Archives for the ‘Blog Entries.Local’ Category

Afternoon Cappuccino and a Cigar

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Nov 1st, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
Sometimes you just need a diversion from gazing at spreadsheets and answering email. On a warm afternoon that could mean heading outside for a coffee and cigar. In the mood for something sweet and and a little decadent, I made a quick cappuccino. 


The accompanying smoke was a Southern Draw Rose of Sharon Desert Rose Londsdale. This limited edition of the Desert Rose is a 6 x 44 lonsdale that features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, a Nicaraguan habano leaf binder, and filler consisting of Honduran Corojo 99 and Dominican Ciloto Cubano tobaccos. The wrapper is said to be a bolder version of Ecuadorian Connecticut used in the original Rose of Sharon. I enjoy Southern Draw cigars frequently, but have actually not had the Rose of Sharon so I will accept that untested. What I do know, is this cigar is more robust than I typically expect from Connecticut wrapper, and that's a good thing. The cigar kicked off with a peppery spice, before the addition of creamy bread and earth. Start to finish I found it a flavorful companion to the creamy espresso drink.

It wasn't too long before my "diversion" was interrupted by an urgent request for some data from my the salt mine. Thankful for wifi, I was able to continue the afternoon smoke while working on my laptop. 

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Weekend Pistol Shooting

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 31st, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
After a few months of missing out, I was happy to have the opportunity to shoot an IDPA match with friends last weekend. It was an especially pleasant morning as the October temps rose into the mid-80's over the weekend. I decided to shoot my Compact Sig P320 instead of the Full Size model I'd used most of the year. That gun had not been out since the Spring, and gets carried more in the winter, so it was time.

The match organizers had six interesting stages prepared for us. The first stage we shot was a "Standards" stage with two shooting boxes. The directions were to start with six rounds loaded in the gun. We had to fire one shot at each of six targets, before moving to the opposite box and reengaging the targets with six more rounds. It was a good way to warm up, though I did manage to have one hit on the center non-threat. The same edge of the same target was tagged by about 6 other people on our squad, so it seems it a well-placed challenge!


Next up was a more typical field course stage starting with a couple of close targets. After that we maneuvered around the walls engaging targets as they became visible. The short field courses, still with lots of movement are always enjoyable.


Then we had the stage called "Also a Standard," consisting of just four targets. One of those targets was paced off at about 24 yards. Starting with our hands touching the wall, we first engaged a target across the bay to our left, before turning our attention to the one barely visible "way down there." Then there were two more targets, both partially blocked by non-threats. One was directly to our right behind the wall, the other we backed uprange to shoot around the other end of the wall. I was extra pleased to shoot this one only -1; that one low shot being on the far target.


That fun stage was followed by another fun field course. That one had us seated at the start with our firearms and loading devices on a table a few yards distant. It presented a good mix of target engagements.

The next stage presented the challenge of head shot only targets. There was an array of four targets to the front, along with lone targets to the right and left of the start position. In a nod to the upcoming Halloween festivities, we started the course of fire with our hands resting on a "bloody" bandage, presumably a wounded companion. Nature provided an additional challenge -- the sunlight showing brightly through the pasted holes on the left target, made it nearly impossible to distinguish between your hits and ones from previous shooters. I managed to shoot just two down for the course.


For the last stage we hiked up to a distant bay where there was a large arrangement of walls set up. The layout was used at the previous weekend's USPSA match, and is modified and reused often. We didn't make use of the entire setup. The course included a mix of close and long distant targets. The final position required engaging targets from low cover while kneeling. On top of shooting a little too fast on the long targets and racking up points down, I shot the last two targets out of order and earned a PE. Not the best way to wrap up the match, but the stage was enjoyable nonetheless.


I actually felt pretty good about my shooting overall. For all intents and purposes, I was accurate enough, but my legs don't move as fast or my eyes focus as quickly as they once did. The weather certainly was a treat, with the unseasonably warm temperatures. The social aspect is always great at the matches. And I got to shoot? What's not to like?


Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Oliva Serie V Lancero and Four Roses Small Batch

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 30th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
This Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon has been on my shelf since February 2020, with only a few pours taken. It had floated to the back row and simply been overlooked. Sadly, I hardly remembered much about it so I grabbed the bottle recently to enjoy on a warmish evening. 

Small Batch Select is a regular production release, consisting of a blend of six of Four Roses' ten mash bills. It is bottled at 104 proof. The aroma has a touch of alcohol, but sweet, dark fruit and oak predominate. On the palate the spice notes kick things off. That initial kick is joined by dark fruit, and vanilla sweetness. It's flavorful and well-balanced. The finish lingers with spice and candied fruit notes and the mouthfeel is creamy and clean. 


