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Pairing The Banker Annuity with Chattanooga Single Barrel

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Nov 17th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

I had the cigar I wanted to smoke in hand — the H. Upmann The Banker Annuity. I knew it to be a medium-bodied smoke, perhaps even leaning even a bit milder. Scanning the whiskies on the shelf, I was torn. I was in the mood for a higher proof pour but didn’t want to overwhelm the cigar. I settled on the Chattanooga Whiskey Single Barrel Bourbon. Despite its 121.2 proof, I recalled it drinking on the milder side.

H. Upmann positions The Banker as a tribute to the brand’s founders — the Upmann brothers, German bankers who produced a special Cuban cigar in the 1800s for their most important clients. The modern line carries that inspiration forward.

The Annuity vitola is a 6? × 52 with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and aged Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. This stick had been resting in my humidor for nine weeks.

Chattanooga's Single Barrel is a “High Malt” bourbon made as part of the distillery’s single barrel and experimental programs. The mash bills feature at least 25% specialty malted grains, supplementing corn with malted barley and other malts. This particular barrel, B091, incorporates Yellow Corn, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley, and Honey Malted Barley, and was aged at least four years.

Going into the pairing, The H. Upmann landed firmly at a low-medium body with cedar, almond, pepper, and coffee forming the core profile. A touch of sweetness developed late. The burn was wavy and required several touch-ups, though the ash itself held well.

The Chattanooga Single Barrel delivered dessert-like flavors — caramel, honey, citrus, and a hint of char. The finish was sweet and bready, capped with a bit more heat than ideal for the cigar. A few drops of water helped bring forward the fruit and soften the finish, creating a more harmonious combination.

As I settled into the smoke and sip, I enjoyed the shared dessert tones of the pairing, even if it didn’t quite rise to the level of exceptional. I did pour a little more whiskey as the 90-minute session continued, and despite the burn issues, the cigar stayed cool and enjoyable down to a finger-warming nub. In the end, the two may not have been a perfect match, but they proved satisfying companions — a pairing that came together even better than I first expected.

Cheers!

Pairing The Banker Annuity with Chattanooga Single Barrel

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Nov 17th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

I had the cigar I wanted to smoke in hand — the H. Upmann The Banker Annuity. I knew it to be a medium-bodied smoke, perhaps even leaning even a bit milder. Scanning the whiskies on the shelf, I was torn. I was in the mood for a higher proof pour but didn’t want to overwhelm the cigar. I settled on the Chattanooga Whiskey Single Barrel Bourbon. Despite its 121.2 proof, I recalled it drinking on the milder side.

H. Upmann positions The Banker as a tribute to the brand’s founders — the Upmann brothers, German bankers who produced a special Cuban cigar in the 1800s for their most important clients. The modern line carries that inspiration forward.

The Annuity vitola is a 6? × 52 with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and aged Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. This stick had been resting in my humidor for nine weeks.

Chattanooga's Single Barrel is a “High Malt” bourbon made as part of the distillery’s single barrel and experimental programs. The mash bills feature at least 25% specialty malted grains, supplementing corn with malted barley and other malts. This particular barrel, B091, incorporates Yellow Corn, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley, and Honey Malted Barley, and was aged at least four years.

Going into the pairing, The H. Upmann landed firmly at a low-medium body with cedar, almond, pepper, and coffee forming the core profile. A touch of sweetness developed late. The burn was wavy and required several touch-ups, though the ash itself held well.

The Chattanooga Single Barrel delivered dessert-like flavors — caramel, honey, citrus, and a hint of char. The finish was sweet and bready, capped with a bit more heat than ideal for the cigar. A few drops of water helped bring forward the fruit and soften the finish, creating a more harmonious combination.

As I settled into the smoke and sip, I enjoyed the shared dessert tones of the pairing, even if it didn’t quite rise to the level of exceptional. I did pour a little more whiskey as the 90-minute session continued, and despite the burn issues, the cigar stayed cool and enjoyable down to a finger-warming nub. In the end, the two may not have been a perfect match, but they proved satisfying companions — a pairing that came together even better than I first expected.

