ROCKY PATEL HAS LOST THE EDGE

After spending a lot of money on RP cigars, I concluded that they were one of the most overrated on the planet. Not that they all sucked, mind you, just that you get a lot less than you paid for. When I discussed this with my friends, they generally agreed but invariably would say "except for The Edge," and I agreed. No more.

First the good news. This is a solid cigar with no soft spots. It has a decent draw and burns evenly, just needing a couple of minor touch-ups. It is sweet and toasty and I would not turn one down in a pinch.

But this is the Saloon and we can't pull punches. The above description lasted only through the first half of the stick, after which it became bitter and harsh, causing it to quickly become expensive mulch in my garden.

The new Edge is definitely not as good as the original Edge, which had a sweet, spicy, and complex flavor. The new Edge is one dimensional and lacks substance. It's supposed to be a Corojo, but I suspect that this is like everybody in Oklahoma claiming to be American Indian.

I think that the Rock has quietly reblended the Edge. He denies this when asked, of course, heming and hawing something about excessive rain, the weather, blah, blah, blah, and then suggesting that you try the Decade(made for him by the great AJ Fernandez). I'm not buying it anymore. 

The new Edge costs six bucks, not four like old Edge and I don't believe we've had 50% inflation in the meantime. For less than 6 bucks I can enjoy a Padron 2000, a Man O' War, Reloba, or Padilla 1948. Heck, for 2 bucks I can have a Gran Habano Vintage 2002 which beats the heck out of the Edge. 

My problem might be that I've been smoking the Pinar Del Rio Seleccion for the last three days, which retails for the same price, and has all of the flavor and complexity that the Edge doesn't.

The inside of the label says "beware of imitations--original Edge." I say that teller is the feller. Mamey

CS Rating 2.5