Five O’Clock Friday: Follow Your Dreams
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 25th, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
I've been dreaming of the weekend all week.
Dreams do come true.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Archives for the ‘Blog Entries.Local’ Category
Category: Blog Entries.Local
Plasencia Reserva and Sagamore Spirit Sherry Finish Rye
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 24th, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
Most of my cigar smoking is solitary. A good cigar and bourbon is my ideal way to wind down and loose the stress of the day. It's also certainly more convenient than driving to a cigar lounge. Of course, enjoying alcoholic beverages is easier when there's no driving involved. While we have frequent house guests, few of them enjoy cigars.
When a friend does come for the express purpose of smoking and drinking, I usually start out with a small exploratory tasting to decide what to pour. (I'm a believer in sticking with a single choice for an evening, rather that jumping around to different pours.) For a recent occasion, a friend and I settled on Sagamore Spirit Sherry Finish Rye. I find sherry and port finished whiskeys to be very complimentary to most cigars. I selected a Plasencia Reserva Original for our enjoyment. Colleen brought out cheese, crackers, nuts, and grapes to snack on. She's a rye fan, so she joined us on the deck as well.
Cheers!
Sagamore Spirit is carrying on the Maryland Rye tradition that started before, and resumed after Prohibition. I always think of Pikesville Rye when I think Maryland Rye, but that is now produced in Kentucky by Heaven Hill Distillery. Sagamore Spirit comes from Baltimore's Inner Harbor area, though they do employ sourced distillates.
This expression consists of a blend of four year old rye that is aged for 18 months in PX Sherry casks. The rye appears a deep burnt orange color in the glass. Aromas of dark fruit like figs, cherries, and raisons greet the nose. The opening sip brings a quick hit of cinnamon. That quickly subsides as the sherry influence on the rye comes to the forefront. The dark sherry flavors come through, with a hint of citrus and rye spice. The 106 proof is evident but not harsh or all-encompassing. I truly like this one and will be sad to see the bottle emptied, which may happen over a shorter timeline than planned.
The Plasencia Reserva is made with all Nicaraguan tobaccos. The cigar is medium bodied with a rich flavor profile that compliments the sherry influenced rye very well. Espresso, cedar, pepper, dark cherry notes, and some sweet toasted bread combine for an enjoyable pairing.
The rich flavor of the rye and the cigar prepared us quite well for the BBQ rib dinner that followed.
J. H. Bards Port Barrel Finished Bourbon
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 23rd, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
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.
The limited release bourbon is made with four year old bourbon that was further aged in port barrels from the local Beliveau Farms Winery. The aroma is muted and soft, with some sweet notes over the bourbon. At just 80 proof, the bourbon is light on the palate. There's a sweet fruit touch added to the oak and vanilla. The finish is short with some lingering sweetness. Overall, I found the drink to be on the mild side, while still being enjoyable.
With my initial taste of the bourbon before choosing a cigar told me to pick something on the milder side of the spectrum. I chose the Perdomo Twentieth Anniversary Sun Grown. The cigar is a 5 x 56 stick with a soft box press. It uses all Nicaraguan tobaccos in the blend. The wrapper leaves were aged for over 6 years, and then aged in bourbon barrels for another 14 months. The cigar gives off rich but not overwhelming notes of sweet cream, oak, and cocoa, all touched with a hint of pepper and cedar spice. This cigar is one I frequently pair with ales, and made a good match for the mild flavors of the bourbon.
The pairing was an enjoyable, low key combination. The port finished bourbon would probably not stand up to a more boldly flavored cigar. However, it does also seem like a suitable late evening sipper to be enjoyed alone, without accompaniment.
Cheers!
Cheers!
When There’s Cigar Lounge at the Brewery
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 22nd, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
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 enjoy the beers at 1781, especially their porters, dunkleweizens, and stouts. They are well-done, fresh, and pair up very well with cigars. On this evening I selected the Belsnickel Dunkleweizen. This is a low, 4.7% ABV dark wheat beer. The bready wheat and malt flavor has a good balance of sweet and bitter that pairs well with a cigar.