Cheers!

Lewis Ginter Christmas Lights 2025 Edition

Author: Chris ODonnell From https://odonnellweb.com/pelican/ • Nov 16th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

As members of Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, we get to see the annual Christmas light display at no extra cost the weekend before it's opened to the public. It was light jacket last night, so certainly not "Christmas weather," and last night did nothing to get me into the Christmas spirit. With all the shit in my life and the world currently, I'm not feeling the holiday spirit at all.

Lewis Ginter Christmas Lights 2025 Edition

Author: Chris ODonnell From https://odonnellweb.com/pelican/ • Nov 16th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

As members of Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, we get to see the annual Christmas light display at no extra cost the weekend before it's opened to the public. It was light jacket last night, so certainly not "Christmas weather," and last night did nothing to get me into the Christmas spirit. With all the shit in my life and the world currently, I'm not feeling the holiday spirit at all.

NPR likes me – health insurance edition

Author: Chris ODonnell From https://odonnellweb.com/pelican/ • Nov 15th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

Last week someone on Mastodon posted a link to an article on NPR.org looking for people that wanted to talk about health insurance. I happen to have some very recent history in this area so I completed the form. Earlier this week NPR reached out and did a 3-minute interview, of which one sentence ended up in the story. But it was the lead!

Yesterday NPR reached back out asking for a picture, as they are turning the Morning Edition audio story into a print story. I have not seen it online yet, but when I do, I'll add it here.

Keep pressuring your representatives. Trump has lost Marjorie Green Taylor, who was very much acolyte #1 in the cult 12 months ago. Once Trump falls MAGA goes with him. JD Fucking Vance is not going to inspire that type of loyalty.

Ironically, the Republicans have now decided that insurance companies are the problem. They are not wrong, but of course they have no interest in actually fixing the problem. They've been unwilling and unable to produce a single plan to fix healthcare since Trump promised it was days away in 2016, but now that the voters have spoken, they are producing healthcare reform over a couple of evenings of cigars and coke in the basement of the House building.

What could possibly go wrong?

Meanwhile, I watched a YouTube video last night about 10 countries where I I could live for about $1000 a month. I'm sure the video is making all kinds of assumptions that don't apply to me, but even if they are off by a lot, $2500 a month plus whatever insulin pump stuff may cost would be a very dramatic improvement in my life. It definitely bears further research.

I used to occasionally wonder what it was like to live through the fall of an empire. Did the average Roman know the empire was falling? I guess I'm going to get an answer to that the question the hard way, by living through it myself.

NPR likes me – health insurance edition

Author: Chris ODonnell From https://odonnellweb.com/pelican/ • Nov 15th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

Last week someone on Mastodon posted a link to an article on NPR.org looking for people that wanted to talk about health insurance. I happen to have some very recent history in this area so I completed the form. Earlier this week NPR reached out and did a 3-minute interview, of which one sentence ended up in the story. But it was the lead!

Yesterday NPR reached back out asking for a picture, as they are turning the Morning Edition audio story into a print story. I have not seen it online yet, but when I do, I'll add it here. The NPR.org story

Keep pressuring your representatives. Trump has lost Marjorie Green Taylor, who was very much acolyte #1 in the cult 12 months ago. Once Trump falls MAGA goes with him. JD Fucking Vance is not going to inspire that type of loyalty.

Ironically, the Republicans have now decided that insurance companies are the problem. They are not wrong, but of course they have no interest in actually fixing the problem. They've been unwilling and unable to produce a single plan to fix healthcare since Trump promised it was days away in 2016, but now that the voters have spoken, they are producing healthcare reform over a couple of evenings of cigars and coke in the basement of the House building.

What could possibly go wrong?

