La Flor de Cano Cigar and Hopmouth Double IPA

The Cigar

Diadema
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Mexican
Size: 7.2 x 54
My Strength Rating: 5

On the previous posting I wrote about how I have a problem with the Diadema La Flor cigar. I personally do not like the strong floral note that I get from this stick. I mentioned in that posting that it might pair with an IPA. I was thinking that the citrusy and floral type hops in an IPA could control the taste of this cigar.

The Ale

Arcadia Ales HopMouth Double IPA has an 8.1% abv., a nice looking amber color to the body and the aroma is not too far from the taste. This Double IPA, of course, has that piney grapefruit tartness right up front. I do not notice any sweetness; I think the citrus-peppery profile is taking care of hiding any sweetness. This is not as overpowering as I thought it would be. I actually have to admit that I like this ale. One reason why that is, the grapefruit bitter quality does not overwhelm my palate. Some of those big IPA ruin my taste buds for the day. I think I am going to go with an 8/8.5 for my strength rating. A good full flavored and bodied IPA.

The Pairing

It works! The full flavored ale is strong enough to control this cigar. The HopMouth has a full aftertaste of pine and citrus that lingers on the palate. When I smoke the cigar that floral note, which I don’t like, is now under control due to the ales aftertaste. Let’s put it in action.

Leading the tasting experience with the cigar followed with the ale. I get that floral flavor but it is not as strong with this ale. Then, when I drink the ale after puffing on the cigar the ale washes that floral note right into the mix of citrus and pine.

Leading the tasting experience with the ale first then puff on the cigar is a different tasting experience. I get the bold rich flavors of this IPA and then when I puff on the cigar that floral note is quite as a church mouse.

See a cigar will affect a beer and a beer will have an effect on your cigar. If I was drinking this ale and then lit up this cigar for the first time I would go away thinking that the cigar was ok to pretty good. Then, the next day when I would light up another one I would be thinking that this cigar sucks.

If I have any more of these Diademas left I’ll have to pair them up with some IPA’s or just give them away.

La Flor de Cano Diadema Cigar and In- Heat Wheat: Pairing

The Cigar

Diadema
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Mexican
Size: 7.2 x 54
My Strength Rating: 5

This is the stick that I have a problem with. The Diadema has a strong floral note that the others do not have. I remember two years ago when I lit one up and got that big floral note and thinking there was just something wrong with that one. Well, all the others of this size tasted the same. I would not buy this size ever again. I like the other sizes in this line-up. Actually, now that I think of it this cigar might go very well with an IPA – I’ll do it later. It is hard to think of the other tasting notes because of this floral flavor. There is an earthiness but, it is not worth thinking about after that.

This cigar deserves to be paired up with this beer because the beer is not acting normal.

The Beer

In-Heat Wheat Hefe Weizen
4.7% abv
12 oz bottle
IBU 12
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, Maryland, USA
My Strength Rating: 4

Ok, there is something going on with this 6 pack of beer. They must have juiced this beer up with extra carbonation. Every beer that I have opened up just wants to explode and then you cannot pour a good beer, it is all foam. The cloud of foam that is in the glass looks like the pastry chef toasted the top. I have never had this beer do this before in past years.

The aroma has a soapy smell with some wheat in the background. The taste has some lemon citrus zip, wheat, and some spice. The watery edge is a little big for this beer and of course the carbonation is out of control. Once I got a chance to put all the beer from the bottle in the glass the color is a ruddy orange color. There must be something wrong with this six pack of beer – bottom of the barrel stuff maybe. But, the taste is pretty much the same.

I usually pick up a six pack or two every summer because it goes well with a cigar with its watery edge. This beer does not have the character of a hefe weizen but, it is serviceable on a hot day.

Buy: If you are looking for a Hefe Weizen, skip this beer. If you want an ok wheat beer to go with a cigar or with food knock yourself out and get a six pack. There are too many good Hefes out there to bother with this one.

