Ave Maria Holy Grail Cigar and Allagash Dubbel Reserve: Review

The Cigar

Ave Maria Holy Grail Cigar

Wrapper: Habano

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: 7.1 x 58 Salomon

My Strength Rating: 5

Off the Light: dry earthy notes with a little smack of oak greet the palate.  The cigar seems to have a mild green peppercorn spice dancing on the tongue here off the light.

As the cigar continues, into the first third, the earthy note reminds me of mossy earth. This is mixed with a meaty walnut quality and I am liking this oaky note that is present.  That touch of spice seems to fade during the first third.

The burn made it around the foot just fine.  Sometimes on these big salomons there can be a burn issue.  The cigar holds a gray ash.  Not the strongest ash in the world – I had about an inch ash and it fell off with no problem. 

Mid-point: Plenty of smoke fills the air from this tasty cigar.  I am loving the oak wood like quality of this cigar.  The walnut note is still present and the dry earthy feature is agreeable to my taste buds. 

Time to just sit back and enjoy but, I’ll have to be careful with that ash – I have dropped two of them already – one on the table before getting it to the ashtray and the other on me.  Neither one of them longer than an inch. 

Down the Stretch: The body weight picks up a bit.  The oak and earthy notes are a tad stronger.  Overall, this is a good medium bodied smoke. 

The Ale

Allagash Dubbel Reserve

Belgian Style Ale Batch # 67

7% abv

1pt 9.4oz bottle

$9.00 a bottle

Allagash Brewing

Portland, Maine, USA

My Strength Rating: 4.5

Here is an interesting note: The 750 ml bottle is labeled as Dubbel Reserve and the smaller bottles are labeled as Dubbel Ale.

Appearance: a ruddy brown body with a fine light tan head that leaves a little bit of lacing on the chalice. 

Aroma: a light nose of dark dried fruits.

Flavors: Not an overly sweet dubbel.  A nice golden raisin and herbal tea like character is the main profile.  There is a touch of sweet malts and a touch of bitter hops providing some good balance.  I do not see this as a complex ale but, it is tasty all the same. 

Mouthfeel: Smooth and pleasing to the palate. Very drinkable.

Recommendation: I think this could be a good introductory Belgian Dubbel. 

The Pairing

This is a very pleasing pairing.  The oak and walnut notes of the cigar mingle well with the golden raisin and herbal tea like quality of the ale.  These two complement each other well, making a good match. 

The ale clearly cleans the palate after each puff of the cigar and this just makes me want more of each.

Don Lino Africa Gordo: Review

Wrapper: Nicaragua Habana-seed

Binder: Nicaragua

Fillers: Cameroon Africa, Dominican, Mexico, Nicaragua (I have seen Honduras in place of Mexican tobacco)

Size: 5.5 x 54

My Strength Rating: 6

I bought a 10 pack some time ago and I am now down to my last one and I noticed that I have not reviewed this stick.  I swear I did but, NOPE.

I really enjoy the Kiboko which is a big 6.5” x 58 bad boy.  See the Kiboko posting

The smoke on the first half is medium bodied with sweet cedar, medium roast coffee, and some nice toasted grains and spice.  The salt and pepper colored ash holds tight and the burn has been perfect.

Whenever I smoked these too fast, in the summer golfing, they can get a little harsh.  I guess you could say that about most cigars in that situation.  But, this one gets powerful and bitter in that situation.

No problem here with that situation.  It is 8 degrees outside and I am in my warm cigar room doing this review.

This stick has to be the best one of the bunch.  It has had the best flavor without the bitterness getting out of control. 

After the halfway point I did have to use the lighter one time to correct the burn after removing the ash.

The robust style is building a bit at this point in the game.  It has been pretty smooth to this point.  It is not building any bitter note though.  The sweet cedar has moved to just a cedar wood taste.  The coffee notes are a little more of a dark roast. There was a bit of green peppercorn on the final few inches. While the flavors became a little more robust the smoke was still smooth overall.

