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Whiskey & Cigar Pairings

A while back Anthony at CigarsCity.com reached out to gauge my interest in writing a whiskey and cigar pairing article.  I’m not really a cigar smoker, as I’ve only had a handful of them over the years.  Cigars and whiskey pair together really well, as they share a lot of similar tasting notes.  They seem to have been made for each other.  Anthony offered to send over a few cigars.  In the spirit of research, I thought, “Why not?  Let’s do it.”

From the start, I decided to stick to American whiskies for these pairings.  I either picked a whiskey that shared one or more of the tasting notes with the cigar, or a whiskey that would compliment the cigar.

Rocky Patel Fusion

This medium-full bodied cigar had cocoa, pepper and earthy notes, and uses an Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper.  I tend to get a cocoa note from some older whiskies.  Here, I paired this cigar with Elijah Craig 18-year.  It’s sweet woodiness and long finish fit nicely with the slightly spicy Rocky Patel Fusion.

My Father Connecticut

A milder stick that uses Connecticut Shade as its wrapper, My Father Connecticut was described to me as earthy and nutty, with a white pepper note.  With that description I went straight for Basil Hayden.   The bourbon, produced by Jim Beam, has a high percentage of rye in it’s mashbill.  It’s also bottled at a low 80 proof.  It paired with My Father Connecticut beautifully.  Neither overpowered the other.

Camacho Ditka Signature

Anthony threw this cigar in the mix because Mike Ditka once coached the New Orleans Saints.  God, I still can’t erase that image of Ditka and Ricky Williams in a wedding dress.  Anyway, this stick features Honduran Criollo as a wrapper and is medium to full bodied.  Tasting notes here are black pepper, cream and fruit sweetness.  I had to find something that can stand up to those big flavors, and went with Pikesville Rye.  This 110 proof offering from Heaven Hill has a beautiful sweet and spicy combination of flavors, and is strong enough to handle the Ditka Signature.

Crowned Heads Jericho Hill

In terms of strength, Crowned Heads Jericho Hill sits right in the middle of the pack as a medium-bodied cigar.  It uses Mexican San Andres as its wrapper, and carries cocoa, buttery notes with earth and honey.  I paired this stick with Blanton’s.  The whisky is nicely rounded – not too sweet, spicy or woody.  Again, attributes that didn’t compete with the cigar, but rather complimented them.

Montecristo Platinum

Full-bodied, Montecristo Platinum features strong wood notes and some sweetness.  A cigar with a personality this big deserves a giant bourbon, and there’s no stronger bourbon readily available than Booker’s.  It’s vanilla and barrel char notes compliment the cigar’s flavors without overpowering.  My favorite pairing of the bunch.

Thanks to Anthony at CigarsCity.com for the cigars!

 

My Favorite Whiskies of 2015

Spirits-based websites and blogs generally post a Top 10 list or Holiday Gift Guide at the end of the year.   I did the same in 2014, but this year I’m changing things up a bit.  Reflecting back on the past year, I came up with a listing of whiskies that I not only thoroughly enjoyed, but ones that I found were memorable.  These cover both American and Scotch whiskies, regular offerings and limited editions.

Except for the top spot, these are listed in no particular order.

The year is not over yet.  I’ve got some potentially incredible whiskies waiting to be tasted.  Who knows if they’ll make this humble blogger’s list of favorite whiskies of 2016.  Until then, Sláinte!

What’s the best whiskey you’ve tasted this year?

 

 

Last Minute Holiday Gifts 2014

The holidays are right around the corner, and if you still have gifts to buy, here’s a handy little guide.  I’ve listed some of my favorite bourbons of the past year.  I’ve posted about some of these here on AdventuresInWhiskey.com.  What you won’t find on this list are super-rare, ultra-premium releases.  The bourbons listed here are widely available, for the most part, in most higher-end liquor stores.  Each entry in the list contains two bourbons of different price points from the same family.  Want to buy something other than whiskey?  I’ve got some non-whiskey holiday items that I’ve enjoyed throughout the year.

Whiskies, in no particular order:

1.  Bulleit 10 year old bourbon ($45) is a slightly more mature version of Bulleit.  The extra time in the barrel helps bring out more of the vanilla and oak notes.  If you’re looking for something cheaper along those lines, you can’t go wrong with Bulleit bourbon ($30).  It’s great neat and makes for a old fashioned.

2. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof ($50) is a monster of a bourbon.  Not for the faint at heart.  It’s barrel proof, so that means no added water.  In this case, that equates to a delicious full flavored bourbon.  Elijah Craig 12 ($27) is a nice substitute for the budget-minded.  Its the one I generally refer people to when asked which bourbon to buy.

3.  George Dickel 9 year old ($40) is a single barrel offering of George Dickel Tennessee Whisky.  You’ll have to check with your local store to see if they carry it.  Full of caramel, vanilla and oak.  My bottle has become one of my favorites.  George Dickel No. 12 ($25) is one of the better whisky values on the shelf.

4. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked ($50) offers more of that great oak flavor in your bourbon while still staying young and vibrant.  Woodford Reserve ($32) is no slouch and comes recommended as a nice everyday whiskey.  This is the first premium bourbon I fell in love with.

5.  Four Roses Single Barrel ($35/$50) comes in two slightly different versions.  There’s the standard single barrel bottled at 100 proof, and the more expensive private selection bottled at barrel strength.  Really, you can’t go wrong with either one.  Four Roses Yellow Label ($20) is a budget-priced, lighter style bourbon that’s great as a daily sipper.

 

Non-whiskey items:

1.  Noble jeans from Noble Denim.  Everything from these guys is handmade.  I can attest to the quality and fit of their raw denim jeans (I received a pair of their small batch barrel-aged jeans.  While not completely broken in, they fit like a glove).

2. Books.  Nothing like reading a whiskey book while drinking a little whiskey.  “American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye:  A Guide to the Nation’s Favorite Spirit” by Clay Risen profiles more than 200 American whiskies.  Another one aimed at the whiskey novice is “Whiskey Distilled:  A Populist Guide to the Water of Life” by Heather Greene.  This one is full of stories and is a nice guide through the world of whiskey.

3.  Ice Spheres mold.  The larger surface area on these ice spheres melt slower,  diluting your whiskey less.  Plus they look great in your glass.