Musings Over a Barrel

On the Road Again: Bourbon, Cigars, and Football

2026-09-08T08:58:55.250-04:00

It may still feel like summer, but college football is kicking off, signaling the arrival of fall. This past weekend, we made the first of several planned trips this season to Blacksburg, VA, for Virginia Tech football. As much as I enjoy the weekends with family and watching the Hokies play, I also greatly look forward to enjoying good drinks, food, and cigars outside of my usual environs.

Our first stop was a Friday afternoon visit to J.H. Bards in downtown Blacksburg. The cocktail menu at J.H. Bards always features some interesting drinks, along with variations on the classics. Their Rye Old Fashioned is one we enjoy regularly.

On this visit, I tried a cocktail called the Archetype. This riff on the Old Fashioned adds Averna to the mix. The amaro brings dark caramel, orange, and bitter herbal notes to the usual sweetness. It was quite enjoyable — I made a note of the ingredients and watched the bartender make several — and I’ll be experimenting with this one soon.

After enjoying a few drinks at J.H. Bards, we caught up with our son and his wife for pizza at another “every time” stop, The Beast. After filling up on food and beer, it was time to return to the hotel. While the rest of the family rested, I headed outside to enjoy a relaxing cigar on the hotel patio.

Along with a generous pour of Maker’s Mark from the hotel bar, I settled in with an Oliva Serie V Maduro Robusto.

Knowing the hotel bar’s selection was quite limited, with Maker’s Mark the usual option, I brought along the Serie V specifically to go with the bourbon’s sweet wheat, vanilla, caramel, and soft spice. Combined with the cigar’s rich coffee, dark chocolate, and earthy profile, the pairing produced a satisfying, dessert-like combination.

The parking lot was active with families arriving for the weekend and college students coming and going as they picked up food orders from nearby restaurants. Despite the activity, the atmosphere was relaxing. It was the perfect way to unwind after the long drive — and a bit of quiet time before the excitement of the game the next day.

And for those following along, the Hokies took care of business the next day, beating VMI 73–3.

Cheers!

A Bold Cigar, A Gentle Bourbon

2026-09-05T07:14:00.000-04:00

I’ve had a few of the new Rocky Patel Sapphire cigars in the humidor for about five weeks. I pulled one out on a warm evening recently to enjoy with a glass of Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Bourbon.

The Rocky Patel Sapphire was introduced in June 2026. The brand continues the “jewel” theme established with the Gold Label and Emerald cigars introduced previously. A Mexican San Andrés wrapper surrounds two binders — one from Estelí, Nicaragua, and the other from the Jamastrán Valley of Honduras. The filler is Nicaraguan, with tobacco from Estelí, Jalapa, and Condega. Much of the filler was aged six to seven years and, except for the wrapper, all of the tobaccos used were grown on farms owned by Rocky Patel.

As with so many of his cigars, Rocky Patel hides much of the cigar beneath a decorative sleeve. Removing the adornment reveals a dark brown, slightly rough wrapper encasing the sharply box-pressed stick.

Upon lighting, the smoke begins with dark coffee and espresso. The initial flavor is bold and sharp, but caramel and sweet chocolate soon join the mix. The overall profile is smooth and balanced, with the darker flavors of coffee, espresso, and chocolate countered by caramel and sweet spice. Solidly medium-bodied to start, the cigar creeps into the medium-full range later in the smoke. Smoking time was longer than expected, lasting about 75 minutes in total.

At a moderate 91.4 proof, Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Bourbon is a relatively soft and well-rounded bourbon. It offers a classic bourbon profile of mellow caramel, vanilla, and stone fruit. Not an overwhelming bourbon, Michter’s allows the Sapphire to take the flavor lead. The cigar’s coffee and espresso notes blend particularly well with the bourbon’s caramel and vanilla.

The darker, more robust flavors of the cigar took center stage in the pairing, but the bourbon held its own and provided a pleasant counterpoint. Still, I came away thinking the Sapphire could handle — and perhaps even benefit from — a more assertive bourbon. That’s an experiment I look forward to trying in the future.

Cheers!

Taming the Full Proof: Liga Privada H99 Meets 1792

2026-09-02T08:28:32.792-04:00

The Liga Privada H99 Corona Doble is not a cigar that I smoke on a whim. The 7 x 54 stick is a two-hour commitment. This hearty cigar rewards a little anticipation and pairs especially well with a flavorful bourbon. It’s the sort of cigar I’ll think about earlier in the day, knowing that two hours of pleasurable smoking awaits. I’ve often enjoyed it with a moderate-proof bourbon, but for a recent smoking session, I decided to step things up and reach for something with a bit more punch. After some deliberation, I settled on 1792 Full Proof Bourbon.

The 1792 Full Proof is a VA ABC selection I picked up back in 2022. It’s not a bottle I reach for often, but I always enjoy it when I do. Like the Liga Privada H99, it’s not something I reach for casually.

1792 Full Proof is bottled at 125 proof. That’s the same proof as the distillate when it entered the barrel for aging and is the highest proof currently offered by 1792. The aroma has brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and baking spices in abundance. A slight alcohol burn emerges with a closely held nose, though it is surprisingly restrained for a bourbon at this proof.

But 1792 Full Proof is more than a powerhouse. Bright caramel and vanilla mingle with cinnamon and baking spice, while dark fruit and oak add depth. The finish is long and warm, with lingering caramel sweetness and spice.

After a few sips of the high-proof bourbon, I lit the H99 and settled in.

The Liga Privada H99 Corona Doble features a shiny H99 Connecticut Corojo hybrid wrapper, from which the cigar gets its name. The leaf is a hybrid of Habano and Corojo ’99 tobaccos, grown in the Connecticut River Valley by a single farm specifically for Drew Estate. A Mexican San Andrés Negro binder encases filler tobaccos grown in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Pennsylvania.

All the examples I’ve smoked have had moderately loose draws, especially during the first half of the smoke. The cigar is on the mildly spicy side, with pepper and lightly toasted bread. As the smoke progresses, the cigar develops a richer chocolate and coffee character, with a sweet earthiness underneath.

As I began alternating between drink and smoke, the rye spice aspect of the bourbon initially stood out. But as the cigar developed, its rich chocolate, coffee, earth, and sweetness seemed to emphasize the bourbon’s fruit, caramel, and vanilla notes while softening the sting of the alcohol on the tongue.

As the cigar entered the final couple of inches, it developed a more noticeable dry leather and earth profile, with less sweetness and chocolate. In those concluding moments, something unexpected happened. Despite the cigar becoming drier and more earthy, the bourbon seemed to brighten rather than become heavier. Its familiar fruit, caramel, and vanilla notes suddenly became more vivid and pronounced. The flavors hadn’t changed so much as become more clearly defined. Once the cigar was finished, its effect on the bourbon lingered as I poured myself one final sip.

I’ve smoked the H99 in smaller vitolas, but I’ve always enjoyed the Corona Doble the most. The long smoking time offers more opportunity to appreciate its transitions and its interactions with the paired beverage. The H99 and 1792 Full Proof made for an exceptional pairing and a most enjoyable two hours.

The H99 doesn’t require a high-proof bourbon — I’ve enjoyed it with lower-proof whiskeys in the past — but it certainly seems well suited to one with enough proof to keep up with it. At the same time, the cigar isn’t merely standing up to the 125-proof bourbon; it may actually be helping to tame it.

Cheers!

A Sweet Counterpoint: Micallef Green and Barrell Mizunara

2026-08-31T07:39:36.352-04:00

Looking for a quick after-dinner smoke, I reached for a Micallef Green in Robusto. The Green is a flavorful cigar featuring a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper over a Mexican San Andrés Negro binder, with Nicaraguan tobaccos in the filler. At 5 x 52, the Robusto feels small in the hand and suggests a shorter smoking time — just what I was looking for.