I did learn back in the summer to NOT pair this with an American Pale Ale or IPA as they call it.

Hemingway Masterpiece Maduro and Louis M. Martini 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon: Review



A Smooth and Elegant Pairing



The Wine

Louis M. Martini 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Napa Valley Reserve

Louis Martini from Sonoma next review

14.6% abv

Louis M. Martini Winery

Healdburg, Sonoma County, California, USA

$27.49 on sale for $23.99 a bottle

Wine Advocate Rating: 91

My Strength Rating: 6 – because of its smooth and elegant style

A restaurant that I frequent carries Louis Martini as their house wine.  It is not this particular one but, it is a tasty Cabernet as well. 

Here are the tasting notes from the bottle: “…aromas of cassis, sweet herbs and hints of pipe tobacco.  On the palate, … black cherries, deep, briary red fruits and old-world complexities…”

This is not 100% Cab.  It is a blend of 82% Cabernet, 10% Merlot, and the rest is Petit Sirah and Petit Verdot.  Don’t worry a lot of Cabs and Merlots are actually blended even though they are called; Cabernet or Merlot.



The cigar is as big as the
bottle



Right from the bottle – no decanting

This wine has a wonderful deep purple color that just says, ‘drink me.’ 

The aroma is not all that strong or discerning, red berry like and a touch smoky. 

Right off the tannins are velvety smooth and the wine exhibits flavors of black and red currants, plum, and dry herbs.  The mouthfeel is silky smooth and elegant. 

Second glass decanted

The berry notes are a bit riper with more of a mixed berry aroma.  The smoky note is still present in the aroma.  The flavors are starting to come alive.  I notice a better blackberry, dark cherry style mixed with the currants.  The dry herbs are just a hint with a bit of spice coming into play now.  There is a pleasing dry earthy tone that is helping to build some character.  While the mouthfeel is still smooth and elegant there is a better aftertaste that is coating the palate. 

I hope that store still has this bottle on sale.  I am going there tonight.   

The Cigar

Hemingway Masterpiece Maduro

By: A Fuente

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro

Binder: Dominican

Fillers: Dominican

Size: 9” x 52

My Strength Rating: 4.5

$19.79 here in Michigan

Off the Light: A maduro sweet dry earthy profile at the start.

On the first third that sweet maduro and soil earthy profile continued, mixed in with a good medium roast coffee note.  The cigar held a firm dark gray ash. 

The one thing I always like about the Hemingway line-up is that they are an elegant smoke.  May not be the most complex cigar but, they are just a very good quality and elegant smoke. 

The reason I choose this cigar is because I described the wines mouthfeel as elegant and that reminded me that I had a couple of these in the humidor.  This is the perfect time to enjoy this stick.  A quality cigar and a Cabernet - Life is Great!  Since I have about 43 dollars wrapped up in this one review believe me I am going to enjoy this experience.  It will take about 2 ½ to 3 hours to smoke this cigar. 

The Masterpiece came out back in 1988 and I can remember the good old days of the cigar craze, the 90’s, this was one tough cigar to get a hold of.  Good thing I was good friends with my tobacconist.  I always had first dibs. 

As the cigar burns into the 2^nd third (had to measure to see if I was there) the mouthfeel is still smooth, rich, and elegant.  The flavors have not really changed as I approach the mid-point.  One hour in at the half-way mark. 

Down the Stretch: The earthy notes are a tad fuller (Hemingway fuller) and the coffee note is more of a medium-dark roast.  While the cigar started off more like velvety smooth it is now let us say smooth.  Damn, this is good. 

The Pairing

This is one smooth and elegant pairing.  I have to admit I do not want it to end.  These two mirror one another so well.  Damn, do I know how to pick a quality pairing – lol.  