I paired the flavorful bourbon with an Oliva Serie V Lancero. I've been enjoying more lanceros of late. I find the slender sticks typically have flavor profiles similar to their counterparts in different vitolas. However, those flavors are often intensified or concentrated somewhat. Be that from the higher wrapper-to-filler ratio, or the focused smoke coming out of the cigar could be debatable. They do take a more skilled roller to create and I find they are generally well-constructed and perform well. 

The 7 x 38 stick has a Habano Sun Grown wrapper with Nicaraguan tobaccos for the binder and fillers, including Jalapa Valley Ligero. The usual Serie V flavors of cocoa, coffee, roasted nuts, and cedar are present, all seemingly slightly enhanced in the elegant cigar.

This pairing was especially pleasurable. The Four Rose Small Batch Select bottle likely won't be ignored in the coming weeks. Fortunately it seems to be readily available  in my area. 

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

386,998 Words

Author: From https://odonnellweb.com/pelican/ • Oct 27th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local

There are 386,998 words in the directory containing my blog posts, or about 4-5 novels.

I made pretty good advertising money back in peak blog, so there is a strong argument I made more blogging than if I had self-published 4 or 5 novels.

But "I've published 5 novels" has a ring to it that you just don't get from "I've published 5 novels worth of blog posts."

I've spent a lot of time over the last 20+ years writing a lot of words that were read by not many people.

My high school English teachers would probably be impressed by the quantity, at least. The quality, not so much. The quantity of typos would kill them though.

There is no real point to this post. I just suddenly wondered what my word output was. I have never tried to calculate this before. It's super easy on Linux, one simple command. It turns out it is greater than I expected. I was thinking maybe two novels of words, not five.


Five O’Clock Friday: Weekend Diet Tip

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 27th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
Stay healthy my friends.


Enjoy the weekend.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

BLTC Bishops Blend Novemdiales And A Cocktail

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 27th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
Though the weather's turning cool, we managed a "cocktail hour" on the porch one afternoon this week. Granted, the portable heaters were needed but it was still quite pleasant. After short discussion, we settled on the Old Fashioned as our libation as choice. 

I chose a Black Label Trading Company Bishops Blend Novemdiales in Robusto to enjoy on this afternoon. The annual Bishops Blend releases are one of my favorite smokes, and the 2023 version was especially intriguing. A Pennsylvania broadleaf wrapper, Ecuadorian habano binder, and a complex filler of tobaccos from Nicaragua, Pennsylvania, and a Connecticut broadleaf promised a flavorful smoke. The prior years' releases used an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper. I've been sitting on the cigars for about three weeks and could resist no longer.

Trivia: Novemdiales is the term for the nine days of mourning following the death of the Pope. 


The Novemdiales Robusto is a 5 x 50 torpedo with a sharply pointed cap and a closed foot. The roll was densely packed. As expected this is a full bodied smoke. The flavor profile is rich with dark fruit, bitter espresso, with cedar and pepper spices. Despite the short humidor time, the stick burned well. At about the last third, the draw closed a bit. I used my PerfecDraw tool to open it up and all was well once again.

I enjoyed the Bishops Blend Novemdiales immensely. I still have a few sticks from the 2020 and 2021 releases that I'll eventually smoke. I should probably not hold them too long as that might mute the bold profiles. Only 900 boxes of the three 2023 vitolas were released, so I should probably grab a few more of those while I can.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Saturday Evening With Little Book Chapter 6 Whiskey

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 25th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
Lately I've been turning to whiskeys on my shelves that I haven't opened in a while. Often first impressions don't do a whiskey justice. One's mood, the foods recently eaten, the weather, many factors influence the enjoyment. The same is true with cigars, although I am admittedly more apt to stick with my initial judgments when I don't enjoy a specific cigar. Maybe the higher of the beverages allows for more second chances.

This weekend I grabbed the decorative box containing Freddie Noe's Little Book Chapter 6 "To The Finish" for another try. I had opened the bottle a year ago when I picked it up during one of VA ABC's over-hyped "allocated drops." At the time I was admittedly questioning the price I had paid for the bottle. This time was different, and I was moved to refill my glass more than once before the evening was done.


The Little Book series is an annual release from Freddie Noe, the son of Jim Beam master distiller, Fred Noe. The blended whiskeys are a testament to Freddie Noe's talent, and a nod to the family's heritage. Chapter 6 "To The Finish" contains four different, four year old malt whiskeys and a five year straight bourbon.

The whiskey is bottled at 117.45 proof. The aroma brings images of "someone's baking in the kitchen" with scents of brown sugar, caramel, and spices. The sip is warming, with oak, walnuts, cinnamon, and a mild pleasing smokiness. The finish lingers as it coats the tongue with an oily viscousness. 


