EO Brands (Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega) are set to release the La Bomba and 601 Connecticut at the show this year. It seems that Connecticut seems to be the wrapper of choice as this isn’t the only cigar to come from the Rocky Patel Family featuring the wrapper. According to the press release,

“We are very proud of the 601 brand,” said EO Brands President Eddie Ortega. “The 601 Red, Green and Blue offer distinct, different styles of full bodied cigars, and we wanted to round out the 601 product portfolio with a milder cigar – but still offer something with a little kick. The 601 Connecticut has a nice, spicy start and finishes smooth and creamy. The consumer that wants 601 quality in a milder cigar is going to love 601 Connecticut.”

The 601 Connecticut comes with a beautiful Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper and Binder/Filler from Cuban seed from Estelí and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua.

The Connecticut comes in four shapes: Robusto – 5×50, Toro – 6×50, Torpedo – 6 1/8×52 and Churchill – 7×48. These cigars are currently available at retail, and they cost between $7.50 and $8.00.

Also, he La Bomba which we reviewed over a month ago is set to make it’s debut as well. The press released adds,

With the introduction of 601 La Bomba, we wanted to deliver a cigar that had an extreme level of flavor and taste for the fans of 601,” added Ortega. “We’ve worked on this blend for over a year, and we’re very happy with the explosive power that La Bomba delivers.”

La Bomba comes in four shapes: Atom-5 1/2×46, Napalm 5×52, Nuclear 6×50 and Atomic-6×60. These cigars will be available at retail on July 1st, and they cost between $8.00 and $9.00, and they come in boxes of 10.

Lastly, in other EO Brands news, EO is launching a new shape in their very popular Murcielago brand. The new Toro Grande is 6 ½ x54, and can be found where ever the Murcielago brand is sold.

Meanwhile Rocky Patel is set to add to his Java line with the release of the new Java Mint.

“We’ve been very pleased with the success of the Java cigar line,” said Rocky Patel Premium Cigars Executive Vice President Nish Patel. “Since launching Java, we’ve had numerous requests for a Mint-Chocolate version of Java – and after over a year of product development, we truly believe we’ve got a cigar that delivers the flavorful/aromatic premium cigar smoking experience at a great value that you’d expect from Rocky Patel.

Java Mint features a Brazilian maduro wrapper, and will come in five box-pressed shapes: Corona – 5×42, Robusto – 5 ½x50, Toro – 6×50, The 58 – 5×58 and Petite Corona – 4 1/2×38. The cigars will be priced between $5.50 and $8.00 at retail, and comes in a box of 24.

Located in Bonita Springs, Florida, the Rocky Patel Premium Cigar Company began producing high quality premium cigars in 1995, based on Rocky’s passion for cigars, and his desire to share his unique cigar blends with cigar connoisseurs around the world. Rocky is also very active in raising money for underprivileged children in Honduras, with his RP Foundation. Current Rocky Patel cigar brands include: Decade, 1961, Olde World Reserve, Edge, 15th Anniversary and the Vintage Series. For more information visit their Website at www.RockyPatel.com. For more information on EO Brands, visit their website at www.EOBrands.com.

In other news Patrick Vivalo, the sales executive from Rocky Patel emailed me that once again there will be a release of the Decade Edicion Limitada. Like last year, these will be limited to 500 boxes of each size; Robusto, Toro & Torpedo. The sticks should start to appear in Brick & Mortars this week.

Below I share with you the artwork that will grace the 601 Series of cigars…

When I got to speak to Rocky Patel last week at the Cigar Inn event for their new cigar the 15th Anniversary one of the things Rocky mentioned is the 601 would be going though a redesign. Well over at the EO Brands Forums Eddie Ortega has released what the brands will look like for now.

According to Eddie Ortega he emphatically states, “we are  re-designing the packaging on the 601 and will be launched at the 2010 IPCPR in New Orleans. Just the packaging, just the packaging. Absolutely 100% the blends will remain the same, and Pepin continues to manufacture the cigars regardless of what you may have heard through the grape-vines.”

