As mentioned previously, we picked up this J. H. Bards Port Barrel Finished Bourbon during a recent visit to the distillery. I bought the bottle, untasted, on a whim. Well, technically we had been given a taste, but we were drinking pineapple rich Painkillers at the time, so the flavor of the bourbon taster was pretty well overshadowed.

It's been quite a while since I spent an evening sipping good beer and enjoying a cigar at the Olde Towne Tobacconist lounge located onsite at 1781 Brewery and Wilderness Run Vineyards. Having beer, wine, and cigars all in one spot makes an excellent outing, but still I most often enjoy my cigars in the convenience of my home. It makes partaking in a few drinks easier as well. I did venture out on a recent weekend evening for a change of scenery.

I was perusing the endless internet recently, questioning if there was a Patron Saint dedicated to cigar smoking. I found plenty of information related holy persons who smoked. Catherine de Ricci is referenced as the Patron Saint of the sick people, tobacco, and pipe makers, but no reason is given. Close but no cigar. 

We're at Kellermans
Baby's not in the corner
Our love story is better

It's what the weekends are made for.

Even working from home can be a drag if you are stuck inside, staring at a laptop. When the weather is pleasant it's get more bearable. I was sitting outside after the morning walk, enjoying my coffee before before going inside the start the work day. Then I thought, "Why go inside?" 

Once every month or two, I join some friends to travel into Maryland to shoot an IDPA match. Afterwards we shop for distilled beverages, and enjoy a lunch somewhere. We've shopped at the same liquor store for for the past decade or so. We enjoyed a good relationship with the owner, who would order special requests, and even gift glassware occasionally. The store had a small but interesting and varying bourbon selection, and most of the time I found bourbons I couldn't find in Virginia, or bottles at a lower price. The establishment has since changed ownership, and the new staff is not as knowledgeable about bourbon, but we still stop by to look for new goodies.

This pairing was made of two things I had been looking forward to trying out, so I decided to have both new additions together. The cigar had been sitting in my humidor for about six weeks, while the rye had been waiting just a week or so.

We had a long day of traveling to run errands out of town recently. As some consolation we treated ourselves to a large, late lunch before heading home. When I sat down to consider a cigar that evening I was still feeling full, and also tired. As such, I opted to forego the distilled spirit with my smoke. As a flavorful diversion to plain water I opted for a Sparkling Ice Orange Mango sparkling water.

August 14 is the Feast Day of the Martyrs of Otranto. These faithful Christians were victims of muslim brutality and conquest in the Italian city of Otranto in 1480. Two days prior, on August 11, the town, which had been under siege for two weeks, was finally overrun by the Ottoman invaders. Subsequently, all men in the town over the age of 50 were slaughtered, and women and children under 15 were sent away into slavery. The leader of the invaders, Pasha Ament ordered over 800 surviving Christian men brought before him and commanded them to convert to islam or face death. The faithful refused to cave in to his barbarous demands.

One of the men came forth and spoke in a manner that we should all pray we could emulate,

My brothers, until today we have fought in defense of our country, to save our lives, and for our lords; now it is time that we fight to save our souls for our Lord, so that having died on the cross for us, it is good that we should die for him, standing firm and constant in the faith, and with this earthly death we shall win eternal life and the glory of martyrs.

Angered and frustratesd that they would not renounce their faith, Pasha Ament ordered all the men killed. On August 14, 1480, the prisoners were brought to a nearby hill and beheaded, while their families and friends were mercessly forced to watch. According to tradition, the body of the first victim, Antonio Primaldo, refused to fall over until the entire group had been executed. The destruction of the town complete, and its population decimated, the moslem invaders continued their march toward Rome.

A year later, in October 1481, the bodies of the martyrs were found to be uncorrupted and moved to the Otranto cathedral. On December 14, 1771, Pope Clement XIV beatified these brave men. On May 12, 2013 their cause for Sainthood was completed when Pope Francis declared the Martyrs of Otranto to be among the Saints in Heaven.


The war on Christianity continues to this day. Not only from the scimitar in the Middle East, but with increasing frequency right here at home due to the actions of our own government. Today as we remember these brave men pray we remain as strong in our own wars against the minions of Satan.

Also see "How the 800 Martyrs of Otranto Saved Rome" for more on the martyrs and their place in the history of Christendom.