Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut

The Vintage series was the line that made Rocky Patel a real brand rather than a name on a band, and the 1999 Connecticut is the reason. The wrapper is aged Connecticut Shade and the blend under it is Honduran-made with Nicaraguan and Dominican filler, which gives a mild cigar more spine than the usual creamy Connecticut. Expect cream and cedar with a nutty sweetness and a light pepper on the finish that keeps it from being dull. It burns well and the draw is consistent, which was not always true of Rocky Patel cigars. Prices are all over the place because it goes on sale constantly; under $8 a stick is normal for boxes, and that is where it makes sense.

A morning or golf-course cigar with a bit more flavor than the average Connecticut.