I decided on a small pour of Barrell Cask Finish Series: Mizunara Bourbon to accompany the early evening smoke.

The Micallef Green begins with notes of cocoa, coffee, and a subtle, sweet earthiness. There’s an underlying creaminess and sweet nuttiness to the profile. Medium-bodied, the cigar offers enough complexity to maintain interest without becoming a demanding smoke.

At 116.42 proof, the Mizunara Bourbon is rich in flavor but doesn’t overwhelm the cigar. The initial sip is spicy and warming, followed by notes of raisin, black cherry, caramel, vanilla, and honey. A woody spice emerges on the finish, adding another layer of interest.

The Barrell Cask Finish Series: Mizunara Bourbon and Micallef Green proved to be a delightful pairing. Rather than simply echoing one another, the contrasting flavors complemented each other. The cigar’s coffee, cocoa, and nutty notes provided an enjoyable counterpoint to the fruit, sweetness, and spice of the bourbon. Its underlying creaminess seemed to tame the bourbon’s spice, making the Mizunara finish feel sweeter and more approachable. The result was a pairing in which neither component dominated, allowing each to retain its own character.

The Green finished in just about 50 minutes. The smoking time was exactly what I was looking for after dinner, although the combination was enjoyable enough that those 50 minutes seemed to pass even more quickly than the clock measured.

Cheers!

The Last Pour: 2026 Bishops Blend and Barrell Vantage

2026-08-28T08:29:51.045-04:00

I've mentioned in the past the growing selection of “almost empty” bottles of whiskey taking space on my shelves. Most often it's a single pour, or less, that for some reason just wasn't finished when the bottle was last opened. These remnants tend to get passed over when I'm selecting something to enjoy with a long evening smoke as I generally don't like to switch pours mid-smoke. I've never been interested in creating an infinity bottle. So, what’s a whiskey drinker to do?

One answer came recently on a weeknight when I was sitting down with a Black Label Trading Company 2026 Bishops Blend Robusto. The small 5 × 48 stick seemed like the perfect opportunity to finish the lone pour left in my bottle of Barrell Craft Spirits Vantage Bourbon. Not only was the cigar size a match, the bourbon and cigar pairing I knew would be fitting. In fact it's the same combination I enjoyed back in July, 2023.

The Bishops Blend (And yes, there is no apostrophe.) has been a highly anticipated annual release from Black Label Trading Company since 2016. The 2026 edition marks the 10th anniversary of the blend, which warranted a tweak to the original.

This release sports a double-wrapper, combining the usual Ecuadorian Maduro with a Connecticut Broadleaf for a barber-pole effect. The binder is Ecuador Habano, with Nicaragua, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania Broadleaf completing the filler blend. As usual the cap is pointed and the foot is closed.

The 2026 version did not disappoint. From the start, the familiar black coffee, dark chocolate, leather, pepper, and an underlying sweetness provided a full flavored treat. In all honesty, I couldn't say definitively that this year's release was substantially changed, although I did get the impression of an enhanced, and lingering, dark sweetness in the finish.

Vantage is a blend of bourbons aged in Mizunara, French, and toasted American oak casks. This bottle is marked at 114.62 proof though I've read the proof can vary between batches.

The high proof bourbon is remarkably easy to sip. Stone fruit and espresso predominate, joined with vanilla, cinnamon, and maple sweetness. The finish brings a bit of spice along with a buttery, crème brûlée-like character

The Barrell Craft Spirits Vantage Bourbon proved, still, to be a fine complement to the Bishops Blend. Vantage’s caramel and vanilla rounded the darker cigar’s dark chocolate and maduro sweetness. The bourbon’s higher proof stands up well to the cigar's bolder espresso and chocolate notes.

Nursing the remaining pour gave me just enough bourbon to accompany the roughly 60-minute smoke. The long, lingering finish of the Vantage bourbon allowed for slow sipping while still enjoying the flavorful pairing.

The Bishops Blend has long been a favorite smoke. I try to grab some each year when they come out, and still have examples from several past years on hand. While they do tend to lose a bit of their bold edge with time, I find they retain much of the full-bodied coffee, espresso, and pepper notes which is a testament to the blend.

Sometimes an almost-empty bottle isn’t a problem — it just needs the right cigar.

Cheers!

Crowned Heads Moonflower Toro and a Bourbon-Forward Boulevardier

2026-08-25T08:34:31.231-04:00

Preparing for some Sunday afternoon relaxing on the screened porch, I turned to the humidor to select a cigar to light up. I spied the Crowned Heads Moonflower cigars I had picked up exactly one month earlier. I’d been anxious to try them, and now that they had reached my preferred minimum rest time, that moment had arrived.

Earlier in the day I had been thinking about making a Boulevardier to sip while enjoying a leisurely afternoon, and it still seemed like a good match for what I had in mind for the Moonflower.

The Crowned Heads Moonflower is a new regular-production cigar introduced earlier this year. A Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper grown in Namanji, double binders from Estelí and Jalapa, and fillers from Estelí, Jalapa and Condega make up the substantial 6 × 54 Toro size that I had picked up.

The Moonflower opened with sweet cream and nuttiness. The draw was more open than I prefer, and the cigar started out a bit muted. As it warmed, soft hints of white pepper and cedar joined the mix. The last half of the cigar picked up a blend of milk chocolate and coffee.

Since I expected the cigar to feature sweet and creamy notes rather than the darker, espresso-leaning profile typical of a Nicaraguan puro, I made the Boulevardier a bit more bourbon-forward, using a 2:1:1 ratio of bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth. I selected Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Bourbon as the whiskey component.

The cigar’s pepper notes were light and well-balanced. Still, I thought the bourbon-forward Boulevardier rounded that spice and helped amplify the cigar’s creamy, nutty sweetness. The bitterness of the Campari kept the combination from becoming too sweet.

The Toro provided an enjoyable 80-minute smoke, giving the flavors plenty of time to develop. The Moonflower smoked quite well despite the relatively short humidor rest. I did need to relight it once, though that was likely a result of enjoying the conversation with my wife rather than paying attention to the cigar.

The Moonflower and Boulevardier turned out to be a better match than I’d anticipated, particularly with the bourbon-forward recipe and touch of orange bitters. It’s a combination I’ll happily revisit.

I had initially thought about smoking a well-aged Foundation Wise Man Maduro Toro with the Boulevardier before diverting to the Moonflower. I think that cigar will also make an interesting pairing for the tweaked Boulevardier.

So many choices, so little time.

Cheers!

A Study in Contrasts: The Regina Pius X, a Negroni, and Old Elk Cigar Cut

2026-08-23T11:36:32.154-04:00

As noted in the previous post, the Feast Day of Pope Saint Pius X was celebrated on August 21. I’ve had several Pius X cigars from Regina Cigars in the humidor since spring, and recently smoked a couple on consecutive days.

The cigar is a 6 × 52 Toro and sports a dark, oily maduro wrapper. The specifics of the blend are not disclosed by Regina, other than to say the cigars are blended by Noel Rojas and produced at his factory in Nicaragua. Rojas also produces the popular Rojas Street Tacos line of cigars.

The cigar band features a picture of Pius X and includes a prayer from the saint on the inside.

I had debated my beverage choice for the pairing, initially thinking that something with an Italian lean would be appropriate. To that end, the first of the cigars I smoked was enjoyed with a classic Negroni. I shared one of the Pius X cigars with a friend while we enjoyed our aperitif before meeting a group of friends at a local restaurant for an Italian meal, appropriately enough.

Regina Cigars describes the profile of the cigar simply as having “rich flavors of cocoa & coffee with gentle spice tones.” With no leaf specifics, there are few presumptions to guide my expectations.

