Gurkha Empire V and Sierra Nevada Summerfest

The Cigar

Wrapper: Ecudaor Connecticut
Filler:
Size: 5.5 x 52
My Strength Rating: 3.5

This cigar sports an attractive natural wrapper. The feel of the cigar is nice and firm. The smoke has a good cedar and fine white pepper quality. There is a smoothness to the texture that helps to maintain that mild to medium strength. It is a rather simple cigar. The mouthfeel and the overall strength rating does not change much at all during the smoking experience.

I selected this cigar to match with the Summerfest Lager because of its mild nature.

The Beer

5% abv
12 oz bottle
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, California, USA
My Strength Rating: 2.5

The description on the bottle covers it pretty well: “Summerfest is a Pilsner-style lager brewed for enjoyment on warm summer days – featuring a slight malt sweetness, delicate spice and floral hop flavor, and a crisp, refreshing finish.”

This crisp summer lager has a clear bright yellow appearance. The white head did not stay around long and left no lacing on the glass. The moderate carbonation helps with that crispness to the mouthfeel. Overall a pretty clean tasting lager that is pleasing to drink. This would be a good step above your average lager. It is worthy of a try.

The Pairing

These two were meant for each other. They both have a smooth texture to the mouthfeel that makes a refreshing pairing. That mild-medium cedar flavor with a touch of white pepper from the cigar mixes well with the slight spice and sweet malts of the lager. If you are looking for a mild or mild-medium pairing this would be a good choice.

Pink Peppercorn

Pink pepper is not related to black pepper. It is not even a peppercorn. Pink pepper is native to Brazil. The aroma is aromatic compared to black peppers pungent smell or white peppers musky smell. The taste of this berry is sweet and mild. When I tasted the pink peppercorn I remember being surprised with the sweet taste. This is good to grind over your filet mignon or pork tenderloins, according to gourmetsleuth.com. Now the guy at Spice Merchants told me it is not good to leave the pink peppercorns in a grinder (all pink being used) because they have more moisture in them compared to the black pepper family. So, they do not grind up as nice as real peppercorns. That is way we see them mixed in with the other peppercorns and not by themself.

Green Peppercorn

Green pepper is the one most of us probably know nothing about. We may have seen it in the clear pepper grinders mixed in with the other peppercorns. Green peppercorns are black peppercorns, just picked earlier off the plant. So, we could say they are under-ripe peppercorns. They are mild in their flavor and that is one reason to mix them in the grinder with the other stronger ‘hotter’ peppercorns. Green pepper is good to use on vegetables and sauces. When I tasted the different peppercorn I thought it tasted like the black peppercorn without the big bite. I think I’ll be getting a new pepper grinder to have on hand for the green peppercorns.

Tomorrow Pink Peppercorn Posting

White Peppercorn

White pepper is black pepper without the outer crust of the berry. Whitepepper.com has a brief explanation on white pepper. The flavor is usually cleaner. I don’t think it has that citrus bite like the black pepper. When I tested the white peppercorn, I did not get that citrus bite but what I did get was a hotter taste. When I taste the fine grind white pepper in a jar (wet the end of your finger and tap the white pepper) I defiantly get a softer pepper taste. No citrus. Remember that nice pungent smell of black pepper? Well, forget it when you smell white pepper. Whole white peppercorns smell bad. They are musky or like my wife (the bloodhound) said, ‘this smells like shit.’ White pepper does not have a pleasant aroma but, the taste if very good.

Tomorrow Green Peppercorn Posting

Black Peppercorn

Most of us are familiar with black pepper. We use ground black pepper in our homes and when we are out to eat. We may even have a pepper grinder to grind the peppercorns. I personally use the grinder. With the grinder I can adjust the coarseness of the grind. I like the chunky coarse grind on my salads. Then, I like a fine grind on my eggs, when they are over easy. Scrambled eggs I prefer a medium-fine grind. Black pepper will have a citrusy overtone and a hardwood note. I think the coarse grind helps to deliver that stronger citrus bite. Think of the times you have bitten into a small chunk of a peppercorn and you get that strong black pepper taste. Then, think of the times you use a fine ground black pepper and there is a slight floral note along with the other qualities. That pungent smell of black pepper is just wonderful.

Tomorrow White Peppercorn Posting

Understanding Pepper as a Tasting Note

When reading tasting notes on wine, beer or cigars you will eventually see the description of pepper. It may have a peppery aroma, slight peppery taste or a spicy peppery flavor. When I read the word pepper, I usually think of black pepper. And, there have been times when I taste a peppery note and I have started to think, ‘what kind of pepper is this,’ because it does not taste like black pepper it seemed softer. The peppery like taste can come from several things; the alcohol content, the ingredients used that make a bitter taste, and citrus notes.