Meanwhile, I watched a YouTube video last night about 10 countries where I I could live for about $1000 a month. I'm sure the video is making all kinds of assumptions that don't apply to me, but even if they are off by a lot, $2500 a month plus whatever insulin pump stuff may cost would be a very dramatic improvement in my life. It definitely bears further research.

I used to occasionally wonder what it was like to live through the fall of an empire. Did the average Roman know the empire was falling? I guess I'm going to get an answer to that the question the hard way, by living through it myself.

Breaking the Porch Routine for an Afternoon at Hogshead

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Nov 14th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

It’s been far too long since I’ve paid a visit to Hogshead Cigar Lounge. Oddly enough, enjoying a smoke at my local brick-and-mortar used to be almost a weekly ritual just a couple of years ago. In theory, retiring last year should have meant I’d visit even more often — a theory that hasn’t panned out. Recovery from back surgery certainly kept me home for a while, but that’s no longer much of a factor.

In truth, convenience has won out. I have a well-stocked humidor at home, and the newly renovated screened porch right off the kitchen makes for a very comfortable smoking spot. Even with colder weather settling in, the heater and air purifier make the space perfectly usable. And of course, it’s right there — no need to hop in the car and drive 30 minutes.

Still, the lure of leather chairs and the chance for conversation finally won me over this week, and I headed to my favorite cigar lounge for a visit.

As expected for a weekday afternoon, the lounge was quiet. A steady flow of customers came and went, but few stayed to smoke. I settled in with my cigar of choice — the Black Label Trading Company Eletto.

Italian for “the chosen one,” the Eletto is a limited-edition release celebrating the 10th anniversary of Fábrica Oveja Negra, the factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, where Black Label Trading Company cigars are made. Released this past summer, I hadn’t yet picked one up to try.

I selected the 6? × 50 Toro. It features a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuadorian Habano binder, and Nicaraguan fillers, all topped with a decorative pigtail cap. The cigar opens with dark fruit and a good dose of spice. As it progresses, cocoa and dark licorice develop, adding depth and balancing the heat. As one would expect from Black Label, it’s a bold and complex smoke.

My smoking session lasted about 90 minutes. While conversation was limited, the visit was a comfortable and relaxing escape. Still, as I sat there sipping sparkling water, I remembered another factor that’s been keeping me smoking at home — I have bourbon in the house.

Cheers!

Breaking the Porch Routine for an Afternoon at Hogshead

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Nov 14th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

It’s been far too long since I’ve paid a visit to Hogshead Cigar Lounge. Oddly enough, enjoying a smoke at my local brick-and-mortar used to be almost a weekly ritual just a couple of years ago. In theory, retiring last year should have meant I’d visit even more often — a theory that hasn’t panned out. Recovery from back surgery certainly kept me home for a while, but that’s no longer much of a factor.

In truth, convenience has won out. I have a well-stocked humidor at home, and the newly renovated screened porch right off the kitchen makes for a very comfortable smoking spot. Even with colder weather settling in, the heater and air purifier make the space perfectly usable. And of course, it’s right there — no need to hop in the car and drive 30 minutes.

Still, the lure of leather chairs and the chance for conversation finally won me over this week, and I headed to my favorite cigar lounge for a visit.

As expected for a weekday afternoon, the lounge was quiet. A steady flow of customers came and went, but few stayed to smoke. I settled in with my cigar of choice — the Black Label Trading Company Eletto.

Italian for “the chosen one,” the Eletto is a limited-edition release celebrating the 10th anniversary of Fábrica Oveja Negra, the factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, where Black Label Trading Company cigars are made. Released this past summer, I hadn’t yet picked one up to try.

I selected the 6? × 50 Toro. It features a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuadorian Habano binder, and Nicaraguan fillers, all topped with a decorative pigtail cap. The cigar opens with dark fruit and a good dose of spice. As it progresses, cocoa and dark licorice develop, adding depth and balancing the heat. As one would expect from Black Label, it’s a bold and complex smoke.