Upon lighting the cigar, I was treated to the promised mix of bitter cocoa and espresso, with just a touch of pepper. The cigar was medium-to-full in body, with ample smoke and a consistent burn throughout. I did initially wonder how the cigar’s dark, roasted character would play with the Negroni’s bitter-sweet profile.

As it turned out, the bitterness from the Campari combined with the vermouth’s sweetness provided enough contrast to bring out a pleasing sweetness in the Pius X. Rather than competing with the cigar, the Negroni acted almost as a foil for it. It seemed to reveal a sweeter side of the cigar that wasn’t immediately apparent on its own.

After the afternoon spent enjoying the Negroni and Pius X combination, I was looking forward to trying the cigar with a bolder pairing. On the next evening, I did just that. For an after-dinner smoke, I poured a bit of Old Elk Cigar Cut Bourbon to sip with the cigar.

Old Elk Cigar Cut is a wonderful blend of bourbons finished in Sherry, Armagnac, Port, and Cognac casks. On the nose, there is an inviting aroma of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and spiced fruit. Sipping brings out layers of dark chocolate, toffee, and baking spices, while subtle notes of tobacco and dark fruit linger on the finish.

In this combination, the cigar retained the dark cocoa, and espresso notes I had noticed previously. However, the sweetness highlighted by the Negroni was nearly absent. Rather than the contrast noted previously, the bourbon’s oak, richness, and darker flavors reinforced the cigar’s roasted and creamy characteristics, bringing those notes further forward.

The two different beverages enjoyed with the Pius X provided an interesting study in contrasts. The Negroni seemed to reveal something in the cigar, while the Old Elk amplified something already there. The Negroni brought the cigar’s sweetness forward, while the bourbon emphasized its darker cocoa and espresso character.

I wouldn’t necessarily call one pairing better than the other. They simply offered two very different perspectives on the same cigar. That’s one of the things I enjoy most about exploring cigar and beverage pairings. The experience isn’t simply about identifying particular flavors in a cigar, but about discovering how another beverage can change the way those flavors are perceived.

In this case, the Pius X proved to be an excellent example: the Negroni revealed, the bourbon reinforced, and both made for an enjoyable cigar.

Cheers!

The Unofficial Patron Saint of Cigar Smokers

2026-08-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today, August 21, is the Feast Day of Pope Saint Pius X.

Born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto on June 2, 1835, in Riese, Venetia, then part of the Austrian Empire (now in Italy), he served as pope from 1903 until his death in 1914. Pius X is remembered for his pastoral care, firm leadership, and unwavering defense of Catholic doctrine.

As pope, he enacted reforms that left a lasting mark on the Church. He promoted the use of Gregorian chant in worship and became known as the “Pope of the Eucharist” for his fervent encouragement of frequent Communion, which he described as “the shortest and safest way to get to heaven.” Notably, he lowered the age for reception of Holy Communion from twelve to seven, a decision still in place today.

Pius also took a firm stand against theological Modernism, which he considered “the synthesis of all heresies.” He resisted the movement of Christian Democracy when it veered into overt political activism, seeking instead to keep Catholic social work grounded in religious rather than partisan aims.

While the Church venerates him for his sanctity and his spiritual reforms, I like to think of Pope Saint Pius X as something else as well — the unofficial Patron Saint of Cigar Smokers.

Several years ago, I wondered whether any saint officially served as the patron of cigar smokers. My search uncovered a handful of saints with connections to tobacco. For example, Saint Titus Brandsma is recognized as the patron saint of tobacconists. Yet there appears to be no widely recognized patron devoted specifically to cigar smokers.

Then I came across a humorous anecdote attributed to Pope Saint Pius X, preserved in a reader’s letter published by Cigar Aficionado. Whether historically accurate or not, it perfectly captures the pope’s reputed attitude toward cigars.

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’s no way to know if the exchange truly happened or if it’s simply an ecclesiastical folklore. Still, we do know that Pius X kept a humidor in his papal office. It is also said that he broke with the long-standing tradition of popes dining alone by inviting friends to join him at table. It’s easy to imagine that more than one of those dinners concluded with the pleasant aroma of cigar smoke lingering in the Vatican rooms.

I’ve long believed that a fine cigar, enjoyed thoughtfully and in moderation, is less about indulgence than about creating a space for conversation, gratitude, and quiet reflection. Whether shared among friends or savored alone after a busy day, a cigar invites us to slow down for an hour and appreciate the blessings we’ve been given. That seems entirely compatible with a life of faith.

His enjoyment of cigars certainly didn’t prevent his canonization in 1954 — perhaps a gentle reminder that the Church has never regarded the moderate enjoyment of life’s good gifts as incompatible with holiness. I’d like to think those quiet moments with a cigar occasionally offered Pope Saint Pius X a chance to gather his thoughts before returning to the immense responsibilities of the papacy. For that reason, at least in my own book, he remains the unofficial Patron Saint of Cigar Smokers.

Regina Cigars produces a cigar honoring Saint Pius X, and I have several waiting in my humidor. This evening seems like an appropriate occasion to light one, perhaps accompanied by a glass of Italian wine, while offering a prayer of thanks for the witness of this remarkable saint.

Cheers!

Blue Cheese, Chocolate, and a Little Imagination

2026-08-19T10:32:48.056-04:00

The AJ Fernandez Blue Cheese is a cigar I’ve been wanting to try for some time, and finally picked one up last week during a visit to Slow Burn Cigar Co. Instead of the resting period I typically give new acquisitions, I smoked this one just a few days after bringing it home.

The cigar is the result of a collaboration between Privada Cigar Club and AJ Fernandez Cigars. Despite the name, the cigar is not infused with blue cheese. The moniker is a reference to the blue security ribbon on modern U.S. $100 bills, a theme repeated in the cigar’s band. The 6 x 52 Toro uses Nicaraguan Habano for the wrapper and binder. The filler leaves are also Nicaraguan, primarily from Estelí and Jalapa.

I opted to make this a culinary-based pairing and selected Maker’s Mark Private Select “Hint O’Chocolate II” to accompany the smoke.

The Hint O’Chocolate II is a Virginia ABC selection from 2022. The Private Select is part of the Maker’s Wood Finishing Series and was selected by, or for, Virginia ABC. It is bottled at a hearty 107.9 proof. Fruit and oak notes start the sipping experience. Notes of sweet cream and milk chocolate arrive in the finish. The mild chocolate note is brief, dispersing shortly after each sip.

The Blue Cheese smoke begins with soft chocolate, espresso, and some roasted almond. After a few puffs on the cigar, I began sipping the Hint O’Chocolate. The caramel and vanilla from the Maker’s Mark complemented the cigar’s creamy character. The bourbon’s mild chocolate was a subtle reinforcement of the same notes in the cigar.

The flavor profile remains much as it began until about the midpoint of the smoke. This is when the cigar shifts to a more earthy and dry wood profile.

I’ve seen some reviewers describe the cigar’s earthy, savory character as a tangy “blue cheese funk.” Perhaps that’s the power of suggestion, but cigar tasting notes are based more on impressions and thoughts they invoke than on actual flavor matches. My impression was less specific. Toward the end of the smoke, the earthiness remained, though now it was spiced with some black pepper. The sweeter chocolate notes from the bourbon provided contrast and remained in the lead.

I enjoyed the pairing of the Maker’s Mark Private Select “Hint O’Chocolate II” with the AJ Fernandez Blue Cheese. The flavor notes started out balanced, with some striking similarities. As the Blue Cheese developed more pepper, earth, and that elusive savory/tangy character, the chocolate-and-oak character of the Private Select became increasingly dominant.

There was nothing quite so specific as my past impressions of chocolate-covered cherries or maple-drenched French toast, but the food-themed name added to the fun of the experience.

Cheers!

