The Ale
St. Bernardus Prior 8
Belgian Abbey ale
Watou, Belgium
Flavors: It has some malty sweetness that kind of reminds me of a thick slice of cinnamon raisin bread, the main profile seems to be dried dark fruits, raisins, figs, and dates. Ok, it is not that complex or exciting but, it is just a pleasure to drink. This is one nice brown ale.
Mouthfeel: fine fizzy carbonation, dried dark fruits on the short aftertaste
The Cigar and Pairing
Ashton VSG Wizard
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Vitola: 6 x 56; toro
$17.00 in Michigan
The Wizard and Spellbound are my favorite sizes out of the VSG lineup.
Off the Light: nice soil earth and dried dark fruits. Once past the half inch mark the flavors remind me of: rich mineral soil, bright medium roast coffee, and a touch of spice is starting to develop. The smaller ring gauges have a bigger spice bite. The spice is … is … a dried spice box with a fine grind white and green pepper thrown in.
The first third is medium bodied at best.
The Pairing: these two are working well with each other. The dark fruits of the ale match perfectly with this cigar. The raisin and fig like characteristics of the ale intermingle with the rich mineral earthy tone and medium roast coffee of the cigar.
Boy, did I choose the wrong ale and cigar to review! This is going to take some time for this is one big stick. I cleaned my 40 RV today, yes I’m in Grindstone City my summer place, and I have a ladder, water hose, buckets, brushes, and who knows what else is lying around. Hell, I have tomorrow to clean up.
Mid-Point: the mouthfeel is dry yet smooth with a soft wool like texture. The coffee note is a bit fuller moving up to a dark roast, the soil is also a touch fuller, and the spice is clearly a pepper mill mix of black, green and white peppercorns.
The Pairing: I am enjoying taking a few puffs of the cigar and then a few sips of the Abbey Ale. The fine fizzy carbonation helps to refresh the palate. All the flavors, from these two, are still working well with each other.
As for the interplay between these two (cigar first then ale or ale first then cigar) it just does not matter. The ale refreshes the palate if I have been puffing on the cigar first. If I drink the ale first and then a few puffs of the cigar it seems like the dried dark fruits are transferred to the cigar. I usually have a preference but, not with this pairing. And, yes with this big cigar you have time to think of these things. Today being July 7th and I don’t have to be back to work till the end of August … I think I’ll just think about these types of worldly matters. I have been without a TV for one week and the only thing I am worried about is if Robin Mead (CNN Headline News – Morning) is still good looking.
Down the Stretch: I am about an hour and a half into this big boy and I wish now that I brought another Wizard with me. The earthy notes have taken over with soil and woody tones. The wood is like a mixture of firm cedar and a touch of oak.
The Pairing: I am down to the last few sips of the ale and the last couple inches of the cigar. Yes, if I had another bottle of this ale and one more Wizard cigar I would do it again. This has been delightful. The ale is defiantly helping to manage the full strength of this cigar at this point.
My Strength Rating: 7
I am enjoyed this pairing and looking at the woods with all its wildlife sounds. The dog ran a big fat raccoon up a tree, the birds are singing, the hummingbirds are a buzzing by and I don’t won’t this to end.
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