Which is a contradiction to Rocky stating the 601 Red Label would be getting a re-blend by Pepin. I hope to see Eddie today and clarify this matter or perhaps have him comment on this post…

For updated information on the cigar bands and new art work checkout the following POST:

http://www.acigarsmoker.com/2010/06/30/news-revised-601-bands/

601 New Cigar Bands

Sadly the 601 Black Label which was the Connecticut shade wrapper will be discontinued due to the lack of sales. The bands depicted above may or may not be final as they have not yet gone to printing.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIOfn1Xvj1s

———————————–
Dear friends,

I am pleased to announce today that Rocky Patel Premium Cigars and EO Brands will begin operating in full partnership. Eddie Ortega and Erik Espinosa will continue to operate EO Brands, with Rocky Patel Premium Cigars assuming all sales and distribution of EO Brands.

What does this mean for you?

*Greater customer support and resources for EO Brands.

*Streamlined customer service from the Rocky Patel sales offices in Bonita Springs, Florida.

*Broader and deeper range of products .

*Commitment to innovation, ensuring exciting marketing/promotional opportunities promotional opportunities promotional opportunities for EO Brands.

*A partnership with a long-term strategy for growth.

Our goal is to continue delivering innovative, high-quality cigars in current and new markets. Furthermore, this partnership will not only allow ease of ease of ordering, but new opportunities to provide you with additional sales provide you with additional sales values and values and promotional opportunities within the two brands.

Although Rocky Patel Premium Cigars and EO Brands have Cigars and EO Brands have separate, if not unique, separate, if not unique, histories, they have always shared a common objective: to produce possible cigar and supreme customer support. We remain dedicated to this objective now that we will begin operation in unison.

Effective May 10th, 2010, all EO Brands (E.g., 601, Cubao, Murcielago, etc.) will only be available via the Rocky Patel Premium Cigars distribution system. That is, directly and or through our approved sales representatives. All marketing for EO Brands will also be handled by Rocky Patel Premium Cigars.

Rest assured that the integration of production, distribution and marketing of EO Brands will be a very quick process. The infrastructure to handle orders for EO Brands is already up and running. Please do not hesitate to call us with any questions and or concerns regarding your accounts.
I wish a very warm welcome of EO Brands to the Rocky Patel family of fine products. fine products.

Warmest regards,

ROCKY PATEL

601 Green Label

My first experience with the 601 brand of cigars was at my friends shop in New Jersey, and it wasn’t a good one. In fact I didn’t get to smoke them due to the fact their was an issue with beetles. It goes with out saying my friend was not happy with the situation and was pretty against the cigars because of that and they didn’t meet his profile. I informed him the cigars were a hot ticket and despite his desired to phase them out in his humidor people kept coming in asking for them to his dismay. The cigar at last checked is now a staple in his humidor and this past week I ran into the rep from the Miami Cigar Company and I was gifted a couple to review.

The 601 Green Label La Punta is described as full bodied smoke with complex flavors and is blended by Don Pepin Garcia. Being heavy into Peruvian Tobacco lately I was hopeful this smoke hailed from Peru as La Punta is a district in the Constitutional Province of Callao in Peru. But the cigar turns out to be a Nicaraguan puro.

Cigar: 601 Habano Oscuro Green Label
Size: 5.5 x 48/52 (Perfecto)
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Appearance and Construction (19/20): The perfecto is one of my favorite cigars if done right and this one is done close to perfection. The cigar features a very oily dark chocolate wrapper with a fair amount of tooth. The foot and cap of this cigar are extremely well done and screams premium quality smoke. The cigars bands is gold, and green with 601 in the center. In the past I have had some problems with the burn of Oscuro wrappers, but I am constantly attracted to the oils that make the wrapper shine.