So, thinking about pepper as a profile flavor got me to the Spice Merchant Store and I bought four different peppercorns: black peppercorn, white peppercorn, green peppercorn, and pink peppercorn. In this series of postings we will review the four different peppercorns so we can use them in our description of wine, beer, and cigars.

I bought a half an ounce of each peppercorn and I poured each into a small glass so I could spend some time smelling the peppercorns and then I took a bite of each one to experience its particular flavor.

A Cigar and Beer Review: 5 Vegas A and Laguntas Pils

The Cigar

Apotheosis
Wrapper: Costa Rican Maduro
Filler: 3 country blend
Size: 5.5 x 55
My Strength Rating: 6.5

This cigar has a full bodied earthy coffee flavor. There is a nice white pepper and spice that plays well here. The earthiness just coats the palate for a long aftertaste. I am going to have to plan to do this cigar with a coffee for a bold experience. For now I have a beer to tackle.

The Pilsner

Lagunitas Pils Czech Style Pilsner
5.3% Abv
12 oz bottle
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Petaluma, California, USA

Pours a cloudy orange-golden color. White bubbles for the head. Fairly aggressive pour and got a one finger head. To me the aroma is like sweet grains.

I like the sweet grains and the slight spice that might be from the alcohol that plays on the tongue. The notes here remind me of pink pepper. Pink pepper has that sweetness with a little spice with it. There is a nice fruitiness. Some apple and a little lemon squirt that help to add some character. Overall I’ll call it good. Whether it is a Czech Style Pilsner – I don’t know. I think I have only had one true Czech Republic pilsner and that was too long ago. The more I drink this beer the more I like it. I’ll go to good +. This is not your Miller beer with its sugary sweetness and big watery profile. This beer has some nice flavors for a pilsner.

Buy: Yes, worthy of a six pack. Ditch that Miller bottle and buy this. At least this is a true American Made Beer!

The Pairing

I am surprised how good this pairing is going. This pilsner has the flavors to do business with this cigar. It is not a watery pilsner just washing the earthy flavors of the cigar away. It is mixing it up well with this cigar. The flavors mix it up well and being a pilsner it still has a refreshing quality while I smoke this medium-full bodied cigar.

A Cigar and Wine Review: 5 Vegas Gold Double Nickel and Fess Parker 2008 Chardonnay

The Cigar

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Honduran, Dominican
Size: 5 x 55
My Strength Rating: 2.5

These 5 Vegas Golds are very smooth and tasty mild cigars. I usually get a nice mellow oaky flavor and a mild almond like nutty note. They are not complex cigars. They are pretty straight forward. I like this cigar for pairing with mild dishes, white fish or shell fish. They also pair well with pilsners, lagers, other lighter beers and white wine.

If you are a regular full bodied cigar smoker or medium-full bodied, it is time to start to expand your palate for other cigars. If you ever do start to develop your palate for variety, take your time and try to experience the different tasting notes.

The White Wine

Fess Parker 2008 Chardonnay
Santa Barbara County
Fess Parker Winery

On the bottle, ‘Flavors of ripe apple, butter, lemon and melon are perfectly balanced with light toasty oak on the palate.’

They always have a really good written description on their bottles of wine. As a wine drinker I really appreciate a well written description. First, it can help me in the selection of the wine. Then, if I have not had the wine before, it prepares me for some or all of the flavors I am going to experience.

To me this Chardonnay has a nice green apple taste and a slight lemon taste. The lemon is not bitter like ‘lemon rind,’ or puckering like ‘lemon juice.’ It is a very pleasing lemon taste. I could not place the other notes so, that is when I checked the list on the bottle. Melon and butter was left that I did not get.

First the butter, I don’t get it except for a descriptor of the mouthfeel – ‘buttery smooth’. The mouthfeel is smooth like butter. When I started thinking about the melon note that was the other flavor that I could not place. To me it is like a honey dew melon.

This is a perfect white wine for a hot summer day. Very fresh tasting notes and a fine smooth texture to please your palate.

The Pairing

These two are made for each other. Both are excellent mild bodied products. While both are mild they each have a nice flavor profile. The slight oak, nutty, and pleasantly smooth profile of the cigar intermingles well with the fruits, buttery smooth texture, and slight touch of oak of this wine. I highly recommend this pairing on these hot and steamy summer days.