Starlight Cigar Batch & Belgian Blue: A Sweet Pairing

2026-08-17T07:55:48.954-04:00

During our visit to Chicago earlier this summer, I picked up a bottle of Starlight Distillery Cigar Batch Bourbon, Batch 0003. Other than recognizing the distillery name, I knew little about it. Starlight products are not available at Virginia’s state-run ABC stores. In all honesty, it was the “cigar batch” on the label that attracted my attention. As it turns out, that spontaneous purchase was a good one.

Starlight Distillery is a farm-to-glass distillery in Borden, Indiana, with a record of producing award-winning bourbons. The Cigar Batch Bourbon was recognized with a Double Gold award at the 2026 World Spirits Competition in San Francisco.

Of course, I learned all this after arriving home and researching my purchases from the trip. The 5–7 year aged whiskey is finished for 3 to 6 months in Brazilian Amburana casks. The relatively short time in the Amburana wood allows the bourbon to retain its character while adding distinctive spice and sweeter wood notes.

Upon pouring the bourbon in a Glencairn glass, I was struck immediately by the depth of the aroma. Sweet cream, tobacco, and caramelized sugar provided a delight to the nose. The unique and sumptuous aromatic treat had me returning nose to glass repeatedly.

Taking a sip, the pleasures continued. The first sip brought a distinctive array of vanilla, sweet cream, and dark fruit. Chocolate, sweet tobacco, cinnamon, vanilla, and toasted wood all came in to play as the whiskey coated the tongue. The profile is rich and expansive, and I found myself taking repeated sips to find all the flavor notes. The finish is mildly syrupy and lingers on the palate for an extended time.

I was so intrigued by the flavors in the bourbon, not to mention the aromas, that I almost forgot to light my cigar. So I poured a bit more Cigar Batch and lit the Crowned Heads Belgian Blue 2024 Limited Edition I had pulled out. I had recently enjoyed a Belgian Blue from the 2025 release and decided to compare it with one from the 2024 initial release that I still had on hand..

The original Belgian Blue was a 2024 limited-edition release from Crowned Heads, limited to just 2,000 boxes. It’s a 6 x 54 box-pressed Toro, featuring a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder. The filler is composed of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos, 75% of which are ligero leaves, the strongest leaves from the tobacco plant.

Perhaps due to the extended humidor time — two years vs. one year — I found the 2024 cigar to be slightly milder in profile than the 2025. Although the blend is the same in both releases, the 2024 measures 6 x 54, the 2025 re-release is shorter and slightly thicker at 5½ x 56. I noted more chocolate-leaning notes in the 2024, while the latter was heavier in spice and coffee, though all those flavors were present in both in varying amounts. Caramel, roasted nuts, and oak also make their presence known in the medium to full bodied smoke.

Those cocoa and mocha notes were a great addition to the pairing with the Starlight Cigar Batch. The richness of the whiskey kept the top billing throughout. I found the bourbon's burnt-sugar and caramel notes softened the cigar’s more assertive tobacco and spice notes, and brought the cigar’s darker cocoa notes forward.

The most notable flavor interaction occurred when I took a puff on the cigar immediately after enjoying a sip of the bourbon. It was then that a strong dark chocolate flavor took the lead. That, combined with the sweet cream and dark fruit components, made me think very vividly of Dark Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordials, especially those with the very liquid centers.

Although blended to be paired with a cigar, the Starlight Distillery Cigar Batch Bourbon is very enjoyable on its own. When enjoyed with the chocolate, espresso, and dark sweetness of the San Andrés Maduro wrapper and ligero blend of the Crowned Heads Belgian Blue, the distillers’ intention became clear. It's a bourbon I look forward to pairing with more of my favorite cigars soon.

Cheers!

Remembering the Martyrs of Otranto

2026-08-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today, August 14, we commemorate the Feast Day of the Martyrs of Otranto. These faithful Christians were victims of a brutal conquest during the Ottoman invasion of the Italian city of Otranto in 1480. After a two-week siege, the city fell on August 11 to the muslim oppressors. What followed was a horrifying massacre: all men over the age of 50 were executed, and women and children under 15 were taken into slavery.

The leader of the invading force, Pasha Ahmed, summoned over 800 surviving Christian men and demanded that they convert to Islam or face death. These men, firm in their faith, refused to renounce Christ.

One among them stepped forward and delivered words that echo through the centuries:

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 by their defiance, Pasha Ahmed ordered their execution. On August 14, 1480, the 800 were taken to a nearby hill and beheaded while their families and fellow townspeople were forced to watch. Tradition holds that the body of the first to die, Antonio Primaldo, miraculously remained standing until all the others had been martyred.

With Otranto devastated and its population decimated, the Ottoman forces turned their sights toward Rome. The barbaric muslim conquest of Italy would ultimately fail following the death of Sultan Mehmet II which left the invading forces in disarray.

A year later, in October 1481, the remains of the martyrs were found to be incorrupt and were transferred to the Otranto Cathedral. Pope Clement XIV beatified them on December 14, 1771. Centuries later, on May 12, 2013, Pope Francis canonized them as saints, honoring their steadfast faith and ultimate sacrifice.

Relics of the Otranto Martyrs

The story of Otranto belongs to history, but the lessons it teaches remain timely. Christians continue to face persecution and martyrdom in many parts of the world, often at the hands of Islamist extremists. Churches are burned, priests murdered, and believers imprisoned or killed simply for professing the name of Christ.

The Martyrs of Otranto remind us that civilizations are not preserved by complacency. They endure when people possess the courage to defend both their faith and the cultural foundations built upon it. Their witness calls Christians not to fear, but to remain steadfast, discerning, and faithful in every age.

May we never take for granted the religious liberty and Christian heritage we have inherited. May we have the wisdom to recognize genuine threats, and, should the day ever come, the courage to stand as firmly for Christ as the Martyrs of Otranto.

Martyrs of Otranto, Ora pro nobis!

When Toasted Oak Meets Dark Tobacco

2026-08-12T08:59:00.517-04:00

As I prepared to head out to the screen porch for an evening smoke and sip, I was in the mood for an Old Fashioned. I quickly mixed the drink right in the glass and dropped in a large ice cube. In the interest of brevity, I skipped grabbing an orange peel. A dash of orange bitters made up for its absence. I did not, however, forgo the requisite Luxardo cherry.

For the spirit, I opted for Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel, hoping its toasted oak and caramelized character would give the cocktail a slightly smoky edge. Despite the mixologist shortcuts, the drink proved enjoyable and flavorful.

I selected an Aganorsa Leaf Rare Leaf Reserve Maduro to accompany the Old Fashioned. The cigar uses a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. It’s a full-bodied cigar that delivers rich and complex flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, and cedar, with mild pepper and a touch of sweetness emerging on the finish.

The Toasted Barrel Old Fashioned brought a mild smoky, caramelized character that echoed the dark, sweet profile of the cigar. Early in the pairing, the cocktail’s vanilla and caramel notes balanced the cigar’s sweeter chocolate and creamy notes. As the smoke progressed, the Aganorsa’s darker espresso, cocoa, and spice notes increasingly came to the forefront.

The tobaccos combined to produce a substantial, earthy Nicaraguan core beneath the cocoa and coffee. Even as the cigar became richer, the toasted oak and vanilla of the Old Fashioned complemented that richness while adding a subtle lift to the pairing.

Overall, this was a natural match. The maduro’s dark, sweet tobacco character paired especially well with the toasted oak and caramel notes of the cocktail, with the whiskey’s vanilla helping to soften and balance the cigar’s deeper flavors. The compact cigar also made for a relatively short smoke, lasting just about 50 minutes — long enough to enjoy the pairing without turning it into an all-evening affair.

Sometimes taking a few shortcuts is worth it.

Cheers!