The berry notes of the wine mingle so well with the earthy, sweet maduro, and medium roast coffee profile of this cigar.  The mouthfeel during this pairing can be described in one word – rich, pleasing, and have I said ‘elegant.’  Yes, more than one word.  It is just the professor in me. 

This pairing is so smooth that I had to put Dean Martin on my mp3 (showing my age).

This Pairing now That’s Amore! 

About 2 hours and 40 minutes on this cigar.

Man O’ War Virtue Salomon Mini: Review

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut  

Binder: Nicaraguan

Fillers: ligero, seco, and viso tobaccos from Nicaragua

Size: 5.7 x 54

My Strength Rating: 5

Beverage: Liberty Street Red Glare Amber Ale; 5.2% abv; the second half of the growler.

Read the posting on Liberty Street Red Glare.

Off the light: peppery spice on the first half an inch or so.  The coarse black pepper fades slowly to a pleasing cedar wood and mild nutty taste. 

By mid-point the nutty taste reminds me of hazelnut.  The cedar wood note is still present with a toasted buttered white bread taste.  The texture is fairly creamy with a smooth delivery. 

As the cigar burns past the mid-point and to the finish the true mildness kicks in.  There is a mild mossy earthiness mixed in with the woody profile.  The nutty note seems to have disappeared and of course the spice has been long gone from the opening.

Copeland Creek 2002 Meritage and B2 – Blue Label Cigar: Review

The Wine

Copeland Creek 2002 Meritage

13.9% abv

Sonoma Coast

Copeland Creek Vineyards

Santa Rosa, California, USA

46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Cab Franc, 15% Merlot.  I usually like a Meritage wine with the lower percentage of Merlot and the higher percentage of Franc and this is true with this wine. 

The wine has a dark purple body with ruby highlights on the rim.  The aroma is pure dark berry with a hint of delicate spice and a nice smoky style on the nose.

The taste is very pleasing.  Bold dark cherry, black raspberry, and mulberry dominate the flavors.  There is a soft spice box and sweet tobacco elegance to the taste.  It is the earthy notes that give this wine a firm body.  This wine is purely delicious. 

I always enjoyed this Meritage and that is probably why I bought a case a couple of years ago.  Unfortunately, this might be my last bottle.  I am going to check the cellar for that bottle that is out of place.  If I have one more I am going to save it for 2012. 

I would say buy it but, I doubt that it is on the shelf. 

The Cigar

B2 – Blue Label

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano

Filler: Nicaraguan and Panamanian long fillers

Size: 6 x 60 Double Toro

My Strength Rating: 3.5

Back a few months ago I bought a 30 pack wheel of these big boys and I was excited.  I smoked one right away, which I usually wait a few week, and I was disappointed.  It was boring.  A couple of weeks ago I tried one and I was thinking it was ready to be reviewed.  So, today is the day to test this baby. 

Off the light I detect sweet tobacco and a mossy earthy style.  As the cigar progressed through the first half I still get the sweet tobacco and moss along with a mineral earthiness.  By mid-point the sweet style is fading and I am left with the earthy notes and a mild coffee note. 

I have to say I am disappointed with the stick from the description.  Here are the tasting notes from the seller, ‘Notes of earth, coffee, and leather coat the palate while sweet and peppery nuances round out the mix.’  It is also sold as medium to full in body. 

The coffee is weak and the ‘sweet and peppery’ are non-existing.  Medium body is a stretch.  To me it is an okay mild-medium body smoke.  The nice thing about this cigar is that it should match up well with most beverages.  I think this cigar would be perfect with an IPA beer or a bold Cabernet or Mertiage.  I think I’ll pair it with a tasty Meritage. 

The Pairing

This is an okay pairing.  The cigar does not interfere with the bold dark cherry and berry flavors of this wine.  The mossy and mineral earthy notes of the cigar mix well with the earthy style of the wine.  The sweet notes were pleasing as well.

