Rocky Patel Mulligans Crown Jewel Staff Review
For much of my extensive tenure as a bona fide value vulture at Holt’s, Rocky Patel has ruled the bundle sales charts with his popular Rocky Patel Mulligans series, and his latest creation, the Crown Jewel, is proof positive the man deserves his sovereignty when it comes to cranking out high-quality cigars for huge discounts. Today, I’m smoking a Rocky Patel Mulligans Crown Jewel in a 6-by-50 Toro, called the Ruby, to tell you all about why this cigar is considered the ultimate feather in Rocky’s cap among budget-conscious connoisseurs like yours truly.
Rocky Patel Mulligans is a golf-themed franchise with well over a decade of robust demand behind it. Rocky built it from the ground up, with your pals at Holt’s, as the chief outlet for dozens of cigars the prolific cigar-maker creates but can’t bring to market before they’re billowing up to the rafters in his massive warehouse. The solution: bundles – a simple and efficient means of packaging premium cigars without the hassle and expense of boxes. Rocky can indulge his love of fine tobacco as a nonstop creative force in the cigar biz by constantly churning out high-quality premiums, with the systematic precision of a mad scientist, when they’re shipped in bundles.
The Crown Jewel is sheathed in an oily San Andrés wrapper leaf under which a tangy core of well-rested Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers is assembled by today’s top artisans. ‘RP’ Mulligans Crown Jewel cigars come in five handmade sizes, and the 6-by-50 Ruby is among my favorites. After ravenously slashing open a fresh batch of Crown Jewels, a pair of regal navy-and-cream-colored cigar bands with gold lettering accentuate the succulent complexion of the wrapper leaf. I’m tempted to tuck a pocket square in my sleeveless flannel shirt.
Luscious aromas of earth, leather, and raisin heighten my appetite as I run a Ruby under my beak when the cellophane is off. After a quick snip to the cap and a few cold draws between my lips, the Crown Jewel oozes with a deep sweet-and-spicy flavor. Woody nuances lay an enticing foundation as I slowly toast the foot of this intriguing smoke.
I’ve consumed scores of ‘RP’ Mulligans cigars over the years and readily store multiple bundles in a stable of coolerdors in my man cave at any one time. Deep in my cigar review archives, you’ll find detailed appraisals of the Eagle Reserve, Groundhog, Calcutta, Masters Collection, and more. What sets Crown Jewel apart is the extra aging the tobaccos undergo – a laborious and expensive undertaking I fully appreciate in every puff.
Creamy and smoky notes of hickory, pepper, and Mexican hot chocolate layer my taste buds in the first minutes alone. A silky aftertaste resonates with hints of hazelnut and mesquite. In short order, I kick my feet up on an adjacent lawn chair in my palatial backyard with a thankful grin that I’ve emptied my oversized Stinky ashtray ahead of time. The Ruby reveals a flawless draw with just the right degree of resistance, and its firm ash stays the course with a razor-sharp burn.
Throughout the second half, milky and peppery notes of espresso bean and cinnamon mingle with the Crown Jewel’s initial flavors of dark chocolate and leather. It’s unsurprising these alluring 20-count bundles boast MSRPs that originally hovered around six hundred bucks – WAY beyond my budgetary threshold. But because they’re Mulligans, you can savor them for a mind-bending discount beginning at a paltry $3.74 per cigar!
By the time I’m peeling the bands off to polish the nub down, I’m plucking a second cigar from the bundle for an extended back-to-back encore smoke. The Crown Jewel deserves a ringing endorsement. A sublime finish bears hints of Oregon Black Truffles with a succinct spice and chocolaty undercurrent. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll add a batch of Rocky Patel Mulligans Crown Jewel to your summer rotation posthaste.
Until next time, long ashes to you!
