Can Rockey Patel make a bad cigar? I bought this last week, but didn't smoke it until today. It kept well, and smoked like a dream. It's the first time in a very long time I've gotten the taste of cream from a cigar. It's in the same price range as Ashton, and Griffins, but I've got to say this might be better than both.

I don't normally smoke Romeo Y Julietta, but only because I have a vague sense I don't like them. But that wasn't concrete, so I decided to give one a shot.

First off, the cigar bloomed in the tube. I bought it today, brought it home, opened up the tube and their was bloom. That was indeed a good sign. It also cut perfectly, and burned just as well. So from a construction point of view, it was extremely good.

As for taste, well, it wasn't offensive, but it's not quite my favorite. And since I paid over 5 for it, I think the value of the overall experience left something to be desired.

So if you like a woody, earthy cigar, then you will be pleased with this, as it is a decent value if you value those tastes. If not... well there are better values to be found.

This is the first cigar I've ever got to bloom. Consequently I was eager to give it a try. I know Ashton's haven't been getting good reviews from me lately, but I figured I would give them another shot.

This time the verdict was different in awhile. It tasted great, with that classic Ashton taste. It was propably intensified by the bloom and the fact that this is smaller gauge then I am used to. (Smaller gauge means the wrapper has a greater proportional effect on taste.)

It was countered by the tightness of the draw, which was just a little tighter than I can excuse due to the thinness of the cigar. Maybe that's why I don't like smaller gauge cigars, or maybe I've been having bad thin gauge cigars, either way I don't like them.

In the end, I did enjoy this cigar, but I won't be stocking my humidor with it.

I figured I would give VSG another try. Again I was disappointed. It tunnelled, despite several attempts to keep it going. Couple all of this, with a taste that wasn't the best, and it's doesn't have a high value. It's a shame, but I feel like this cigar is overhyped.