Final Game – March Matching Maduro Madness

Here we are for the final game.  We have Short’s Brew Cup A Joe Coffee Crème Stout being matched up with these final three cigars. 

We Have:

La Perla Black Pearl 2:1 odds

La Estrella Cubana  3:1 odds

Cain Nub 464 Maduro    4:1 odds

The Black Pearl and La Estrella are 5x56 Gordos and the Cain measures in at 4x64.

Linking You Up

The Black Pearl beat the Bahia Maduro in an upset matchup.

The LEC beat the 5 Vegas A Maduro in a close battle.

And, the Cain Nub did in the Oliveros Maduro Gordo in a runaway bout.

The Cain will be lit first and then paired up against the Black Pearl.  Then, along the way the LEC will be introduced to the matchup and we will see which cigar is the winner being matched up with the Cup A Joe Stout.  See Cup A Joe tasting notes by clicking on this link – Cup A Joe. 

Game On

I take a couple of sips of this tasty coffee stout and I am ready to light up the Nub. 

The Cain Nub came into this contest as the odds on favorite to win the March Matching Maduro tourney at 1:1 odds.  The first game, while an easy victory over the Oliveros, showed that this cigar may have some issues being paired up with this stout.  That is way it is coming into the final dance as a 4:1 underdog, now.

The Cain Nub shows off some smooth earthy and medium coffee notes.  The draw on the cigar is a little firm.  The first few exchanges with the stout bring out some of the sour milk sugar notes in the stout.  The coffee flavors, in the stout, play second fiddle during this possession. There is a long bitter coffee and chocolate like aftertaste. 

The Black Pearl is ready to play.  The draw is perfect.  The opening notes have a sweet maduro style. The toasted wheat and rye is flavorful and the delicate earthy profile is pleasing. 

The Black Pearl was 9:1 to win this tournament.  I sure wish I put my money on this horse.  Now, it is a 2:1 favorite to win the final dance.  The Black Pearl does not really have that big man presence in its game but, it has some great role players that really came through in its first matchup against the Bahia Maduro. 

The toasted wheat and rye bread, dried raisins and fig, and the forest floor earthiness are starting to develop.  Let’s see how it mixes it up with the stout.

The sweet maduro style manages the sweet milk sugar in the flavor profile of the stout.  The creamy semi-sweet chocolate coffee taste is really coming through in the stout during this pairing.  This is no girly-man coffee.  This is the start the Black Pearl needs to win this game. 

The Cain Nub gets a few more exchanges with the stout.  The spice from the cigar picks up a little.  This stout seems like a completely different stout than the one during the Black Pearl pairing. 

It is very interesting how a cigar can change the flavor profile of a beverage.  And, that is the purpose of this blog, to show you how your cigar and beverage pairing needs to be evaluated before you light up a cigar. 

Here comes the LEC.  This cigar has a beautiful draw.  The dark roasted coffee profile is playing a big role on this opening possession.  There is a firm earthy note with deep roasted tobacco flavors coming through.  If the LEC wants to win these big players really need to compete.

This cigar came into the tourney as a 5:1 to win the March Matching Maduros. It beat out the 5 Vegas Maduro. Today it has 3:1 odds to win the final dance.   

The first exchange for the LEC with the Cup A Joe.  Oh boy is this tasty.  A touch of sweetness comes through in the stout with the big coffee and semi-sweet chocolate notes mingling in.  This is a smooth and tasty exchange.

The Black Pearl wants the ball.  Yes, this is going to be a game.  The flavors of the Black Pearl really mix it up well with the Cup A Joe.

The Cain Nub is back.  The earthy notes have a rich soil and alder wood like taste.  The spice is still present.  Matched with the stout the milk sugar sweetness is still dominate and there is a little better note of coffee coming from the stout.  The Cain is barely hanging in here.  The draw is still on the firm side.