My smoking session lasted about 90 minutes. While conversation was limited, the visit was a comfortable and relaxing escape. Still, as I sat there sipping sparkling water, I remembered another factor that’s been keeping me smoking at home — I have bourbon in the house.

Cheers!

Cellar Surprise: Wicked Nymph Stout & Event Horizon Cigar Pairing

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Nov 11th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

I pulled an old beer from the cellar to enjoy this past weekend — Wicked Nymph, a barrel-aged Imperial Stout from Adventure Brewing. The corked and caged bottle was purchased back in 2015 and had been quietly collecting dust in the basement for the past decade.

When I worked out the still-tight cork, I was greeted by a satisfying “pop” and a wave of sweet, roasted aroma. Aged in bourbon barrels from A. Smith Bowman Distillery, the beer clocks in at 10.4% ABV.

A thick beige head formed during the pour, though it faded fairly quickly. The first sip revealed rich notes of cocoa, coffee, and a hint of bourbon warmth. A touch of dark fruit sweetness lingered in the background creating a smooth finish with just a trace of bitterness. It was a tasty pour that leads me to wonder what other treasures are still hiding in the basement.

To complement the beer, I paired it with a Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon. I’d picked up a five-pack of these cigars back in July and hadn’t yet gotten around to lighting one up. The 5.5” x 50 Robusto features a dark Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder, with Nicaraguan fillers. It’s finished with a small pigtail cap and a mostly closed foot.

Right from the first light, I was enveloped in a rich, dense cloud of smoke — a sign of things to come. The cigar produced copious smoke throughout and maintained an impressively even burn.

Flavor-wise, the Event Horizon delivered bold notes of roasted pepper, bitter espresso, dark fruit, and a mix of pepper and chili spice. Despite its full-bodied intensity, the smoke was remarkably smooth, with a subtle sweetness that kept everything in balance.

I went into this pairing hoping the beer had aged gracefully and that its dark, roasted character would complement the cigar’s richness. I was not disappointed on either count. Sadly, the Barrel-Aged Wicked Nymph is now just a memory — but thankfully, I have more Event Horizons waiting for the next occasion.

Cheers!

Cellar Surprise: Wicked Nymph Stout & Event Horizon Cigar Pairing

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Nov 11th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

I pulled an old beer from the cellar to enjoy this past weekend — Wicked Nymph, a barrel-aged Imperial Stout from Adventure Brewing. The corked and caged bottle was purchased back in 2015 and had been quietly collecting dust in the basement for the past decade.

When I worked out the still-tight cork, I was greeted by a satisfying “pop” and a wave of sweet, roasted aroma. Aged in bourbon barrels from A. Smith Bowman Distillery, the beer clocks in at 10.4% ABV.

A thick beige head formed during the pour, though it faded fairly quickly. The first sip revealed rich notes of cocoa, coffee, and a hint of bourbon warmth. A touch of dark fruit sweetness lingered in the background creating a smooth finish with just a trace of bitterness. It was a tasty pour that leads me to wonder what other treasures are still hiding in the basement.

To complement the beer, I paired it with a Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon. I’d picked up a five-pack of these cigars back in July and hadn’t yet gotten around to lighting one up. The 5.5” x 50 Robusto features a dark Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder, with Nicaraguan fillers. It’s finished with a small pigtail cap and a mostly closed foot.

Right from the first light, I was enveloped in a rich, dense cloud of smoke — a sign of things to come. The cigar produced copious smoke throughout and maintained an impressively even burn.

Flavor-wise, the Event Horizon delivered bold notes of roasted pepper, bitter espresso, dark fruit, and a mix of pepper and chili spice. Despite its full-bodied intensity, the smoke was remarkably smooth, with a subtle sweetness that kept everything in balance.

I went into this pairing hoping the beer had aged gracefully and that its dark, roasted character would complement the cigar’s richness. I was not disappointed on either count. Sadly, the Barrel-Aged Wicked Nymph is now just a memory — but thankfully, I have more Event Horizons waiting for the next occasion.

Cheers!