A Cigar with a Mission: Surpassion King of Battle

2026-08-10T07:30:00.000-04:00

Last week I finally found time to drive out to Slow Burn Cigar Co. in Remington. Travel and a busy schedule had conspired to keep me away for more than a month. I was excited to get back and see what was new on the shelves.

The Comfortable Lounge at Slow Burn Cigar Co.

I was also thrilled to finally try a cigar I’d been wanting to smoke for some time: the Surpassion King of Battle.

Surpassion is a veteran-owned cigar company founded in 2024. A portion of every sale goes directly to charities supporting our nation’s veterans and their families. I’ve been seeing praise for the company’s cigars online with increasing frequency, and Slow Burn only recently began carrying them. Surpassion currently offers three core lines, with more on the way.

I selected the Surpassion King of Battle Toro, a cigar whose name pays tribute to the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. It features a smooth, oily American Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Mexican San Andrés binder and a blend of Dominican and American fillers. All of the tobaccos have been aged for at least five years.

The King of Battle is a full-bodied, richly flavorful smoke. Dark cocoa and black pepper start things off right out of the gate. Before long, the cigar settles into its rhythm as notes of espresso emerge, accompanied by rich fudge sweetness complemented by a pleasantly bittersweet finish. Smoke production is abundant, while the burn progresses slowly and evenly.

Bold but never heavy-handed, the King of Battle rewards a leisurely pace. Waves of espresso, dark cocoa, and touches of black pepper ebb and flow throughout the smoke, keeping the profile engaging from first light to the final inch. I happily smoked it for more than two hours, down to a warm nub.

I paired the cigar with a bottled green tea, which proved surprisingly refreshing. Even so, I couldn’t help imagining how well the King of Battle would complement one of my favorite bourbons. Since I happened to buy the last one in the box at Slow Burn, I’ll definitely be picking up a few more on my next visit.

Cheers!

Maple, Cedar, and a Summer Evening

2026-08-08T09:34:45.206-04:00

We’ve experienced a very wet summer this year, with more days of rain than sunshine. Or at least that’s how it has felt of late, even if we’re told the region is still rated “extremely dry.” For my part, I know there are new washouts in the yard that weren’t there before, and the grass still needs mowing every week.

When the sun does shine for an entire day, it’s an occasion to get outside. On a recent weekday evening, I took advantage of the sunshine to listen to some music, sip a fine whiskey, and enjoy a delicious smoke. Despite temperatures in the upper 80s, with a “feels like” reading pushing 95°, the porch was surprisingly comfortable thanks to a gentle natural breeze and a couple of fans.

I selected the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto for the evening. The 5 x 50 stick is a relatively short smoke, offering about 45 to 50 minutes of enjoyment. A dark African Cameroon wrapper encases a binder and filler of Dominican tobaccos, with vintage filler leaves aged for as long as ten years. The cigar delivers a medium-bodied profile featuring cedar, sweet coffee, and roasted nuts, with just a touch of pepper on the finish. A natural creamy sweetness remains at the forefront, while the darker, spicier notes provide balance and depth. After six months of rest in the humidor, the cigar performed flawlessly.

Redwood Empire Lost Monarch is an American whiskey created from a blend of 60% straight rye whiskey (aged three to five years) and 40% straight bourbon whiskey (aged four to twelve years). This “bourye” combines bourbon’s sweetness with rye’s spice — the best of both worlds, if you will. On the nose, Lost Monarch offers familiar aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, and a hint of citrus zest. It’s on the palate, however, that the whiskey truly distinguishes itself. Vanilla and maple syrup arrive first, followed by honey and orange peel. The finish brings oak and pepper while allowing the maple sweetness to linger. At 90 proof, it’s smooth and exceptionally easy to sip — perhaps a little too easy.

I chose Lost Monarch to pair with the Don Carlos because its easy-drinking profile seemed well suited to both the cigar’s smoking time and the warm evening. As it turned out, the combination was exceptionally well suited to the occasion. Rather than competing for attention, the cigar and whiskey each emphasized the other’s sweeter side, making for a relaxed, uncomplicated pairing that was perfectly suited to a hot summer evening. The cedar, cream, and gentle coffee notes of the Don Carlos allowed the whiskey’s maple sweetness to shine. The maple syrup note was greatly enhanced compared to when I have sipped the whiskey alone. As the cigar progressed toward richer coffee and espresso notes, the maple character continued to deepen as well, though it never became overly sweet or cloying.

The coffee, maple, and cinnamon notes of the pairing soon had me thinking about breakfast — specifically, a plate of French toast dripping with butter and maple syrup. The flavors in a cigar or whiskey don’t have to be exact matches for the foods they bring to mind. Sometimes the images and memories they evoke are just as enjoyable. It’s all part of the fun.

Cheers!

The Benefits of Procrastination

2026-08-07T08:45:56.842-04:00

Lately, as I’ve looked back over many of my cigar and beverage pairings, I’ve noticed an unintended trend. Many — if not most — of the cigars I’ve been enjoying recently had been resting in my humidor for at least a year, and often closer to two. That got me wondering why.

While I regularly pick up new releases that catch my interest, I don’t always get around to smoking them right away. Even after my usual month-long rest following travel, many cigars — new releases and old favorites alike — end up waiting patiently for their turn in the rotation.

As it turns out, that delay isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Several cigars I’ve smoked recently had been aging quietly for more than two years, and nearly every one has been outstanding. (I’m not talking about the truly old “special occasion” cigars that have been tucked away for sentimental reasons. Those are a different story altogether.) Time has generally been kind to these forgotten treasures.

The same phenomenon has crept into my whiskey cabinet. I’ve slowed my bourbon purchases recently, mostly because the shelves are already full. It’s time to work through a few of the older bottles before bringing home more. Whenever I post a picture showing a partially empty bottle, someone inevitably comments, “Looks like you need to replace that one.”

Unlike cigars, opened whiskey doesn’t really improve with age. But stretching a bottle over months — or even years — does have one advantage. Every revisit offers another opportunity to discover a new cigar pairing that I might have missed the first time around.

I recently came across a meme that perfectly summed up my approach to whiskey buying:

I had to laugh because it’s true.

If I’m honest, I’m generally much better at resisting a bourbon purchase than I am at walking away from a cigar shop empty-handed. In fact, I was much better at resisting cigars before I bought the large humidor. Apparently, empty space has a way of convincing you it needs to be filled.

Maybe the solution isn’t to buy fewer cigars.

Maybe I just need more shelves for whiskey.

After all, serious problems call for creative solutions.

Cheers!

Still Has the Muscle: When Boldness Finds Balance

2026-08-05T08:57:31.319-04:00

There are evenings when only a full-bodied cigar will do. With plenty of time to relax on the porch, I reached for the lone CAO Flathead V660 remaining in my humidor. After two years of rest, I was curious whether the big Broadleaf-wrapped cigar had mellowed or if it still possessed the muscle that made it memorable.

With its Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Ecuadorian Connecticut binder, and Nicaraguan fillers, the cigar delivers rich notes of semi-sweet chocolate and espresso. Sweet molasses and vanilla undertones balance out the dense, darker flavors, and a bit of pepper adds further interest.

The box-pressed 6 x 60 stick is heavy in the hand, and the red and silver American muscle car-themed banding over the dark chocolate-hued wrapper adds to the imposing presence. Although 60-ring-gauge cigars look impressive, they are not comfortable to hold and smoke in my opinion. However, the box-pressed shape narrows one dimension enough to make it feel noticeably less cumbersome in the hand and between the teeth.

Knowing the Flathead’s reputation for bold flavors, I wanted a bourbon with enough proof and richness to avoid being overshadowed. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof seemed the obvious choice.

This bottle is Batch A124, the first of the three releases for 2024. Bottled at 119 proof and aged 10 years, 9 months, it is one of the lower-proof and younger releases in the series, making it especially approachable. The proof is high enough to add interest but never becomes overwhelming. I’ve greatly enjoyed this bottle and will surely miss it once it’s empty.

