Gran Habano 3 Siglos Torpedo (SLS): Review

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo Shade Grown
Filler: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Colombia Ligero

Size: 6.1 x 56

It sounds like Gran Habano has a trade mark issue and this cigar is going to be history.  I don’t know but it looks like they removed the small band that said, ‘3 Siglos’ and now it says, ‘3 SLS’.  Please leave a comment if you know what is up. 

Off the Light: a medium dose of grains, soft grassy note, light earth.  As the cigar continues there is a rye bread like quality with a dusty white pepper and a medium grainy coffee tone.  I’ll give it a 5.5/6 on my strength scale. 

Mid-Point: the body is more medium-full at this point with a very dry leathery mouthfeel.  The earthy grainy coffee tone is fuller with a fuller dose of dusty white pepper.  I’ll have to give it a 7.5 on my strength scale.

Down the Stretch: the taste is becoming a little harsh.  The dry leathery mouth feel is strong and overriding the flavors of this cigar.  This is a very uninteresting to me and I am looking forward to letting this cigar to go out. 

Curivari Seleccion Privada Maduro and Meantime Coffee Porter: Pairing

The Porter

Meantime Coffee Porter

Meantime Brewing Co.

London, England

Meantimebrewing.com

11.2 oz bottle

6% abv

$4.99 a bottle

Malt beverage fermented with ground coffee and lactose

This is a great looking bottle and that builds my expectation.

Appearance: almost black body with a cola like edge.  One finger tan head that disappeared before my eyes. 

Aroma: coffee mocha nose

Flavors: what else? Coffee.  And, a tasty coffee taste at that.  Roasted nut shell.  A little thin after that.  But, I like the coffee flavor.

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, a thin watery feel,

My Strength Rating: 4.5 – low on the medium side, the thin mouthfeel plays a big role.

To the Point: for 5 bucks a bottle I expect more out of my porter.  Get it around 2 bucks a bottle it’s not bad.  There are better porters out there for less money. 

The Cigar

Curivari Seleccion Privada Maduro?

Curivari.com

The web site doesn’t have any information on this stick.  It looks like a maduro and my tobacconists said it’s a maduro and she had no further info either.

The size is 5.5 x 54

I smoked one the other day and enjoyed it and I think it should pair with this coffee porter.  Let’s see how it reviews.

Off the Light: a little maduro sweet note along with a medium roast coffee note.  As the smoke continues the medium-dark roast coffee note is the main profile and this should match well with this porter that I have selected.  There are some firm toasted grains that remind me of pumpernickel-rye bread.  I’ll have to give it a 5.5/6. 

One thing about these Curivari cigars is that they have a firm ash and they don’t ash all over you.  This one has a firm gray ash. 

The Pairing: the coffee flavors are a mingling here. It seems a little one dimensional here.  Good thing the porter has a nice watery edge to add a little refreshing feel to the palate.  

Second Half: this cigar seems simple in its coffee and roasted grains profile but, there is something that I like about it in its simplicity.  The roasted notes seem to be a little fuller than the first half.  I’ll have to give this stick a 6/6.5 on my strength scale at this point with a couple of inches to go. 

The Pairing: pretty much the same.  It is one dimensional and easy to get bored with.  This cigar needs a better porter to make it interesting. 

My Strength Rating (cigar): 6 – medium-full overall due to the roasted notes. 

To the Point (cigar): a decent smoke.  The roasted coffee note is tasty but, seems too one dimensional during this pairing. 

La Casita Criolla Short Churchill and Shorts Brew Black Cherry Porter

The Porter

Short's Brew Black Cherry Porter

Brewed with Black Cherry Puree

Short’s Brewing Company

Elk Rapids, Michigan, USA

Shortsbrewing.com

7% abv

58 IBU’s

Made in October

I made some chili with this the other week.  The recipe called for water and to me that means a good tasty ale, porter or stout instead.   

Make sure to swirl the last couple of inches in the bottle to stir up the sediment.  I swirled that damn bottle till the cows came home and there still was sediment on the bottom of that darn bottle.  Swirling the bottle not only gets the sediment mixed in, but also helps to give it a little better head.

Appearance: pretty much a black body with brown, ever so slightly, around the edges.  The deep tan head looked like whipped mousse by the time I was done swirling that bottle so much.  Syrupy like legs drip on the glass with each sip.

Aroma: dark roasted coffee and dark bitter chocolate notes with of course dark cherries.

Flavors: a bit of a syrupy dark cherry taste that dominates the 90% like dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee.  The three different hops used in this Porter adds a nice bitter tone that helps to balance the five different malts.   