Time Out!  The referees get together.  After a few exchanges between the cigars and the Cup A Joe Coffee Crème Stout – the ref points to the Cain Nub and then to the locker room.  The Cain Nub is out.  We are down to the last two cigars in this contest and it looks like it is going to go down to the Nub.  Oops, sorry Cain Nub. 

Half-time

How do we get a winner from these two?  The Black Pearl and the LEC are putting on a clinic here. 

The La Estrella Cubana wins the tip off.  Overall this Gordo has a soil earthy profile, dark roasted coffee notes, burnt toast, and deep roasted tobacco flavors for a medium bodied robust smoking experience. 

Mixed with the stout, the cigar brings out the rich and deep roasted grains and malts in the stout.  The strong coffee and chocolate notes in the Joe are very tasty during the exchanges.  The sweetness from the stout seems to be under control.

The cigar bands come off for a fight to the finish.  I just can’t say, right now, which is better with this stout.

The Black Pearl says, “Just wait. I am here to play.”  I thought the Black Pearls game was uninteresting coming into this tournament.  Boy, this just shows with the right beverage a cigar sure can be magical.   The smooth tasting role players of toasted wheat and rye bread, dried raisins and fig, a slight nutty note, and a forest floor earthiness are mingling well with this stout.  The stout is creamy smooth.  The dark rich coffee and semi-sweet chocolate is wonderful during this pairing. 

Time out!  Time to open another bottle of stout.  That dark tan head is just beautiful.  The texture is smooth and creamy during this pairing with these two cigars. 

The LEC is throwing some elbows.  This is a battle.

The Black Pearl battling back. 

Boy, is this one tasty competition.  This is also one classic March Matching final game.  I have about one inch left in each cigar to call a winner.  This is one of those games you hate to see a loser. 

The Black Pearl still has that tasty sweet maduro taste working for it.  All the role plays in its flavor profile are doing a fine job with this stout.

The LEC has all the deep roasted flavors mixing it up to make this a tasty fuller bodied experience. 

The winner is … Black Pearl at the buzzer.  The Black Pearl just seems to bring out all the flavors in the stout.  The dark espresso like flavor and semi-sweet chocolate and the milk sugar all seem to be mixed in during this pairing. 

The LEC is an excellent choice with this stout as well.  The pairing seemed a little fuller, which I like, but the touch of sweet milk sugar from the stout was not as noticeable at the finish. 

The La Perla Black Pearl cigar is the winner of the 2011 March Matching Maduro Madness.  The Cup A Joe Coffee Crème Stout was an excellent brew to pair with these tasty cigars and really brought out the flavors in the Black Pearl.   I have to admit that I did not see this coming when the tournament started.

Final Round Analysis of March Matching Maduros Madness

Making it to the final dance:

Cain Nub 464

La Estrella Cubana Maduro

La Perla Maduro

As for the cigars who did not make it.

The 5 Vegas A Maduro sure could compete in this final dance but, came up short with its battle with the LEC.

The Bahia Maduro was good but, is clearly a 5^th place finisher in this 6 game match up.

The Oliveros well … just lacks in its game and is clearly a 6^th place finisher here at the March Matching Maduros tournament. 

Biggby Coffee final round anaylsis

Matching each of these with the Cup A Joe Stout I see it this way –

The Black Pearl is coming into the final dance with a complete game.  All the flavors are complementing this stout.  I am giving it 2:1 odds.

The La Estrella Cubana has a solid game plan being paired up with this stout so, I am giving it 3:1 odds to win the final dance.

The Cain Nub came into the tournament as the odds on favorite at 1:1 but, I am giving it 4:1 odds because I don’t know if it has the game to finish well matched up against this competition. 

Stay tuned for the Final Dance tomorrow.

Round 1 – Game 3 of the March Matching Maduros

The Third Game:

We have a number one seed going against the number six seed here in Game 3. They are being match with Short’s Brewing Cup A Joe Stout.

Cain Maduro Nub (1:1 odds) vs Oliveros Maduro (15:1 odds)                                                  

This should be an interesting game between these two fine cigars and this tasty stout.

