Like wine, there is a plethora of taste profiles and flavours which cigars can deliver: Rocky Patel
World-renowned cigar maker Rocky Patel is in India to introduce his company. He orchestrates a $30mn worth business empire and? produces 16 million cigars annually. ?His cigar buddies are part of an illustrious list and include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, John Travolta, and Bruce Willis, as well as corporates? and star athletes. Born in 1961, Rakesh 'Rocky' Patel spends most of his life on the road, either in the factories in Honduras and Nicaragua which produce his company's products, or in the tobacco fields of Central America, or in the many cigar shops that sell his wares. After promoting his brand in Delhi and Bengaluru, the owner of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars Inc is currently in the city. On the last leg of his tour, Patel talks about the growth of his company, in a candid talk with dna's Mewati Sitaram.
Tell us about your plans for IndiaWe plan on showing people who have never smoked a cigar before, that cigar smoking is an experience similar to that of enjoying a glass of wine, or a single malt scotch. The bliss lies in the fact that it helps slow down the pace of one's hectic life, and allows consumers to relax, or engage in a great conversation with friends.What has been the response of the people of India?Through the positive response we got in Delhi and Bengaluru, I can safely say that cigar smoking is gaining popularity. We are confident of gaining more consumers in Mumbai too. There is a tremendous potential for the cigar business to flourish in India, as Indians are globetrotters.What flavours do your cigars have, and what do you suggest for cigar smokers here?Like wine, there is a plethora of taste profiles and flavours which cigars can deliver. Our brand is a fine blend of tobacco from Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Brazil. We offer a wider range of taste profiles, because our company spends years in curing, fermenting and aging tobacco from different regions, to ensure the oldest vintage leaves for our product.Do you have plans for releasing a new brand in Mumbai?We are excited to release two new lines. Royale was rated amongst the top 5 cigars in the world by Cigar Aficionado (CA), a magazine, and Cameroon, part of the decade cigar family which received 95 – the highest rating – a couple of years ago by CA.Both brands are now available in India, and can be purchased from Cigar Conexion.What, in your opinion, are the finest brands of cigars?Contrary to popular belief, Cuban cigars are not the best in the world. They may have been decades ago, but that myth has been busted, because they are now known for their poor construction and inconsistent quality. Most cigar smokers here are unfortunately stuck on Cubans and have not had the privilege of smoking finer cigars, like those from Nicaragua Honduras and the Dominican Republic.In what field were you employed, before beginning your venture into the cigar business?I began my career as an attorney and represented stars from Hollywood for many years. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gene Hackman were some of my clients.I was exposed to cigar smoking by spending time with the stars in between takes, on set. When I ventured into the business, I didn't really know all that much about tobacco. I spent five years in Honduras, working and learning the ropes of the cigar trade, including field and barn work. It has been a learning process, a maturing process.