A Cigar and Beer Review: Padilla Miami and Wells Bombardier

The Cigar

Padilla Miami Robusto
Wrapper: Corojo from Nicaragua
Filler: Criollo and Corojo from Nicaragua
Size: 5 x 50
My Strength Rating: 5

I have only smoked a couple of these lately and I have enjoyed them. I enjoy the rich medium roast coffee notes and toasty tobacco flavors. There seems to be a sweet little woody and earthiness that make for a pleasing tasting profile. The smoke leaves a tingling spice on the palate. Each time I have smoked the Miami Robusto the one word descriptor that stands out to me is rich. It has a rich flavor that I personally enjoy.

The Ale - Wells Bombardier English Ale

After your nose passes the slight peppery and malty aroma your palate is greeted to an English Ale treat. The taste has a nice herbal hoppy bite with a rich malty characteristic. I get a cedar woody taste along with red apple freshness. This is a nice English Ale that is firm and crisp. The mouthfeel has a dry and nice bitter bite like an English ale. It is still refreshing due to the good watery edges and slight carbonation that helps to cleanse the palate. My strength rating is a 4.5 for this ale. This ale is perfect for smoking a cigar with.

The Pairing

These two are meant for each other. Both have a rich flavor profile that maximizes my experience. This is one of those matching that seems perfect. I have to do this pairing again.

I think the cedar notes of the ale mix well with the sweet woody and earthy notes of the cigar. The medium roast coffee notes just bring out the best of the rich malt flavors of the ale.

A must pairing.

La Flor de Cano Short Churchill Cigar and Lilja’s Heifer Weizen: Review

The Cigar

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Mexican
Size: 6 x 50
My Strength Rating: 5.5

This is a nice medium bodied smoke. I like the solid earthy profile. It is like I can taste the soil that the tobacco was grown in. This one has a good spice and peppery character on the medium body level. This cigar burns perfectly and holds a strong ash. The mid-section of this cigar focuses on the earthy notes along with some spice. The pepper action seemed a little more active on the first third.

The Beer

Wisconsin Farmhouse Wheat Beer
? Abv
12 oz bottle
Sand Creek Brewing
Black River Falls, Wisconsin, USA

I have never had or seen this beer before and I am not too sure about this one. Why? You ask. It has three cows on the label. So, the name Heifer!

This beer is lively. There must be plenty of carbonation here. After having to aggressively pour a one finger head on the Summit Hefe, this one you have to be careful with because you will end up with a glass full of foam. The head has a pretty white foam. The body color is a hazy yellowish color. The aroma is a little soapy smelling – I just hope it does not transfer to the taste. Oh, it does not. But, this tastes like a good hefe weizen. The banana, clove, and spice, along with the wonderful wheat flavor is dancing across my tongue to my delight. There is a slight lemon citrus note as an undertone here. This is a very pleasant tasting Heifer.

The Pairing

I randomly selected the La Flor Cigar to go with the beers that I am pairing them with. I wish I had the Selectos size to go with this one – I think they would go very well with each other. My concern with the Short Churchill is the pepper and spice profile working against this hefe. The banana note is missing during this matching. The cigar seems to bring out the grainy, yeasty, wheat notes. At first I didn’t like this matching but, as I continued this was not all too bad. I am going to plan to do another review with this beer and match it with a cigar that I’ll plan.

So, a good learning experience here. Do not match up a peppery and spicy cigar with a Hefe Weizen. This in only a medium style cigar sure glad I did not do a medium-full one.

Cigar – good
Hefe – good
Pairing – only ok

La Flor de Cano Belicoso Cigar and Kellerweis Hefeweizen: Review

The Cigar

Belicoso
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Mexican
Size: 6.1 x 52
My Strength Rating: 5

This stick has a solid earthiness for it taste profile. There is also a nice roasty note but, I do not detect any spice. Overall a pretty simple taste profile but, enjoyable. The earthy note is like a meaty portabella mushroom along with some moss. The cigar does not seem to change much throughout the smoking experience.

The Hefe

4.8% abv
12 oz bottle
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, California, USA
My Strength Rating: 4

The Hefe pours a cloudy pale orange color. It has a nice white head that carries a pleasing Hefe Weizen aroma. A slight banana and spice profile. The clove flavor is pleasing to the palate. This is a very drinkable Weizen with only a 4.8% abv. Find yourself a summer day that you want to kick back and enjoy a nice Hefe Weizen. There is an herbal like aftertaste that lingers on the palate. The mouthfeel is quite refreshing. This would be good to pair with mild seafood dishes or veal chops.

The Pairing

Overall this is a nice pairing. They do not get in the way of each other. I still get all the Hefe Weizen flavors of the beer while I am enjoying the earthy profile of the belicoso shaped cigar. I seem to detect a little more citrus in the beer as I session this pairing.