Info:
Rocky Patel claims that the Edge is one of (or is, can’t remember exactly) the most popular cigars in the country. I do see them in a lot of shops and believe every cigar smoker I’ve ever met has tried one of the Edge lines. I have had other Edge cigars before, but never the Sumatra.
From what I can tell, the Sumatra is a little more rare. It sports a 5 year aged Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and comes in toro and torpedo vitolas. It certainly has a nice price tag, being $6 or less most places I saw it. This particular one was sent to me by good ole Siz!
Looks:
The RP Edge Sumatra has a pretty simple look to it. It is your standard torpedo with a milk chocolate shade wrapper. It has some veins and visible seams. It also appears to have a few lumps in it as well. It appears to be well packed with no cracks or tears. Also, the torpedo tip is nice and sharp.
To add to its simple appearance, the band is on the foot and is not that big. It is red with the RP logo and Sumatra in a cream-white font. Very straightforward. I will say that the red looks good against the wrapper.
Function:
Like its appearance, the RP Edge Sumatra has a bumpy feel. Despite that, there is also some silkiness to it. It feels very solid with hardly any give.
The foot smells like earth and wood. The barrel is earth and pepper. No surprises there.
I clip the torpedo cap at an almost 45-degree angle (this is my personal preference for pointed caps) and test the draw. The airflow is really good. I get the taste of earth, almost pure dust on the pre light draw. Not very appetizing!
Smoking:
I have been lighting every cigar with my triple flame torch lately, as my single flame needs some repair. Even so, it was tough to get the RP Edge Sumatra lit. It must be that well packed barrel! Once it gets going, the burn stays even and the draw remains great throughout the smoke. No complaints there!
The ash is grayish white, peppered with black specks. It appears to be a tight ash, but does fall on its own at the 1-inch mark. Afterwards, it is not flaky or loose. Overall, I’d say it was pretty solid.
Flavor:
The Rocky Patel Edge Sumatra is billed as a full-bodied cigar and that’s what I’m in the mood for. Let’s see if it delivers the goods!
The first third flavors begin like the aromas I got pre-light. Earth, earth and more earth! Some wood and black pepper notes enter the mix as well, but the dominant note is earth without a doubt. In fact, it is almost a little dirty on the finish. Further in, I get a faint hint of coffee, but it doesn’t last.
The pepper does pick up some but mellows out as I get into the next third.
Speaking of the next third, it offers more earth! I start to get a slightly savory and floral note, but mostly on the retrohale. This gains strength throughout this section, eventually making its way to the finish. The pepper continues to be pretty mild.
The final third is more of the same. The earth goes back to being a bit dirty on the finish. The only thing that is really enjoyable at this point is the retrohale. I can’t decide if it is really that great or just seemingly so because of all of the earth.
The Rocky Patel Edge Sumatra Torpedo is medium full in both strength and flavor. Flavor-wise, it is rather boring, unless you really like earthy cigars. The smoke time was only 1 hour, which I thought strange because I didn’t feel like I was smoking that fast.
Would I Buy It Again?
No
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
Not for me.
Would I Buy a Box?
No.
Conclusion
I have smoked other Rocky Patel Edge cigars before and found them to be enjoyable. The Sumatra Torpedo, however, did not make the same impression. I found it to be well constructed but just too earthy and one-dimensional for me. Don’t get me wrong, I like earth notes in cigars, just not when it’s basically the only note. This one is a pass for me.