Speaking of old friends, as I was perusing the walk-in humidor I spied a box of La Flor Dominica La Box. I haven't smoked on of these in several years. The La Now is a 6 1/2 x 50 toro with a very dark, oily Brazilian wrapper. Under the beautiful wrapper lies a Mexican San Andrés binder and Dominican fillers. The flavor profile is rich with cocoa, espresso, and sweet nuts. While there's a strong bitter espresso component, it's balanced with a creamy sweetness. It's a full bodied and robust cigar.
The La Nox and the Belsnickel paired very well. The cool mid 70° temperature, clear night, and friendly conversations added to the fun. Hopefully, there will be more such outings as we move into fall weather in the next couple months.
Cheers!
Feast of Saint Pius X
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 21st, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
Repost: I recently mused that Saint Pope Pius X was a fitting patron for cigar smokers. Today, August 21, is this Saint's Feast Day, so I am republishing that post.
Originally published June 28, 2023.
Then I came across a story about Pope Saint Pius X. This is from a reader's letter published by Cigar Aficionado,
Reading of his [Pius X] defense of cigars as not being a vice, I was reminded of a story that a cigar smoking priest of the Diocese of Tulsa, who is now in training for the Vatican diplomatic corps, told me. When he was a seminarian in Rome, he learned that Pius X, who was the pope from 1903 to 1914, called a bishop onto the carpet to reprimand him for his scandalous misbehavior with wine, women and song, and to correct his wrongs patiently.The pope offered the errant bishop a cigar from the papal humidor on his desk. The bishop declined the offer with the protestation, "I do not have that vice, Your Holiness," to which His Holiness replied, "If cigars were a vice, I would not offer you one, for you have quite enough vices already."
There is no way to verify if the story related is true, or simply an interesting urban legend. However, it is known that Pius X kept a cigar humidor on his desk in the Vatican. (Smoking was allowed in the Holy See until 2002 when John Paul II banned the activity.) Saint Pius X's cigar habit did not keep him from being elevated to sainthood, even if it may not be the reasoning behind it. There is little doubt in my mind that the relaxation provided helped him deal with the stress of his position.
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| Pope Pius X It's easy to imagine a cigar in that hand |
It's my opinion that Saint Pius X is worthy of invoking by cigar smokers. His feast day is August 21.
BTW, Regina Cigars offers a Pius X Maduro Selection cigar. I've not tried it yet.
Cheers!
Happy 32 Years to Us
Author: Chris ODonnell From https://odonnellweb.com/pelican/ • Aug 18th, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
We're at Kellermans
Baby's not in the corner
Our love story is better
Five O’Clock Friday: Coping With the Demands of Life
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 18th, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
It's what the weekends are made for.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Morning Coffee and Cigar in "The Office"
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 18th, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
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?"
I refreshed my coffee, grabbed my laptop, and lit up an Oliva Serie V. The Serie V is one of my favorite smokes with coffee. Since I prefer beverages that are more sweet than bitter when smoking and I generally drink my coffee black, the cigar options are more limited. However the Serie V always works.
The 5 x 50 Robusto provided an enjoyable treat while I worked my way through the overnight emails and reports. A scheduled late morning call ended the time on the porch a little too early. Still it was a wholly satisfying way to kick off the day.
Cheers!
Cheers!
George Remus Bourbon
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 17th, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
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.
Even if I don't find anything especially exciting, I'll pick up a bottle of something different, to maintain or build on the relationship. Often these purchases are of bottles I am unfamiliar with but look interesting. Such was the case with this George Remus Bourbon recently acquired.
George Remus is the "house" brand for Midwest Grain Products in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. MGP is a producer of distillate and aged whiskey that is provided to dozens of non-distilling producers, both large and small. Many popular brands source their whiskey from MGP which they then blend and finish for their own labels. Obviously MGP does it right, or it wouldn't be such a popular and consistent source for so many brands. They seem to be especially prevalent as a rye whiskey source.