This bourbon treats the palate with a robust profile of brown sugar, dark caramel, vanilla, and charred oak, along with a moderate cinnamon-laced finish. Vanilla and a hint of tobacco linger in the finish, which is sweet without becoming syrupy, and there’s just enough rye spice to provide a lively finish.

The Flathead’s black pepper and espresso notes dominated the pairing initially. As I slowly sipped the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, its caramel and brown sugar notes began to balance and soften the cigar’s pepper. Soon, I found myself thinking of richly caramelized crème brûlée.

As the smoke moved into its second half, the cigar's darker espresso and cocoa notes came into the forefront. The crème brûlée impression gave way to chocolate-covered espresso beans as the culinary imagery continued to fill my thoughts.

The CAO Flathead V660 and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof proved to be a balanced and thoroughly satisfying pairing. Even after two years in the humidor, the Flathead had lost none of the muscle that first made it memorable, standing up easily to the bourbon’s richness and proof. In turn, the bourbon’s sweetness tempered the cigar’s pepper, allowing notes of dark chocolate, espresso, cinnamon, and crème brûlée to shine.

Cheers!

A Porch Pairing for a Summer Afternoon

2026-08-03T13:29:25.048-04:00

Here’s a summertime pairing that I tried on a whim, and it turned out even better than expected. Samuel Adams Summer Ale is a seasonal release from the Boston brewery that has been a staple of summer cookouts since 1995. The refreshing 5.3% ABV ale features Hallertau Mittelfrüh noble hops, lemon, lime, and orange peels, along with Grains of Paradise. The result is a crisp beer with a light herbal hop character, bright citrus notes, subtle wheat sweetness, and a gentle peppery spice in the finish.

Summer Ale seemed the perfect choice for a warm, rainy afternoon on the screened porch. Wanting a cigar that wouldn’t overpower the beer, yet still offered a satisfying depth of flavor, I reached for a Rocky Patel A.L.R. (Aged, Limited, and Rare) Second Edition in the Robusto vitola.

The A.L.R. Second Edition is a cigar I’ve enjoyed frequently over the years, resulting in numerous mentions here in these Musings. Wrapped in Mexican San Andrés leaf over a Honduran binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua, the medium-bodied smoke delivers satisfying richness while remaining remarkably balanced. Rocky Patel ages the cigars for two years after rolling, and this particular example had spent an additional 22 months resting in my humidor.

The cigar kicks off with notes of espresso and cocoa. As expected from the San Andrés wrapper, a sweet earthiness balances those darker flavors. Rather than dominating the palate, the wrapper’s natural sweetness softens the bitterness of the espresso and cocoa, creating a rich yet approachable combination.

Medium-bodied rather than powerhouse in strength, the A.L.R. Second Edition emphasizes balance over intensity, making it an ideal companion for Samuel Adams Summer Ale. The beer’s bright citrus, wheat, and subtle spice refresh the palate between draws, lifting the cigar’s espresso, chocolate, and earthy sweetness while providing a crisp contrast to its darker flavors.

Pairing cigars and beer isn’t always about matching intensity. Sometimes the better approach is finding complementary flavors that allow each to shine. In this case, the citrus brightness of the Summer Ale and the earthy sweetness of the San Andrés-wrapped A.L.R. Second Edition came together in a way that was both balanced and thoroughly enjoyable.

Cheers!

An After-Dinner Pairing: Angel’s Envy & Perdomo Reserve Maduro

2026-07-31T09:49:27.094-04:00

The run of pleasant weather offered another opportunity for an after-dinner smoke and sip on the screened porch. I reached into the humidor for an aged Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro Epicure, one remaining from a purchase about two and a half years ago. After that extended rest, I expected the cigar’s flavors to have melded beautifully.

The Epicure vitola is a 6 × 54 box-pressed cigar featuring a six-year-old Cuban-seed Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper that spent an additional 14 months aging in bourbon barrels. The binder and filler are also said to be 6-year-aged Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobaccos. Remembering the espresso and nutty sweetness I’d enjoyed from this cigar in the past, I searched for a bourbon with a similarly dessert-like profile.

I selected an old favorite, Angel's Envy Bourbon Port Wine Barrel Finish. One of the first examples of secondary barrel finishing in American whiskey, Angel's Envy helped popularize the concept. The bourbon undergoes a standard four to six years of aging in new charred oak before spending an additional six months in Portuguese ruby port wine barrels. Although bottled at a modest 86.6 proof, the added layer of dark-fruit richness never obscures the bourbon’s familiar caramel, vanilla, and oak character.

The bourbon barrel aging of the wrapper leaf for the Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro adds a layer of sweetness, softening the darker notes typical of the Maduro wrapper. That added sweetness, combined with the dark fruit and vanilla of the whiskey, created an indulgent pairing for this evening's repast.

The Perdomo cigar kicks off with espresso and cocoa notes. Alongside Angel’s Envy’s vanilla and caramel sweetness, the pairing felt decadent from the first draw. As the cigar developed, the molasses and dark chocolate notes became more pronounced. The bourbon’s candied fruit gently softens the cigar’s peppery edge. As the pairing continues and the fruit, chocolate, and coffee notes intertwine, my thoughts drifted to crème brûlée and tiramisu.

The cigar picks up more of a roasted character toward the finish. Rich tobacco and dark chocolate move to the forefront. The rich fruit sweetness from the Angel’s Envy lingers alongside those flavors, bringing to mind dark chocolate-covered coffee beans and cherries.

Secondary barrel finishing has become increasingly popular in recent years, helped in no small part by the growing number of “cigar blend” whiskies. Whether bourbon- or Scotch-based, I can rarely resist these releases when I spot them on store shelves. As I savored this after-dinner pairing this evening, it struck me that Angel’s Envy is particularly well suited to cigar pairing, even though it wasn’t conceived or marketed with that purpose in mind.

“Dessert-like” may be an overused description in bourbon, cigar, beer, and cocktail reviews — even here in these Musings. In the case of Angel’s Envy Bourbon Port Wine Barrel Finish paired with the Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro, however, the description seems entirely appropriate.

Cheers!

The Overnighter: A Bold Cocktail and Cigar Pairing

2026-07-27T10:05:05.526-04:00

The Overnighter cocktail is a four-ingredient drink that’s right up my alley as a fan of bitter and sweet combinations. It’s a flavorful, well-balanced cocktail that’s every bit as enjoyable as it is easy to make.

The Overnighter
1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
.75 oz 22.5 ml Campari
1 oz Dry Vermouth
.25 oz Bénédictine
Orange wheel for garnish
Combine the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain over a large ice cube into a rocks glass and garnish with the orange wheel. Some recipes call for a smoked orange wheel, which would undoubtedly add another layer of complexity.

I used 90-proof Sazerac Rye for my drink. The Overnighter is moderately strong and meant to be sipped slowly, allowing its contrasting bitter and sweet notes to unfold with each taste.

I’ve seen some versions of the recipe call for ¾ ounce of Bénédictine. I tried one using ½ ounce and found the resulting drink a bit too sweet for my taste. The quarter-ounce measure keeps the herbal liqueur in balance, adding depth without overwhelming the other ingredients.

A bold cocktail like the Overnighter calls for an equally bold, well-balanced cigar. I reached for the El Pulpo by Artesano del Tobacco, a cigar I’ve enjoyed often and was one of my favorite cigars of 2025.

The cigar’s rich notes of dark chocolate, black coffee, and roasted nuts paired beautifully with the Overnighter. It had been a while since I’d smoked an El Pulpo, despite still having an unopened box resting in the humidor. This smoke served as a welcome reminder to crack open that box in the near future.

Cheers!

