This 6.5×52 box pressed stick offered a silky smooth wrapper with perfect construction. Draw was loose, typical for a Rocky. Burn was excellent all the way down, also typical. Flavors changed in distinct sections, offering combinations of leather, spice, coffee, cocoa, oils, nuts and earthiness. Medium-full bodied overall, it intensified slightly as it went along. 1 1/2 hours to the band point where I stopped. These are available as factory seconds, called X-Out Liga C. Photography by BG Pictures.

This 6×50 stick offered very creamy smooth flavors including wood, leather, cocoa and a hint of chocolate at points, with a nice pepper kick coming in and out on the finish which was very short and clean. Burn was very good needing only a tiny touchup 1/2 way through, and the draw was excellent with just the right amount of easy resistance. 1 1/2 hours to the band point, where it became pretty warm and nutty. Photography by BG Pictures.

This 6.5×52 stick has a unique wrapper/binder, offering both a conneticut and maduro combination in a twisted spiral pattern called a barberpole! At times it reminded me of a more potent Vintage 1992, but quickly transitioned into something all it’s own. The overall body was medium-full, but it did go up and down slightly over the course of the 1 1/2 hour burn. Construction was excellent with a near perfect burn and perfect draw from start to finish, never wavering – typical for Rocky Patel! The flavors were nothing short of amazing – every other draw seemed to bring change, and it was almost something new each time. Both the individual and combination of flavors morphed, and include: pepper, spice, wood, leather, earth, creamy smoothness, sweetness, oil, cocoa, coffee and a ton of really subtle characteristics that were sometimes only there for a fleeting moment. These are only currently available in the Fusion Sampler Pack, 5 each of the three Fusion blends – the other two reviewed here and here. Photography by BG Pictures.

This 6×52 stick offered a near perfect burn with a very tight draw giving a mild-medium body experience. Flavors started out with a great light leather, with toast, nuts and tobacco following. The finish was short and clean till the last third where it became more substantial and heavy. Overall it took me back to the Rocky Patel R4 minus the spice, reviewed here. Photography by BG Pictures.

This 7×56 stick started out promising, albeit with simple flavors of pepper, tobacco and a hint of sweetness. By the 2/3 point 45 min in though, the flavors had changed to a nice smooth nut but then unfortunately the stick became unsmokeable in a matter of seconds prompting a recut and relight, with horrible flavors afterwards. Full details shown in the video. Photography by BG Pictures.

This large 7.2×54 stick offered a few surprises to me! A bit lax in the first third I thought it might be a bit boring, having only a cedar wood taste and a mild body. The draw started firm and needed to be drawn frequently and hard to get anything out of it. Luckily by the 2nd third that had changed and flavors improved also giving some toast, a touch of cream and sweetness with a little pepper on the short, clean finish. Draw improved as did the volume of smoke. The burn went from fairly fast to pretty slow, ending the stick over 2 hours. Not bad at all for a stick under $2 with no performance issues at all! Photography by BG Pictures.