Match M10 paired two Group B cigars searching for their first victory. Warped Corto had opened with a one-point loss to Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado, while Rocky Patel Sixty entered after a one-and-a-half-point loss to the same opponent. A second defeat would leave either cigar with no margin for error.
Both were made in Esteli, Nicaragua, with Nicaraguan binders and fillers, but their formats and personalities sat at opposite ends of the spectrum. Corto was a full-strength, 4.5 x 46 box-pressed boutique cigar built around Corojo '99 and Criollo '98. The Sixty was a medium-bodied 6 x 60 anniversary cigar wrapped in dark Mexican San Andres leaf.
Rocky Patel delivered the better construction score, but Warped answered in the two categories that best rewarded the compact cigar's character: draw and flavor complexity. Three ties left those small advantages to decide one of Group B's closest matchups.
Matchup at a Glance
| Category | Warped Corto | Rocky Patel Sixty |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Warped Cigars | Rocky Patel |
| Origin | Nicaragua | Nicaragua |
| Wrapper | Nicaraguan shade-grown Jalapa Corojo '99 | Mexican San Andres |
| Binder | Nicaraguan | Nicaraguan |
| Filler | Nicaraguan Corojo '99 and Criollo '98 | Nicaraguan |
| Factory | TABSA, Esteli, Nicaragua | TAVICUSA, Esteli, Nicaragua |
| Vitola | X46, 4.5 x 46, box-pressed | Sixty, 6 x 60 |
| Strength | Full | Medium |
| Ashology score | 28.0/30 - Excellent | 27.5/30 - Superior |
| M10 result | Winner | Loss |
Warped opened with cedar, hay, citrus peel and sweet tobacco. Bright cedar and white pepper led into cream, toasted bread and subtle citrus. Almond, earth, light coffee and honey-like sweetness broadened the middle before stronger pepper, roasted nuts and espresso sharpened the final third.
Rocky Patel Sixty began with cocoa, cedar, espresso and dried fruit. Rich earth, dark cocoa and black pepper established a dense first third. Espresso, leather, toasted walnut and restrained raisin sweetness followed, then dark-roast coffee, seasoned oak and increasing pepper created a substantial close.
The Sixty used its broad ring gauge and mature tobaccos to build weight and depth. Corto felt brighter and more animated, moving more distinctly among citrus, cream, nuts, coffee and spice. One profile emphasized richness; the other created the matchup's greater sense of motion.
Where the Matchup Was Decided
Burn, balance and finish all ended 4.5 to 4.5. Those three ties confirmed how little separated the cigars in combustion, integration and the quality of the final impression. The decision rested entirely on construction, draw and flavor complexity.
Warped won two categories; Rocky Patel won one; three categories tied.
Rocky Patel Sixty earned the matchup's only construction edge, scoring 5.0 against Corto's 4.5. Its substantial 6 x 60 format arrived beautifully made and performed with the structural consistency expected from an anniversary release.
Warped reversed that half-point deficit with a 5.0 draw against Rocky Patel's 4.5, then gained another half point in flavor complexity by the same score. Corto's controlled resistance and livelier transitions supplied the two advantages that mattered most.
The arithmetic was exact: Warped gained one point across draw and complexity, surrendered half a point in construction, and split the remaining categories. The net margin was half a point, 28.0 to 27.5.
Official Result: Warped Corto Wins Match M10
Warped Corto defeated Rocky Patel Sixty and improved to 1-1 in Group B. The victory restored Corto's advancement path before its final group matchup against Blackened S84 Shade to Black.
Warped later beat Blackened to finish 2-1, qualify second in Boutique Power and reach the Top 16. Its tournament ended against eventual champion Padrón 60th Anniversary Perfecto, leaving Corto with a 2-2 overall record and a place among the competition's final sixteen.
Rocky Patel fell to 0-2 before closing group play with a victory over Blackened. The Sixty finished 1-2, third in Group B and outside the advancing positions, but its 27.5-point performance in M10 showed how narrow the difference was between elimination and a renewed path forward.
Final Ashology Verdict
Rocky Patel Sixty delivered excellent construction, mature dark flavor and dependable scores that never fell below 4.5. Its cocoa, espresso, leather, walnut and oak created the richer, heavier presentation, and its perfect construction mark gave Warped a real problem to solve.
Warped Corto solved it through precision where the scorecard still had room to move. A perfect draw allowed the compact format to perform freely, while a perfect complexity score rewarded its brighter transitions and wider flavor movement.
M10 was a true half-point decision. Rocky Patel built the better cigar structurally; Warped delivered the more expressive smoking experience. With half the categories tied, Corto's extra edge in complexity became the difference between a second loss and the victory that ultimately supported a Top 16 run.
Tasting notes reflect the cigars and vitolas evaluated during the 2026 competition. Flavor, strength and burn performance may vary based on storage, age, vitola and individual palate. Tobacco products are intended only for adults of legal smoking age.