To read the full tasting note of each click on the links below

Cain Maduro Nub

Oliveros Maduro

Cup A Joe Stout

Here is the pre-game break down:

The Cain Nub 464 Torpedo Maduro brings some nice earthy notes with coffee flavor and seems to have a smooth medium roast style overall.

The Oliveros LTD reminds me of Michigan States basketball team.  It does not know what it is supposed to do.  It was billed as full-bodied and spicy but, it is lost and uninteresting.  I don’t know how this cigar made it to the big dance.  OH, it was in the Plumpin’ Maduros Sampler from Cigars International. 

The Cup A Joe has a creamy semi-sweet chocolate coffee taste.  Rich and deep roasted grains and malts mix with some dark chocolate and coffee bitterness.

Who do you think is going to win this game Dick?

“It should be a slam dunk for the Cain Nub baby.  I don’t know how it got a 15:1 odds – it should be 100:1.  It is brick ‘n’ mortar going against the internet.  It’s hardback going against the kindle.  Close the store now baby and call it the CAIN!  Hoop de do, Dickery doc!”

The Game:

Oliveros LTD Maduro has won the tip off and will be lighted up first.

Very smooth opening possession.  The one player this cigar has is earthy.  And, earthy is only good for about 5 minutes and then this game will be over.  Let’s see how the Oliveros mingles with this stout.

This was a very good exchange.  The earthy notes of the cigar play well with the chocolate and coffee profile of the stout. 

Here comes Cain! Cain is the shortest team playing in the March Matching Maduros but, it plays a big man game. 

It’s a slam dunk right off the light.  Smooth sweet earthy coffee just combined for a fabulous play on its first possession.  Let’s see how it plays with the stout. 

Did I just experience that?  The Cain brought out that sweet milk sugar in the stout.  It is playing the same game as the 5 Vegas did in their bout with the LEC.  Hey, the LEC has a much better game than the Oliveos, this should not be a problem. 

As I smoked the first half of the Cain the medium roast coffee, the rich soil earthy notes and woody flavor started to mix it up well with the Cup A Joe.  The stout came thru with the robust coffee and semi-sweet chocolate along with the sweet crème taste. 

The Cup A Joe really brought out the best in the Oliveros cigar.  The main player of earth from the cigar is doing its best to hang in there but, there really is nothing coming off the bench to help. 

At half time.  We have the Cain with a comfortable lead over the Oliveros in this third game of the March Matching Maduros. 

The Cain wins the second half tip off and it is getting everybody involved in this game.  The toasty tobacco notes are pleasing.  Zesty spice comes in off the bench to score a few points. 

The Oliveros LTD is out of its league here in this match up but, don’t get me wrong it is smoking well with this tasty stout.  I think if you have a Maduro cigar and it is a little boring to smoke – pair it up with a Cup A Joe Stout from Short’s Brewing and you got yourself a winner. 

The Oliveros is starting to show it does not have a second half game.  The earthy notes are fading a bit and there is an astringent note coming off the bench that needs to be benched. 

The Cain is maintaining its smooth, toasty, and roasty style.  Its medium roast coffee and earthy notes are still in the game and bring out all the good flavors of this stout. 

While the Oliveros played the game of its life during this pairing it just could not get pass the Cain’s lineup of quality flavors. 

The number one seed in this tournament holds off the opposition in impressive fashion and wins this game hands down. 

I think the Cain is going to have some trouble handling its opponents in the final round of the March Matching Maduros.

Tomorrow: Final Round Anaylsis

Round 1 – Game 2: of the March Matching Maduros

The Second Game:

We have a number two seed going against the number five seed here in Game 2. They are being match with Short’s Brewing Cup A Joe Stout.

Bahia Maduro (3:1) vs La Perla Maduro (9:1)  Put your money on the Bahia!!!                                           

This should be a good game between these two fine cigars and this tasty stout.