Flavor & Notes (27/30): Prior to lighting up the smoke, I was able to pick up some faint chocolate notes off the wrapper of the cigar. The perfecto foot makes it difficult for me to pick up notes on that end. Prior to lighting up the cigar the notes were a heavenly rich mocha with notes of cinnamon. I would of been content to smoke this cigar dry all day long. I reluctantly took a cedar strip to the foot of the cigar and began my smoking journey hoping that the cigar would live up to the prelight expectations. The first third of the cigar starts off with a slight pepper that is typical of a Pepin produced cigar. The pepper fades and you get notes of mocha and cinnamon which are virtually identical to the prelight notes. As we approach the second third of the cigar there was the occasional introduction of leather that came and went, but the primary notes here at this point are of mocha and nuts with an occasional re-introduction of pepper. These notes however disappear ratheer quickly and the cigar begins to take on the notes of spices and leather, but not bitter.

Burn/Ash/Draw (21/25): The burn on the cigar is Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. At times the burn in straight and event. I look away from the cigar for a bit and the burn is jagged as can be, only to return to straight in a short while. The medium gray ash holds fairly well, but has a lot of flake. So you have to watch it to avoid a shirt full of ash. The draw on both of my samples started off very tough to the point of frustration, but once the nipple was cleared the cigar opened up to a enjoyable draw. I often wondered why people buy a perfecto only to clip the nipple but after this cigar I can unstand the theory behind it. The final third of the cigar has continued spices with some dark coffee notes and a touch of mocha.

Overall (22/25): The cigar while developing into a cigar with a nice draw has a limited pull with reduces the intensity of the smoke and helps keep the strength closer to medium bodied in the first half of the cigar, as the spices begun to pick up in the 2nd half of the cigar the cigar transformed into a full body smoke. The price for the perfecto is almost double that of a corona so if your on a budget like I am these days that provides a nice alternative.

When you buy a perfecto, do you clip both ends of the cigar?

Rating: 89
Price: $156.99 a box of 20 from Famous Smoke

601 Habano

My site has a lot of reviews for what people would call high end premium cigars. My tastes are expensive but with the downtrend in the economy I find myself smoking cigars that are less expensive. I guess this is a good thing since I got my first piece of hate mail the other days when I reviewed the God Of Fire. I was labeled a cigar snob for the second time in my life.  The first was in a cigar shop when it was mentioned by a friend of mine to the patrons that I run a website which got a response of, “oh you are one of those cigar snobs”. It really bothered me and this email really got to me as well.

There are a lot of great smokes under 8.00 and today we will find out of the 601 Habano fits the billing as one of those cigars.

Cigar: 601 Habano (Red Label)
Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Habano (Nicaragua)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Appearance & Construction (18/20): The brand was created by Jose Pepin Garcia along with Erik Espinosa & Eddie Ortega. The cigars are manufactured at the Tabacalera Cubana factor in Esteli, Nicaragua. The cigar first hit the shelves in 2006, The cigar has a tremendous amount of oils that are just seeping through the wrapper. The wrapper itself is toothy, but attractive at the same time. The cap is centered and after cutting the it there appears to be no major veins. At the foot the cigar shows some loose packing.

Flavor & Notes (26/30): The prelight offers notes of molasses on the draw. The foot offers the same molasses but some impressive spice as well. It is quite clear this will be a full body cigar. Upon lighting the cigar, this smoke has the trademark burst of Pepin pepper. My mouth is on fire like I just ate some really spicy food as we get underway.  As the pepper fades there are notes of sweet spices with some massive pepper through the nose. I occasionally forget this and whenever I exhale through the nose I have a sneezing fit. For a couple of pulls in the 2nd third there was some mocha, but other than that this stick is pretty straight forward.

Burn/Ash/Draw (21/25): The burn line started out a little bit rough and for a while I was scared I would have a canoe before long. I held off on correcting it, and sure enough the cigar caught up to itself. It did however remain wavy throughout. The ash held long and tight it’s color was that of an overcast sky. The draw was a little bit too loose and it did smoke a little to fast for my liking.

Overall (22/25): Definitely not a bad smoke, in fact it was quite enjoyable albeit a tad too quick of a smoke (about 45 minutes, and I am a slow smoker). The flavors are a little bit 1 dimensional but sometimes you want to enjoy a smoke for what it is and not go crazy trying to figure that out.

Rating: 87
Price: 6.00