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A Flavor Feast: Rojas Street Tacos Al Pastor Gordo Review

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 28th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

I hadn’t visited Hogshead Cigar in nearly two months and was looking forward to enjoying the lounge again. No matter how pleasant the weather, nothing compares to savoring a cigar indoors from the comfort of a big leather chair.

Browsing the humidor, I quickly settled on the Rojas Street Tacos Al Pastor Gordo, figuring it would provide a long, relaxing smoking session.

This is an impressive-looking cigar. The glossy Ecuadorian Habano wrapper covers the hefty 6 x 60 stick, while a Mexican San Andrés binder and a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos complete the makeup.

Upon lighting, the cigar immediately delivered bold notes of dark chocolate, black coffee, and black pepper. The opening strength soon eased into a balanced profile of creamy sweet spice and mocha. About an inch in, I began to detect a charred meat note — more like delicious burnt ends than stray bits of meat fallen into the charcoal.

The Al Pastor puts out generous amounts of smoke, which continues to waft from the foot even at rest. Each puff surrounded me with thick, aromatic clouds. The burn remained even and steady throughout the smoke, which stretched well past two hours.

This was the second cigar I’ve tried from the Street Tacos line, the first being the Cinco de Mayo 2025. While I enjoyed that one, the Al Pastor Gordo impressed me even more — I smoked it all the way down to the nub. The flavors were a masterful interplay of savory, sweet, and spice.

Cheers!

An Afternoon Well Spent at the Range

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 27th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

It’s a joy to finally be back at the range with some regularity — even if “regular” right now means three weeks in a row. There was a time when I practiced nearly every week and shot one to three matches a month. I don’t expect, or even want, to return to that pace, but a match every month or so, if only for the social side of it, would be a welcome addition.

For this session, I brought along some paper IDPA practice targets. They aren’t my favorite since the dark scoring lines are more obvious than the subtle perforations on the official version, but they get the job done.

I set up at the 15-yard line and focused on two-shot strings: DA/SA and SA/SA sequences, mostly from the holster, with the occasional start from high ready. Everything was fired at a controlled pace from a stationary position, since range rules prohibit shooting on the move.

To mix things up, I worked in some SHO (strong hand only) and WHO (weak hand only) shooting, which actually went better than expected. A few strings at 25 yards added a bit of extra challenge, and it seems my regular dry-fire sessions are beginning to show results.

For a touch of fun, I took aim at a 4” rubber ball target someone had left hanging from a rope. Landing a few solid hits on that moving target was a satisfying change of pace.

I’d loaded 100 rounds into magazines, planning on a short outing. But when I “discovered” an extra box of 50 tucked in my bag, well — it only made sense to run through those too. ?

Cheers!

An Afternoon Well Spent at the Range

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 27th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

It’s a joy to finally be back at the range with some regularity — even if “regular” right now means three weeks in a row. There was a time when I practiced nearly every week and shot one to three matches a month. I don’t expect, or even want, to return to that pace, but a match every month or so, if only for the social side of it, would be a welcome addition.

For this session, I brought along some paper IDPA practice targets. They aren’t my favorite since the dark scoring lines are more obvious than the subtle perforations on the official version, but they get the job done.

I set up at the 15-yard line and focused on two-shot strings: DA/SA and SA/SA sequences, mostly from the holster, with the occasional start from high ready. Everything was fired at a controlled pace from a stationary position, since range rules prohibit shooting on the move.

To mix things up, I worked in some SHO (strong hand only) and WHO (weak hand only) shooting, which actually went better than expected. A few strings at 25 yards added a bit of extra challenge, and it seems my regular dry-fire sessions are beginning to show results.

For a touch of fun, I took aim at a 4” rubber ball target someone had left hanging from a rope. Landing a few solid hits on that moving target was a satisfying change of pace.

I’d loaded 100 rounds into magazines, planning on a short outing. But when I “discovered” an extra box of 50 tucked in my bag, well — it only made sense to run through those too. ?

Cheers!

Porchside Pairing: H. Upmann 1844 Añejo with Old Elk Cigar Cut

Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 25th, 2025
Category: Blog Entries.Local

Another evening of beautiful weather meant another sit on the porch. With no other plans, I dug into the humidor for something on the larger side and landed on the H. Upmann 1844 Añejo Toro. At 6 x 54, it promised a solid couple of hours of enjoyment.

The cigar wears a smooth, oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that shimmered in the fading sunlight. Construction was excellent — an even, seamless roll. Beneath the wrapper, a Pennsylvania Broadleaf binder holds filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua. This blend, aged for at least five years (as suggested by the name Añejo — Spanish for “old” or “vintage”), promises depth and complexity. Mine had been resting in the humidor about nine weeks, part of the June COTM shipment from Cigar and Pipes.

The smoke opens with rich notes of cocoa, coffee, and mild pepper spice, soon joined by hints of caramel sweetness and a sturdy woodiness. Cedar and pepper weave in and out throughout the long burn, but the profile stays balanced — complex yet approachable, with a satisfying full body. Construction was spot-on, delivering a steady burn and clouds of creamy smoke.

I was so caught up in the cigar that I nearly neglected the pour at my side: Old Elk Cigar Cut bourbon. Typically a celebratory pour for me, it felt right for this leisurely evening.

This bottling was the first “cigar blend” release from Old Elk Distillery in Fort Collins, Colorado. Built on six-year-old bourbons further finished in Sherry, Armagnac, Port, and Cognac casks, it’s bottled at 110.6 proof. On the nose, caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and spiced fruit draw you in. The palate reveals layers of dark chocolate, toffee, and baking spice, with faint notes of tobacco and leather lingering in the long, warming finish.

Like the cigar, the bourbon is layered and complex. I’ve always found port- and sherry-finished bourbons to pair beautifully with cigars, and the additional cask influences here add even more depth. It remains one of my favorite pours to enjoy with a full-bodied smoke — though it has become increasingly elusive on shelves. Old Elk has also released a Cigar Cut Island Blend, but that one still eludes me.

What more could I ask for? A bold, flavorful cigar, an exceptional pour, the setting sun, and blues floating from the outdoor speaker. A perfect evening.