George Remus Bourbon is a blend of high rye bourbons aged at least four years, and bottled at 94 proof. The deep amber liquid gives aromas of vanilla, cherry, and caramel. It's mild but pleasant. Sipping reveals more of the same, with the addition of more baking spices indicative of the high rye content. The rye spice lingers late in the finish, and even seems to build afterwards. The flavor was never hot, and vanilla and spice hangs around until the next sip.
I found this to be quite an enjoyable bourbon. It's flavorful, easy to drink neat, but I also believe it will work very well for cooking and cocktails as well.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye and BLTC La Madonna Negra
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Aug 16th, 2023Category: Blog Entries.Local
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.
Black Label Trading Company La Madonna Negra was released recently to celebrate the company's 10th anniversary. I do enjoy BLTC cigars, and had preordered some of these from Luxury Cigar Club. Allowing the humidor time before lighting up was a test of patience.
Cheers!
The Knob Creek Barrel Select Rye is a VA ABC selection. It was released as part of a VA ABC picks release that happened a couple weeks ago on a Saturday morning. These events typically generate long lines of fans queuing up hours before the stores open, hoping to be one of the fortunate ones to purchase a single bottle of something. The actual stock in the individual stores is not announced until the evening before. Exhibiting their usual level of competency, VA ABC failed at posting the information for this drop until midday on Saturday. For my part, I went shooting instead. Interestingly, even the following morning, many of the stores still showed inventory of the releases from the day before. It appears Virginia bourbon fans may be tiring of treated like Pavlov's dog and being enticed to leap to the state's "bell."
Since the Rye pick was one of the few in the list I was interested in, I stopped by my local store to grabb a bottle. The selection has a barrel date of June 12, 2016. Based on the pick date, it looks like about a 6.5 year aged rye, with a proof of 115. The rye is fairly mild on the nose, with faint cocoa, vanilla, citrus, and spice. However, it really begins to shine in the sipping. I get the expected rye spice, but at a moderate level. Butterscotch, cocoa, along with some spice and nuttiness join it. I found it well balanced, with neither the rye nor the proof taking the lead roll. I take a chance on many bottles I purchase with little foreknowledge. Sometimes I am disappointed, other times most pleased. This was the latter and a purchase I am happy I made.
After some initial tasting of the Knob Creek Select Rye, it was time to cut and light the La Madonna Negra. The Black Label Trading Company anniversary cigar was released in four vitolas. I smoked the 5 1/4 x 50 Robusto. A Connecticut broadleaf wrapper covers an Ecuadorian habano binder and fillers from Nicaragua and Pennsylvania. The cigar shows off with a dark chocolate wrapper and decorative band. Immediately I am struck by the heft of the stick. A few gentles squeezes reveals this thing is packed. It's hard with no give whatsoever and almost feels like a hard rubber prop cigar.
After punching to cap, the draw is very tight but I decided to give it a go as it was. After a few minutes, I accepted that remedial action was necessary and grabbed my PerfecDraw tool. The first insertion brought out a small half inch piece of stem, which did nothing to help the draw. I repeatedly, and very carefully, continued inserting the tool to increased depths. I brought out nothing further except small bits of tobacco. Eventually the entire length of the tool was put through the cigar with only minor improvement. Never before have I used the PerfecDraw to such an extent.
With a slightly improved draw, I was at last getting some smoke and flavor. The flavor is a blend of dark chocolate, espresso, dark cherries. Some pepper and cedar sits in the background. The cigar is not as bold as I expected, coming from Black Label Trading Company. I am not sure if that's the intent, or a factor of the tight draw. The burn was even and never went out, but I did apply a flame to it occasionally when it wavered and threatened to go out. In the last third or so, the draw opened up a bit, but never got to what seemed like its full potential. I will look forward to smoking more of the cigars after they've rested for more time in the humidor. As this is a new release, I suspect the shipments went out from resellers nearly fresh off the shipping trucks.
The cigar finished, I poured myself a wee bit more of the Knob Creek. I will certainly be enjoying this bottle -- while it lasts.
Cheers!