Toasted Oak, a Cigar, and a Summer Evening

2026-07-25T10:56:10.480-04:00

Not long ago, a friend recommended Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon to me. Knowing we share a similar appreciation for well-crafted bourbons, it seemed like a recommendation worth following. During a recent it out of state road trip, I made a quick shopping stop and spotted a bottle on the shelf. Even though it’s readily available at home, I picked it up while the recommendation was still fresh in my mind.

I cracked open the bottle one evening last week and enjoyed a pour while relaxing indoors. After an evening with the bourbon on its own, the question became which cigar would best complement its rich toasted sweetness.

We’ve enjoyed a brief respite from the summer heat over the past few days, making time on the porch with a cigar and bourbon especially enjoyable. It also provided the perfect opportunity to pair the Elijah Craig with an E.P. Carrillo Pledge Purple.

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon uses the same mash bill as several of Heaven Hill’s other bourbons. The change occurs in the finishing process. After the usual maturation process, the bourbon spends additional time in a second, custom-toasted new oak barrel. The lighter toast is said to emphasize sweeter, dessert-like flavors rather than the deeper oak influence associated with a heavier char. The bourbon is bottled at 94 proof.

The aroma from the glass is quite rich, with delightful notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, and even some chocolate. The first sip brings baking spices. They soon give way to toffee and caramel, along with lightly toasted wood. The finish lingers with cocoa, oak, and a pleasing hint of smokiness. From the start, I was thinking not only of suitable companion cigars, but also that the toasted bourbon would make a great Old Fashioned.

The E.P. Carrillo Pledge Purple has been sitting in the humidor since I purchased a box in March. The Purple was created to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the highly regarded Pledge line. It uses the same Havana-seed Connecticut wrapper from that original crop which has now been aged an additional five years. Beneath that well-aged wrapper lies a Mexican binder and Nicaraguan fillers from Estelí, Condega, and Ometepe. The Toro vitola is sharply boxed and measures 6 x 54.

The Pledge Purple profile is complex yet refined and balanced. Throughout the smoke, a blend of cedar, roasted nuts, espresso, cocoa, and mild spice treat the taste buds. The overall impression is creamy and earthy, with a mild natural sweetness to balance the bitter notes.

Enjoyed together, the caramel and toasted notes of the bourbon seemed to accentuate the natural sweetness of the cigar’s aged wrapper. Each leaves a lingering finish that complements the other. Though the bourbon and cigar offered contrasting flavor profiles, they remained remarkably balanced. Neither dominated the pairing, allowing each to complement the other while retaining its own distinct character.

Throughout the 90-minute smoke, I also delighted in the welcome weather. A July evening with temperatures below 80° and humidity under 50 percent provided the perfect backdrop for the pairing. It proved to be one of those evenings where neither the cigar nor the bourbon demanded center stage. Instead, each quietly elevated the other, making for an exceptionally relaxing summer evening.

Cheers!

A Pairing Rooted in Tradition

2026-07-23T07:53:38.295-04:00

Perhaps I’ve been feeling nostalgic about our visits to Italy, or perhaps the warm summer evenings have simply had me reaching for lighter, shorter cigar and beverage pairings. Whatever the reason, I’ve been enjoying sipping various amari and other digestif-style beverages after dinner. On one recent evening, I reached for a bottle of Amaro Nonino Quintessentia. Fittingly, I paired it with a Toscano Antico.

Amaro Nonino is an Italian herbal liqueur built on a base of grappa, the grape-pomace spirit for which the Nonino family is renowned. The grappa is infused with a wide assortment of herbs, flowers, bark, and roots before being refined with aged Nonino grape distillate.

The amaro offers a pleasing balance of sweetness and bitterness, with the sweeter notes holding a slight edge. Orange peel, honey, alpine herbs, and a gently bitter marmalade note lead the profile. Though most often served as a digestif, Amaro Nonino is also consumed as an aperitif, most often in a cocktail such as the Amaro Nonino Spritz or a Paper Plane.

Whenever we visit Italy, one of my first stops is a tabaccheria to pick up a few Toscano cigars. Inevitably, a handful make the trip home with me. The Toscano Antico featured here has been resting in my humidor since our Fall 2024 visit.

Toscano Antico is one of the bolder smokes in the Toscano lineup. The wrapper is made from select North American Kentucky, fire-cured for over 30 days using hickory and oak. The binder leaves are a blend of Italian Kentucky, primarily from Tuscany, and North American Kentucky grown in Kentucky and Tennessee. The North American wrapper and extended aging produce a more assertive smoke than classics such as the Toscano Classico.

A Toscano Antico enjoyed alongside Amaro Nonino Quintessentia makes for more than a harmonious pairing. It feels rooted in tradition. Sipping an Italian amaro while smoking Italy’s iconic fire-cured cigar evokes a shared heritage that extends well beyond flavor.

Neither is particularly sweet, nor aggressively bitter. Instead, each occupies the broad middle ground where wood, herbs, spice, and restrained sweetness overlap. Together, they create a pairing that feels unmistakably Italian.

The Toscano Antico opens with the unmistakable aroma of fire-cured Kentucky tobacco. Campfire smoke, toasted oak, black pepper, and dry earth establish a rustic foundation that is bold without becoming harsh. As the cigar settles, notes of leather, roasted walnuts, bitter cocoa, and espresso emerge, adding depth while retaining its characteristically savory profile.

The initial flavors of this particular cigar were softer than I remember from freshly purchased examples. That gentle rounding of the profile is exactly what I expected after two years of rest, as the flavors have had time to meld and mellow.

The first sip of the Amaro Nonino introduced orange peel, honey, alpine herbs, and warm baking spices to the mix. The honey lends just enough sweetness to soften the sharper edges of the Kentucky tobacco.

One of the more surprising aspects of the pairing is how it changes both components. The cigar becomes slightly rounder and more refined, while the amaro loses much of its perceived sweetness, revealing additional layers of herbs and spice.

As with my earlier pairing of Southern Draw Evening Primrose and Amaro Montenegro, I found that those moments are what make pairing cigars with amari so enjoyable. Neither simply accompanies the other; rather, each subtly reshapes the experience of the other. Discovering those changes is part of the pleasure.

Midway through the smoke, the cigar truly hits its stride. Deeper cocoa and espresso notes emerge. The interplay of bitter cocoa and espresso from the cigar complements the orange marmalade, toasted oak, vanilla, and herbal complexity of the amaro. Even in the finish, the flavors linger on the palate with lasting wood smoke, herbs, citrus, and sweet nuts.

As the cigar neared its end, nearly ninety minutes after lighting, roasted wood and black pepper reached their peak. The warm herbs and bright citrus of the Nonino refreshed the palate, keeping the final third from becoming heavy.

I found myself slowing down, allowing several minutes between draws and small sips. The Toscano Antico burned slowly and steadily, requiring little attention beyond simply savoring the flavors.

Toscano Antico and Amaro Nonino proved to be an exceptionally satisfying after-dinner combination. More than simply complementing one another, they captured something of the relaxed rhythm of evenings we’ve enjoyed in Italy.

As the sun slowly disappeared beyond the trees, I found myself thinking once again of the sunsets over the canals of Venice. While I may have been sitting on a screened porch in rural Virginia rather than beside an Italian canal, for an hour and a half, the pairing brought those memories pleasantly back to life.

Cheers!

Summer Skies, a Bourbon Spritz, and a Fine Cigar

2026-07-20T09:54:12.858-04:00

For our Sunday afternoon aperitivo, Colleen’s usual warm-weather choice is an Aperol Spritz. I’ll often join her in that selection, but this time I was looking for something a bit bolder while still retaining the refreshing character of the classic. Enter the Bourbon Aperol Spritz.

I already had the ingredients assembled for the Aperol Spritz, so all I needed to do was reach for the bourbon and adjust the proportions slightly.

