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 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.
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