:  Medium

Date Received:    2006-01-02 at the Muckelshoot Casino

Suspected Age:    Unknown

Vendor/Price:     Gift from Richard Wagner, ASC.  Thanks Richard!

Hype:       The Sun Grown is a unique medium to full bodied cigar with a 5 year old Ecuadorian sun grown sumatra wrapper. It is a rich & complex smoke full of sweet elements, similar to those experienced from smoking old Cuban cigars.  The long & full finish is just one of the many compliments to this extraordinary smoke.

Beverage(s):      Water, Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Smoke time:       1:10

Date:             2006-01-15

Posted to ASC:    2006-01-15

Overall score:    3.0/5.0

Overall:    I have been curious about this cigar for some time.  Thanks, for the opportunity Richard.  Full flavored.  The middle third was good, having lost the pepper and becoming woody and sweetening in the after.  The first third suffered from a harsh bite accentuated by a lot of pepper.  The last third bittered up, but not distressingly so until the end.  The long after was pleasant and dry throughout, ending in a very nice finish.  This little stick certainly provided an evolution of flavor development from the start to the end, never remaining constant for long.  This blend may do better in a larger ring size where the wrapper would not contribute quite as much.  Also, might go better with a sweeter drink.  Although considerably fuller, like the 1990 and 1992 Vintage, a quality cigar and worth a try, but for other palates.  For me, not a box purchase. 

Ambience:   Seattle had an 18 hour respite in this the 28th straight day of rain and I took the opportunity to caulk the roof of the sunroom.  With a rope around my waist I could confidently lean out over the edge of the roof (20 foot drop to cement) and reach the lower end of the glass shed roof with the caulking gun.  Leaning out further with the rope tight I could just get my finger to the edge to smooth the bead.  Sidewise rain is expected later tonight so my job will get well tested.  Little woman is tracing quilt patterns, sitting with me this evening in the sunroom.  She says the room note was mild.  Domestic bliss.

Appearance: Good looking and well constructed.  Dark chocolate colored, oily wrapper with some sparse tooth and delicate veins.  Double cap.  Firm along length, with maybe a knot halfway.

Cut & Prelight:   Heavy unlit, spicey aroma, some pepper, some orange, and much barnyard.  Cut well, though it seems wet.  Tight draw with a peppery, very earthy draw flavor and a lip tingle.

First third:      Initial blast of pepper.  Then woody, but mostly a harsh pepper.  Dry in the aftertaste.  Full flavored from the start.  A little harsh on the palate.  Still peppered.  Beer chaser seems to moderate the bite.  Aftertaste woody, though not an aromatic wood. 

Second third:     Sweetening in the long, very dry aftertaste.  Becoming smoother and losing the pepper.  After a rough start I am starting to enjoy this stick.  Not particularly complex, some wood (pencil) and perhaps a bit of citrus.  Does not hold much of an ash, about 3/4".  It is interesting that the woodiness reminds me of a pencil, yet wood pencils are cedar, and this does not strike me as cedar wood.  Somewhat metallic at the halfway point.  Draw has opened.  At this point it reminds me somewhat of a much stronger version of the Cusano C10 Corona. 

Third third:      Much sweetened in the long after, yet still dry.  Moving from metallic to bitter-sweet, like a citrus rind.  Still much pencil. 

I didn't nub this one due to bitterness - abandoned at 1".