To read the full tasting note of each click on the links below

Bahia Maduro

La Perla Maduro

Cup A Joe Stout

Here is the pre-game break down:

The La Perla Maduro flavors of toasted wheat and rye bread, dried raisins and fig, a slight nutty note, and a forest floor earthiness. 

This cigar lacks the big man (flavor) in its game.  This cigar plays a little finesse game with its delicate and smooth delivery but, its overall game seems to be lacking.  While this cigar has some complexity it just seems to play a little weak.

With only a 4 power ranking (my strength rating) it may be missing some substance to match up with this stout.

The Bahia Maduro flavors bring some nice rich soil earthiness, a touch of sweet tobacco, and a nice touch of a medium roasted coffee to its game. 

This cigar seems to have a pretty good game overall but, let’s see how it matches up with this interesting stout. 

The Cup A Joe has a creamy semi-sweet chocolate coffee taste.  Rich and deep roasted grains and malts mix with some dark chocolate and coffee bitterness.

Who do you think is going to win this game Dick?

“Well, the Bahia brings some hoop de do to its game and it will come out on top baby!”

The Game:

Bahia Maduro has won the tip off and will be lighted up first. 

This mild-medium bodied cigar, 3:1 favorite, with its sweet maduro and earthy notes starts off well.  The first couple of exchanges with this stout score some good points on its first possession.  The medium roast coffee notes of the cigar say it is ready to play with the stout’s rich creamy semi-sweet chocolate and dark roasted coffee notes. 

The Black Pearl gets it game on.  The role players are ready to play.  The flavors of toasted wheat and rye bread, dried raisins and fig, a slight nutty note, and a forest floor earthiness are making this a real game.  The first few exchanges with the stout say that this 9:1 odds on stick is ready to play ball.  I did not expect this.

I thought that this stick was dead in the water coming into this game.  It is putting on a clinic here.  The dark dried fruits and toasty bread like qualities are coming thru and mixing it up well with the rich coffee and chocolate of the stout. 

Wow, we have a game here.  This is the beverage to match up with the Pearl. 

The Bahia says, ‘back down little brother.’  The coffee and earthy notes, of the cigar, start to control the game.  This is a very tasty pairing. 

Black Pearl has possession and the role players and bench player are making this a game.  They are standing tall against the big players of the Bahia.  The stout really brings this (Black Pearl) cigar to life.  I found this cigar uninteresting during the regular season but, it is here to play ball. 

At half time we have a tied ball game.  I have to admit. I thought the Bahia would run away with this game.  I thought the big men up front of coffee and earth would dominate the role players of the Black Pearl while match up with the Cup A Joe Stout. 

Let’s see what happens with the second half.

The Black Pearl wins the tip off and it is coming out swinging.  The uninteresting complexity sure seems to come to life during this pairing.  This cigar needs a good quality beverage to make it come to life. I don’t know if the Bahia can come back from this run.   

The Black Pearl with its toasted wheat and rye bread, dried raisins and fig, a slight nutty note, and a forest floor earthiness role players are sure putting on a clinic here with this pairing.  And the sweet maduro profile is standing tall right now.  I really like this pairing.

The Bahia Maduro has one big man playing right now and that is its earthy style mixing it up with the stout.  Coffee really seems to be lacking during this pairing – go figure.  The sweet maduro notes seemed to shrink during this pairing. Sometimes the cigar and beverage are too similar and the flavors just don’t come thru during game time.

I think the sweet maduro and the role players of the Black Pearl really played well with the Cup A Joe.  They complemented each other well and played off of each other well for an excellent matching. 

We have another upset!  The Black Pearl wins game 2 of this March Matching Maduro Madness.  I have to say I did not see this one coming. 

Tomorrow game 3
Cain Maduro Nub (1:1 odds) vs Oliveros Maduro (15:1 odds)
The number one seed vs the number 6 seed.