The Pairing

I was hoping that the beer would control that floral note from the cigar but, it does not. The cigar does make this beer taste better. It affects the mouthfeel making it seem a little fuller. There is a better earthy structure to the beer. The beer does help with cleaning the palate from that floral note – thanks to the overdose of carbonation and that watery edge. But, the watery edge is not as noticeable during this pairing.

Don’t pair these two. Why? Because, you should not buy this cigar – period.

La Flor de Cano Selectos Cigar and Summit Hefe Weizen: Review

The Cigar
Selectos
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Mexican
Size: 5 x 54
My Strength Rating: 5
This is a nice medium bodied smoke. I remember when I tried one – I turned right around and bought a box of them. And then in a couple of months I found the sampler pack on special and I bought a few of them. If you enjoy medium bodied cigars with a toasty, earthy-mineral, and a deep herbal profile – this is a good buy. In the description of this cigar they talk about a peppery note – I don’t get that with this stick. And, the Selectos size cigar always finishes on a smooth note for me.

The Beer
Summit Hefe Weizen
4.9% abv
12 oz bottle
Summit Brewing
Minnesota, USA
My Strength Rating: 4/4.5
Pours a hazy golden color and don’t forget to swirl the last 1/2 inch to get the sediment off the bottom of the bottle. Nice little head that did not last very long. No lacing on the glass to speak of.

To me this is pretty uninteresting. I love a good hefe on a summer day and this is not it. There is a wheat presence of course along with … an uninteresting clove and grainy taste. I keep on smelling this beer and I cannot figure it out. It is a big lump smell. Very uninspiring.

I have checked the bottle up and down for a freshness date but, I cannot find one. Every bottle in this six pack tasted the same – uninteresting.

The Pairing
This cigar would be good with a hefe but, this is not the one. Nothing wrong with the pairing, it is just the beer that is uninteresting to me.

Find yourself a good hefe weizen and this cigar should match up well.

The La Flor de Cano Cigar Series Review

There are 4 sizes of the La Flor de Cano brand that I will be pairing with four different Hefe Weizens.

Here are the sizes (left to right in pic)
Selectos 5 x 54
Short Churchill 6 x 50
Belicoso 6.1 x 52
Diadema 7.2 x 54
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Mexican

I bought a box of the Selectos and I liked them so, when I say a deal on the sampler pack containing these four different sizes I picked up a few packs. When I smoked them I found out that each one is completely different than the other, which is not the norm within a line. You will see as I post each pairing during the week.

Casa Magna Toro Cigar and Ghettoblaster: Review

The Cigar
Wrapper: Colorado
Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 56
My Strength Rating: 5
Nothing super special here but, it is a good value. I have to admit I think it is an average cigar at best but, I like this average cigar. I can think of a bunch of average cigars that I would never buy but, I do return to buy this one. Around two years ago when this cigar came out they gave the title ‘cigar of the year’ in a cigar magazine. That company must have bought a lot of advertising that year in the magazine.

This cigar has a solid earthy, portabella mushroom meaty like quality, and a dry medium coffee style. At times I find hints of white pepper spice. To me this cigar is pretty consistent throughout the smoking experience. I have always enjoyed smoking this cigar with a good beer.

The Beer
Ghettoblaster by: Motor City Brewing Works

Go to BeerPostings2 and see my full review on this beer. Dated: July 20, 2010.

This English style mild ale has a very low abv at 4.2%. This ale pours a light translucent amber color with a thin head. There is no lacing left on the glass while drinking this ale. The nose came across as malty and grainy with a slight roasty note underneath when first poured. After that it is rather plain on the nose with each sip.

There seems to be a roasty malt and a slight bitter pecan shell like taste. The bottle reads, ‘…clean biscuit-like maltiness, and wine like fruitiness.’ Wine like? Really. No cherry or dark cherry; blackberry or blueberry; red or black currant; what fruit? It is Ghettoblaster so they must be referring to Boones Farm type wine.  If my wine tasted like this I would not drink wine. I can buy the “clean biscuit-like maltiness.” I could understand maybe a date or dark dry raisin like fruit.