Bourbon Aperol Spritz
1½ oz bourbon
1 oz Aperol
2 oz Prosecco
1 oz club soda
Orange slice
Build the drink over ice, stir gently, and garnish with an orange slice.

The very first sip struck me as slightly out of balance, but the flavors quickly came together, perhaps helped by the slight dilution from the melting ice. With each sip, the drink became more harmonious and increasingly refreshing.

The finished cocktail is lighter and brighter than an Old Fashioned or even a Boulevardier, making it especially enjoyable during the summer months. The bourbon contributes notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak that are balanced nicely by Aperol’s bittersweet orange character and the effervescence of the Prosecco and club soda.

Naturally, I needed a cigar to accompany the spritz. Turning to the humidor, I selected an Oliva Serie V Melanio in the Robusto vitola.

This cigar was the last remaining from a box purchase and had rested loose in the humidor for more than two years. It showed a bit of damage to the foot and cap but was otherwise in excellent condition and performed flawlessly.

The Serie V Melanio proved an excellent companion to the cocktail. Its notes of cedar, cream, toasted nuts, and baking spices complemented the bourbon beautifully while allowing Aperol’s bittersweet orange character to remain prominent. The cigar’s creamy texture also paired especially well with the bourbon’s sweet vanilla and caramel notes.

As we sat and enjoyed our aperitivo, the skies alternated between bright sunshine and dark summer clouds, tempering the July heat. A brief shower finally arrived — lasting only a few minutes — but it cooled the air just enough to make the afternoon even more enjoyable. The Bourbon Spritz, the Oliva Serie V Melanio, and, of course, the light snacks alongside them all combined to make for a thoroughly pleasant afternoon on the porch.

Cheers!

A Sweltering Evening with Southern Draw and Montenegro

2026-07-16T08:23:56.415-04:00

The news and social media are full of reports about the extreme heat affecting much of the country, Virginia included. For my part, I accept that it’s July in Virginia. Temperatures approaching 100° are neither unusual nor unexpected. However, with “feels like” temperatures nearing 110° predicted over the next couple of days, I decided to get an early start on watering the lawn while enjoying a cigar on the screened porch, when the actual temperature was only 92°.

I searched for a light, refreshing digestif and settled on Amaro Montenegro. I’ve been slowly acquiring an assortment of amari. These Italian herbal liqueurs are crafted from a variety of botanicals infused or macerated in alcohol. Although bitterness lies at their core, they offer a wide spectrum of flavors ranging from sweet citrus and floral notes to warming spices and earthy herbs. They are typically served neat as a digestif, though many also shine in cocktails.

Amaro Montenegro is one of the gentlest and most approachable of the amari. With a restrained bitterness, it offers notes of candied orange peel, vanilla, and honey. The floral sweetness balances bitterness without being cloying or syrupy.

I selected a Southern Draw Evening Primrose for the cigar accompaniment. I've had some in the 5½ x 54 Robusto size in the humidor since June 2025. The cigar features an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper, an Indonesian Sumatra binder, and fillers from several growing regions of Nicaragua. Though the cigar features a moderate pepper component, it is balanced by a subtle floral sweetness layered with cedar, toasted nuts, citrus, and delicate floral aromas.

It was that underlying floral sweetness that led me to pair the Evening Primrose with the Amaro Montenegro.

The initial draw delivered a substantial burst of pepper and cedar, which briefly gave me pause about the pairing. Almost immediately, however, those bold flavors were tempered by notes of toasted bread and a creamy floral sweetness. I spent several minutes simply enjoying the cigar’s balanced complexity before reaching for the amaro. The combination of gentle pepper, toasted bread, roasted nuts, soft spices, and sweet citrus was thoroughly enjoyable on its own.

Taking my first sip of the amaro confirmed that I had made the right choice. Despite their contrasting flavor profiles, the pairing was remarkably complementary. Montenegro’s orange and honey notes softened the cigar’s early pepper, making the smoke seem creamier. As the cigar developed richer cedar and toasted nut flavors, the amaro contributed hints of vanilla and baking spice that seemed to emerge naturally from the cigar rather than stand apart from it.

The floral interplay between the two was particularly striking. The Evening Primrose’s subtle floral nuances were gently elevated by Montenegro’s delicate botanicals, bringing those notes to the forefront and lending the cigar even greater elegance.

As the hour-long smoke drew to a close, the cigar developed deeper roasted flavors. Amaro Montenegro’s restrained bitterness and honeyed sweetness refreshed the palate between puffs, allowing the cigar’s complexity to continue unfolding. Rather than overwhelming the cigar, the amaro accentuated its more delicate flavors, creating a balanced and sophisticated after-dinner pairing.

Despite the oppressive heat and humidity that pushed the “feels like” temperature close to 100°, the complementary flavors of the Southern Draw Evening Primrose and Amaro Montenegro provided a refreshing counterpoint to the evening. As I settled into the pairing, time passed quickly, and the summer heat seemed almost an afterthought.

Cheers!

Bright Hops, Dark Tobacco

2026-07-13T08:45:11.773-04:00

On a recent warm evening, I got a hankering for a nice cold beer — or two — to accompany my cigar. I still had some Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA in the refrigerator left over from a recent gathering with friends, and the thought of that citrusy ale had my mouth watering in anticipation.

First, I needed to decide on a suitable cigar accompaniment. After making several passes through the humidor shelves, I finally settled on the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Gran Reserva GT20, with high expectations for the pairing.

The Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA is not a delicate IPA. The beer pours a deep and bright orange color with a big frothy white head — I was relieved I chose a glass of sufficient size. It opens with strong, pithy citrus notes. Resinous, piney hops come through as well. The use of whole-cone hops for dry hopping contributes a fresh, grassy profile. Though a touch of piney resin lingers in the finish, the flavor profile ultimately leans toward bright, fresh citrus. At 7.2% ABV and roughly 65 IBU, it delivers a firm, refreshing citrus bitterness supported by floral hop character and a solid caramel malt backbone.

The Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Gran Reserva GT20 had been resting in the humidor for just over two years. The 6 x 54 softly box-pressed stick is a Nicaraguan puro with a glossy maduro wrapper. The filler tobaccos are reportedly aged for more than five years before the cigars are rolled.

The cigar began with the cedar, espresso, and roasted nut flavors I remembered from earlier smokes. After another two years of rest in the humidor, it offered an exceptionally balanced smoke with all of those notes present but none truly dominating. The white pepper finish noted in the past was diminished but not gone.

The pairing flavors provided an interesting array of contrasts. The Torpedo IPA’s grapefruit and pine notes tended to moderate the darker notes of the rich Nicaraguan cigar. Each sip cleansed the palate, allowing the cigar’s flavors to reintroduce themselves with every draw. Especially during the final third, when the Antaño Gran Reserva GT20 became richer and heavier, the Torpedo IPA seemed to emphasize the cedar and spice, making the cigar feel more vibrant and energetic. At the same time, the coffee and cocoa from the smoke soften Torpedo’s hop bitterness.

When I pulled a second bottle of the IPA from the fridge, the freshly chilled beer provided a sharp change to the pairing balance. The citrus aspect of the beer took even more of the limelight over the malt backbone experienced with the prior warmer sips. The pairing became even more engaging as the colder beer pushed the citrus character to the forefront.

After about 90 minutes, both the cigar and my two glasses of beer were finished. The sun was still nearly two hours from setting, yet the temperature had become pleasantly comfortable. We’ve been enjoying a stretch of lower-than-average humidity despite frequent afternoon showers, making for especially pleasant evenings outdoors.

Cheers!

Five O'Clock Friday: Benefits of a Clean Palate

2026-07-10T17:00:00.000-04:00

A fresh palate is important.

Just sayin'.

Cheers!