I selected a Lampert Oscuru Torpedo to smoke with the whiskey. This was a selection that was included in the July Luxury Cigar Club Core membership and is an otherwise unreleased variation of the Lampert Cigars Oro lineup. It's a hefty 6 x 52 torpedo. The specific tobaccos were not listed. This is an impressive looking cigar, very well rolled with a sharply pointed cap. The dark wrapper was smooth and glistened under the lights of my deck. In fact, it was so oily and smooth that it actually slipped out of my hand about mid-smoke. Impressively the ash mostly held and the burn was unaffected by the fall.

The flavors of the cigar complimented the whiskey well. Dark chocolate, espresso, roasted nuts, and some pepper all made themselves known. Medium to full bodied, the profile was not overwhelmed by the flavorful high proof drink. I tend to start with a skeptical mindset when a cigar of the month club throws in  unreleased or newly found stock, especially from lesser-known (to me) brands. I need not have worried with this one. I've yet to be disappointed by anything shipped by Luxury Cigar Club.

I had to adjust my heater to be nearer to me and at a higher setting by the time the smoke was finished, but the evening remained pleasurable. The flavorful whiskey and cigar took away much notice of the cool evening air and breeze. 

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Friday Nightcap

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 23rd, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
Left to my own devices Friday evening while Colleen visited with friends, I made a short visit to a local brewery, then capped the evening with a late night cigar and bourbon at home. Some Penelope Four Grain Straight Bourbon and a United Cigars Firecracker, all paired with a bit of truffle chocolate filled the bill.


The United Firecracker is an annual release, typically around the 4th of July each year. This stick was part of the July Luxury Cigar Club shipment but arrived after the holiday. Of course I didn't expect to keep it around until next year! The 3 1/2 x 50 cigar has an Ecuadorian wrapper, Nicuarguan binder, and a Nicaraguan and Dominican blend as filler. The cap features a long twisted tobacco "fuse" that lays along the side of the cigar before cutting. The smoke starts off with sweet crackers and brown sugar notes, spiced with cinnamon. The flavor strength kicks up in the second half of the cigar, with the addition of cedar and earth. 

I've had the Penelope Bourbon previously. At that time I found the 80 proof bourbon to be lightly flavored but enjoyable. Vanilla, oak, and butterscotch combined for a mild flavor profile. This time, I felt a bit let down by the profile. Perhaps the medium to full bodied cigar overwhelmed it. Or even the chocolate perhaps.

Despite the less-than-ideal pairing, the late evening on the deck was a pleasant way to wind down after a long week.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

The Approaching Season of Cold Weather Smoking

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 21st, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
It's no secret I am not a fan of cold weather. Deep down, I think it's mostly the early sunsets that affects the mood the most. Smoking on the deck in the dark AND cold can dampen the spirit. Fall is not bad, but it portends the coming of winter. 

This time of year I am slow to adapt to the changes. However, once I settle in with the drink and smoke, it's generally not so bad. I'll turn on the flood lights, crank up the propane heaters (and sometimes supplement with electric heat lamps) and it's pleasant enough. Shorter smokes will soon become the norm.

Earlier this week on a cool evening I gathered my resolve and I ventured out with some Woodford Reserve Double Oak Bourbon and a Fratello DMV Maduro Selection Delaware.


The Woodford bourbon is always an easy choice. It's got that "classic" bourbon flavor and pairs well with a cigar. With smooth, sweet oak notes, mild fruit and vanilla, and a mild bourbon heat, it can go down too easily if one is not mindful.

The Fratello DMV Maduro Selection had been hiding in my humidor since late 2020 when the limited release debuted. The series consisted of four varieties, labeled Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and DC. Released as a limited run of 600 12-count sampler boxes, it was a followup to the original Fratello DMV series released in 2018. Each of the 6 x 50 sticks has the same binder and filler tobaccos, but a different wrapper. No specific blend details were made available. Most of my box is long gone now, but I still have a few individuals on hand.


The slightly aged stick burned exceptionally well. I recall some consistent burn issues when I initially smoked them right after their release. The oily maduro wrapper shined in the glow of the porch lights. The cigar was medium, venturing into full flavored, with roasted nut, espresso, and cedar notes. There were interesting and pleasant charred meat and tobacco flavors persisting on the palate.

Despite the coolness, and I did need to crank up the level on the heater near the end, the time on the deck with a cigar and bourbon was quite pleasant after all.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Five O’Clock Friday: A Better Fall Spice

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Oct 20th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
Enough with the pumpkin already!


Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

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