This ale has a big watery edge. It is a mild ale so, there would be a solid watery profile. There are moments when I think it has a little English Ale like quality, then it is gone and I am left thinking ‘what is that taste.’

The watery edge of the ale should make it work with a cigar.

The Pairing

These two average products do work with each other. They are within the two points I recommend for strength ratings. The Ale I would give it a 3.5 or 4 strength rating and the cigar is a 5. The watery edge does help to refresh the palate while smoking this cigar. The flavors don’t interfere with each other. The earthy style of the cigar helps the ale a little bit. I think it helps the roasty malt character of this ale.

This is a nice pairing.

5 Vegas Cask Strength Cigar and Shiner Frost Ale: Review

The Cigar
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Ligeros leafs are use from: Nicaragua, Honduras, and beyond – where is beyond?
Size: 6 x 52 box-pressed toro
My Strength Rating: 6.5
This cigar has a solid earthy, woody, and meaty style. Some good spice to keep things interesting, along with a pleasing aftertaste, makes this a flavorful cigar. The woody profile to me is of oak, for a fuller taste.

The few of these that I have smoked they have never been bitter or harsh. I have been impressed with this medium-full bodied smoke. I believe that most medium-full bodied smokers would enjoy this stick. This cigar would pair well with a hearty medium-full or full beer or wine. Let’s see how it pairs with Shiner Frost which is billed as a ‘hearty full-bodied ale.’

I did an earlier posting on how I dislike two banded cigars. Here is the reason why I dislike them. (see picture below) The glue from one of the bands always seem to get on the wrapper leaf and break it. Save the paper and get rid of the foot band – no reason for it except packaging.

The Ale

Shiner Frost Dortmunder Style Ale
5.5% abv
12 oz bottle
Spoetzl Brewery
Shiner, Texas, USA
My Strength Rating: 4.5
A strong golden body to this ale. Descent head and not much on the lacing of the glass. The malt profile is pretty simple. There is the sweetness (malts doing their job) and a slight roasted quality along with a meaty walnut like taste. The hops are fresh and are there just to keep the malts in check.

Nothing too outstanding here. Nothing bad about it either. It just seems average. There is a lingering dryness on the tongue for the aftertaste.

On the bottle they claim that it is a ‘hearty full-bodied ale.’ I give it a 4.5 on my strength scale which is medium bodied. The only reason I gave the .5 was because of the lingering dryness on the aftertaste. I would call it a hearty medium bodied ale.

This is a seasonal beer, winter. It was the lone six pack on the shelf (here in the month of July) and of course I have to pick it up anyways because I need the bottle cap and it gives me a beer to review. The name Frost sounded refreshing with this heat wave as well. I never had the beer before and I might not have it again. I might try it when it is in season – might.

The Pairing
The ale is not full-bodied in my book. I still found it to match up well with this cigar. The hearty flavors mixed well for a pleasant experience. These two would be good together on a cool winter night. The cigar did make the ale seem a little fuller in body. I think I enjoyed the ale more while I was smoking this cigar compared to when I had it by itself.

Pair this Dortmunder Style Ale with beef stew, goulash, New York Strip Steak or other hearty fare.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Rothchilde and Affligem Blond Ale: Review

The Cigar
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Rothchilde Tubo
Wrapper: Ecuadorian grown Connecticut Shade
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
Size: 5 x 50
My Strength Rating: 4.5/5
Good looking packaging on this cigar. I usually do not buy a lot of cigars in tubes. They tend to be smaller in ring gauge and prefer larger ring gauges. But, I saw this at the store and thought I have not had this line in a long time nor have I had this tubo before.

The taste has good wood and earth notes along with some spice are at the core. There is a dry tobacco texture to this cigar. I think it is the dryness to the mouthfeel that I usually find this cigar uninteresting. Let’s see if a good blond will do this cigar some justice.

