We last had Mo Maali of Patina Cigars on the show in September of last year. If you remember, I was pretty bummed about missing out on his first limited edition from the year before. There was no way I was going to miss out on his 2024 LE. So, I grabbed a box when they were released in November of last year. Just making the cutoff for our ’25 COTY consideration, the Patina LE 2024 is Patina’s first release after the Oro de Nicaragua that was awarded our 2024 COTY.
The Patina LE 2024 is a Robusto Gordo (5″ x 54) that features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, over a Mexican San Andrés binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and the good ‘ole US of A. It is rolled at Nicaragua American Cigars S.A., or NACSA, where some of my favorite cigars come from. That, coupled with Patina winning our COTY last year, my expectations are pretty high for this limited edition.
OVERVIEW
VITOLA:Â Â Â Robusto Gordo
SIZE:Â Â 5″ x 54
ORIGIN:Â Â Nicaragua
FACTORY:Â Â Nicaragua American Cigars S.A. (NACSA)
WRAPPER:Â Â Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER:  Mexican San Andrés
FILLER:Â Â Nicaraguan and U.S.A.
STRENGTH:Â Â Medium – Full
SOURCE:Â Â Â
Small Batch Cigar
ENVIRONMENT
WHERE:Â Â
Studio/Lounge
WHEN:Â Â
May 5, 2025
DRINKS:Â Â
Bottled Water
WEATHER:Â Â
Indoors
HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:Â Â
3
PRODUCTION
RELEASE TYPE Â Limited Edition
ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE Â November, 2024
TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size:Â Â Â Boxes of 10
Production Totals:Â 500 boxes of 10
VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o  Robusto Gordo (5″ x 54)
BAND DESIGN
The band is two shades of green…or perhaps oxidized bronze or copper? It features “Patina 2024” in white accents. The design found on the band is ornate, but it does lack the flair of the foil lined Patina bands.
PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
The cap appears to be expertly applied. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper feels like sandpaper between my fingers. The cigar doesn’t have much give to it, either. It’s hard to describe the color due to the amount of mottling, but it’s somewhere between shades of milk chocolate and walnut. The seam is visible, but there only appear to be a few veins. It is an overall beautiful presentation.
AROMA
The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper delivers notes of barnyard and freshly cut grass. The foot also delivers those notes but they are accompanied by hints of what reminds me of freshly baked cinnamon raisin bread.
COLD DRAW
The cold draw has notes of bread, baking spices, and a subtle coffee note. The draw itself is a bit on the tight side, but nothing concerning.
SMOKING EXPERIENCE
LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Le Petit by Les Fines Lames
Fire: Vector’s ICON IIIÂ
The initial light brings the Patina LE 2024 to life. Big notes of red pepper, bread, black pepper, citrus, and baking spices come screaming on to my palate. Chocolate lingers on my palate. The pepper claws at the back of my throat.Â
SMOKE
The LE 2024 has a more than satisfying smoke output. Each pull of the cigar coats my palate with a creamy smoke. Even at rest, the smoke output of the LE 2024 is impressive.
FIRST THIRD
>> Mineral, Coffee, Black Pepper
As the initial light wanes, the first third opens up with notes of chocolate, leather, and baking spices. Black pepper on the retrohale. There is a mineral quality to this first third, that seems to dominate the other notes. A bit of salt, now. The burn is a bit uneven, but nothing too concerning. There is not a flake in sight on the ash. “Stacking nickels,” as they say. It is white with streaks of grey and black. The mineral note begins to fade, leaving softer notes of coffee, sweet cream, and a hint of leather.
SECOND THIRD
>>Â Graham Cracker, Wood, Baking Spices
Baking spices on the retrohale, herald the beginning of the middle third. Graham cracker, coffee, and red pepper join the baking spices. There’s a hint of sweetness that comes and goes. The leather note has been replaced by wood. A slight note of citrus makes the chocolate note pop. The bread note from the cold draw lingers on my palate. The burn line is still slightly uneven. The ash only flaked when I gently deposited the ash in the tray. Dark chocolate, honey graham cracker, a hint of wood, and baking spices dominate this middle third. This middle third is coming together with the complexity and nuance I was hoping for.Â
FINAL THIRD
>> Chocolate, Citrus, Leather
The final third begins with leather and the mineral earthiness returning, sans salt. Chocolate, cream, coffee, honey, and baking spices all continue from the middle third. Black pepper rules the retrohale. The burn line is straight and the flakes on the ash are only from depositing it in the tray. The smoke output has been fantastic throughout. Citrus returns, as does the bread note. The final third is “brighter” than the previous two. There’s almost a meaty quality that begins to appear near the end of the final third.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
FLAVOR PROGRESSION
The Patina LE 2024 starts out with big notes of chocolate and leather. That said, there was a salty mineral note that just seemed to dominate the first third of the cigar. The second and final thirds were, in my opinion, more balanced than that first third. The complex and nuanced flavors really came through during the final two thirds of the cigar, with the final third replaying the “greatest hits” from the first two thirds.Â
BURN EXPERIENCE
While the burn was not problematic at all, it did not really burn straight until the final third. I know I always say this but…if there were no touch-ups, relights, canoeing, or tunneling, then what are we really complaining about? Aesthetics? It certainly did not affect my enjoyment of the cigar.Â
RATING BREAKDOWN
0.73Â / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.50Â / 0.50 …Â Pre-Light Characteristics
0.50Â / 0.50 …Â Lighting Process
6.66Â / 7.70 …Â Smoking Experience
0.42Â / 0.50 …Â Personal Enjoyment
COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES
- The final two-thirds of this cigar were absolutely brilliant!
- Great construction!
- The first third was dominated by a salty mineral note.
PATINA CIGARS LE 2024 DELIVERS
Perhaps, just perhaps, my expectations were too high. Maybe it’s me? Maybe I’m the problem? An 8.81 seems low for a cigar that delivers complex and nuance notes of chocolate, leather, baking spice, pepper, honey, graham cracker, and black pepper throughout the cigar. The problem, for me it seems, was the first third. The salty mineral note dominated my palate on each cigar smoked for this review. It just seemed so out of place compared to what the rest of the cigar delivered. Regardless, I still thoroughly enjoyed the cigar and I think you will, too. Luckily for you, site sponsor Small Batch Cigar still has these in stock. I would highly recommend a 5 pack!