The Ale
Affligem Blond Ale
6.8% abv.
11.2oz. bottle.
From: Belgium
Affligem is the oldest abbey in Flanders, Belgium.

Nice looking golden color with a fluffy head and some lacing on the glass. Nice summertime tropical like fruits dipped in honey. There is a good grainy and herbal taste with a little peppery spice to give the ale some character. This is no foo foo blond, this blond has it going on. You will want to experience the firm body of flavors this blond has to offer. I am going to give this a 5.5 on my strength scale. I could even go to 6 on the scale.

As you sip this ale think of what you like best.

Is it the honey and fruits?
Is it the grainy and little peppery taste?
Is it the herbal and slight bitter bite?
Then the carbonation seems to swirl them all together.

The Pairing
The dryness of the cigar seems to bring out the dry quality of this ale. The flavor profile of the cigar tends to override the sweet malts which, brings out the spice and pepper a bit. The carbonation of the ale is not enough to refresh the palate with this cigar. I am going to have to give an ‘ok’ rating.

To help this cigar I think I might have to go to a sweeter profile with a bit of a watery edge and some good carbonation to refresh the palate.

To help pair with this ale I am thinking a sweet maduro with a medium to medium-full strength rating or even a Cameroon with a nice nutty and medium body profile.

These two are boring together.

Gran Habano – Habano #3 Imperial and Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager

The Cigar
Habano #3 Imperial
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Jalapa-Habano
Filler: Nic., Costa Rica, Mexico
Size: 6 x 60
My Strength Rating: 5.5
I like these bigger ring gauge sizes in this line up better than their smaller sticks. The smoke is still smooth but, there is more flavor to this size I believe. There is a good hardwood wood and earthy profile along with some good spice dancing on my palate. I think it is like a white pepper note in that spice profile. Not, strong enough to be black pepper. The white pepper will keep this cigar in that medium bodied range. A slight bitterness to the taste and a dry coffee bean like quality helps to build a little complexity for this cigar. This cigar should go well with a lot of beers. But, I remember one time in the spring when I tried it with a bold IPA and that did not work at all. The IPA brought out the bitterness in this cigar and the cigar made the IPA bitterer.

The Beer
Dortmunder Gold
5.8% abv
12 oz bottle
30 IBU
Great Lakes Brewing
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
My Strength Rating: 4 I was expecting to give it a 2 or 3.

Poured a deep golden color and most lagers will have that light bright golden color, almost straw like or a pale gold. The head color is a little off white, to use a painting term, ‘eggshell.’ Solid lacing on the glass after each sip.

This might not be that boring lager story here. This lager is not void of taste. I think for a lager it has a good hearty and earthy profile. A lot of lagers will have water and sugar as their profile story. Of course the malts are up front (30 IBU). But, it is not a 20 IBU that is all sweet like sugar water (Miller Drinkers take notes here). This Lager has a little hoppy action going on. A slight citrus bite of hops hits the back of the palate with each sip. I get the feel of a little spice to the profile here, maybe coming from the alcohol and the hops. Oh, I am sorry Miller drinkers, I probably lost you. We were talking about flavor.

Now, I find it interesting or ironic that they give it a German name and then turn around and write on the bottle, ‘Not … as malty as a Munich-style lager… .’ Good! Because, I don’t like that metallic taste in my beer. This lager does have a crisp feel to each sip but, it is not clean. Clean usually means there is no specific taste. This lager does have some taste.

Toss those boring lagers overboard and serve yourself up a flavorful lager – Dortmunder Gold by, Great Lakes Brewing.
See BeerPostings2

The Pairing
I had planned to smoke a milder cigar till I did the review on this beer. Now, a lager or a pilsner you can go stronger and bolder with your cigar because there are usually no specific flavors to compete with. Another good reason is that the lighter and watery style lager and pilsner will also refresh your palate while you are smoking that stronger cigar.

The reason I wanted to pair these two up is that there is a good herbal spice profile, that citrus bite on the back of the palate and that good earthy malty and just good overall hearty taste for a lager, how will it taste with a flavorful cigar.

This cigar helps to kick up that spice profile in the lager. The earthiness of each makes for a solid mouthfeel that I would never expect while drinking a lager and smoking a cigar. I really like these two together.

I recommend this pairing

CAO America Landmark Cigar and Wittekerke Belgian Wheat: Review

Win your independence from bitter tasting beer this summer with Wittekerke Belgian Wheat Beer

The Cigar
Wrapper: Connecticut Maduro & Shade Leaf
Filler: 100% ligero tobaccos from Dominica, Nicaragua, Italy, and America
Size: 6 x 60
My Strength Rating: 4.5/5

This stick sports a pin stripe look made from two different wrappers. While this does look nice I have always had this pin striped looking cigar come unraveled during the smoking experience. The flavor seems to have a solid woody and earthy quality but, to me it comes across uninteresting. It has a dryness to the mouthfeel that continues that uninteresting quality. I read it should be paired with a ‘bold microbrew’ so, I smoked it one time with a good IPA and I liked the cigar then. Now, let’s try it with a quality wheat beer.

The Beer
Wittekerke stands for White Church. See Johnny Fincioen video on Global Beer Network on the history of Wittekerke. To me this 5% abv Belgian Wheat Beer should be a wheat beer lovers dream. I love the fresh wheat style taste and the mild lemon citrus squeeze. Very refreshing on a hot summer day. My strength rating for this beer is a 4. No coriander or other spices to jam up that mouthfeel. Don’t get me wrong, I do like those beers that have that Belgian white style, but not on a 90 degree day. After this one has been in the sun, while in my glass, it still tastes good. To me cooked coriander and spices is not so refreshing in this situation. For my summer time pleasure I am buying a 12 pack of Wittekerke for that Belgian Wheat refreshing taste.

The Pairing
My concern here is that this cigar worked well with a bold IPA and this is a finesse or a more elegant type beer and it might not pair up well. The strength ratings are within range but, will the flavor profiles work. Will the wheat flavor, from the ale, that I enjoy so much work with the medium woody taste and nice earthy quality of this cigar. Or, will that slight lemon twist in the ale interfere as the flavors mingle.

It works right from the start. As I tried to figure out why, I think it is that woody and earthiness of the cigar seems to come together with a dry walnut like taste as I drink this wheat beer. This would make sense to me why I like this pairing then. I like drinking this beer with a Cameroon wrapped cigar which usually has a nutty like taste.

These two paired up well. I enjoyed the flavors of each. I think the wheat beer helped the cigar and that was a good thing.

You CAO cigar smokers (like me) head on out to the store and pick up a six pack of Wittekerke Belgian Wheat Beer and enjoy a beautiful summer day. You can thank me later!

Food pairings: Seafood such as shrimp, scallops, white fish; herb spiced chicken.

See the last posting on this ale

Brocatus Torpedo Cigar and Bieken Honey Ale: Review

The Cigar
Wrapper: Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican
Size: 6.5 x 52
My Strength Rating: 3.5
There is nothing complex about this cigar but, it is a tasty woody flavored cigar. This cigar is on the mild side and is perfect for a summer day. The cigar is never harsh and is always satisfying. There is nice pecan like nutty note that mingle well with a smooth oak wood like character. If you are looking for a great value cigar – this is it. I am getting low on the box that I bought and I am planning to buy a couple of boxes next time.

The Ale
The Bieken is an 8.5% abv Belgian beer with a nice mild-medium body flavor. This ale is well balanced. There is nothing overwhelming from this ale. Yes, it is on the sweet side of the scale but, it is a very tasty sweet. The summertime fruits have that honey dipped flavor and if you want to enjoy a quality ale on a hot day this is it.

The Pairing
This is a very tasty pairing on this wonderful summer day. The nutty, woody character of the cigar pairs well with the sweet fruits of the Bieken Ale. I would definitely pair these up again on a hot summer day.