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, almost creamy and almost syrupy and almost stout like – no it is stout like, bitter note on the mid and late palate, long lingering sweet cherry and roasted grains,

My Strength Scale: 8.5 – full bodied porter

To the Point: I remember buying the six pack and trying the first bottle that night.  I was not too thrilled.  The black cherry, which can come across a little medicinal like, was too dominating for me.  I had my next bottle after have a meal and the palate was ready to handle a fuller bodied porter like this.  I felt this porter going on me.  This Porter is not for everyone.   

Have yourself a big steak dinner and then pour yourself a bottle of this Black Cherry Porter by Short’s Brewing and enjoy an after-dinner treat. 

The Cigar

La Casita Criolla Short Churchill

100% Connecticut Broadleaf Tobacco

An American Puro – Really

But, assembled in Nicaragua

Size: 6.5 x 48

Off the Light: a good woody quality dominates the start.  There seems to be a brown spicebox tone in the mix here at the start.  The cigar comes across medium bodied and for a few inches develops a med-full body mouthfeel.  The texture is leather like. 

As the cigar burn approaches the end of the first third there is a good medium roast coffee note and a hint of chocolate.  I think the smaller ring gauge stick that I smoked last night had a better chocolate like quality.  I don’t notice any spice at this point.

This cigar does hold a strong gray ash.  It is easy to get an inch or inch and a half ash on this smoke. 

                                  

Pairing: Time to introduce the Short’s Black Cherry Porter!  This full bodied Porter works well with this medium bodied cigar.  Both products have a good coffee and chocolate like quality.  The Porter is more of a 90% dark chocolate while the cigar is more of a semi-sweet chocolate.  The Porter has a dark roast coffee likeness and the cigar is more of a mild-medium roast coffee.  I think I like the black cherry taste from the Porter better while smoking this cigar. 

Being a dark chocolate lover and a coffee fanatic – this is a quality pairing.

Mid-Point: Pretty much like the mid part of the first third.  A tasty medium roast coffee and a hint of semi-sweet chocolate with a nice hardwood like note. 

Down the Stretch: The smoke is a little more robust in the final third.  Roasted grains, the coffee has been on the burner a little long, a touch of burnt hardwood and I don’t notice the chocolate at this point.

My Strength Rating: 5 – overall during this pairing.

La Casita Criolla Corona Gorda and Dark Horse Too Cream Stout: Pairing

The Stout

Dark Horse Too Cream Stout

Dark Horse Brewing Co.

Marshall, Michigan, USA

Darkhorsebrewery.com

Abv not available from Dark Horse

Beeradvocate reports it as 8%

Fall & Winter Seasonal

Made with milk sugar (lactose)

Thick sediment sits at the bottom of this bottle.  For me, I have to stir this up.  Make sure to either roll the bottle before opening and/or save an inch of stout at the bottom of the bottle to swirl in the rest of the sediment.

Appearance: black body with a very thin dark roasted tan head (1/2 finger).  Swirling the glass you can see the viscosity of this stout.  It looks like maple syrup dripping down the glass with each swirl.  This also kicks the head up a bit as well as the aroma.   

Aroma: deep roasted malts and grains, roasted cocoa beans,

Flavors: delicious roasted malts, to me it has the right amount of sweetness from the milk sugar, 90% dark chocolate bitter bite at the finish

Mouthfeel: nice creamy texture, the sweetness hits my palate on the delivery and travels up the middle of the tongue and then the bitter notes fold around it from the side, not as syrupy as I thought it was going to be, dark chocolate bitterness on the finish and aftertaste, smooth texture

My Strength Rating: 7.5 – medium-full – the smooth style keeps me from calling it full

To the Point: a good to very good Cream Stout. I personally like the dark roasted notes.  While, I personally don’t think of this as complex I do think of it as having a very good personality.

The Cigar

La Casita Criolla Corona Gorda

100% Connecticut Broadleaf Tobacco

An American Puro – Really

But, assembled in Nicaragua

Size: 5-5/8 x 46

HCBC Corano Gorda

I had another cigar planned for this stout but, after tasting and enjoy the stout I am going to go to this cigar.  I think it should pair up very well. The other cigar I think would have been too spicy.

I am looking forward to smoking this stick.  I had one the other night on a full palate and it was delicious.  Nice coffee and dark chocolate tones, from what I remember.  Well, let’s see what I remember.

Off the Light: burnt wood and leafs. Maybe I left the lighter flame on the foot a touch too long.  I am use to bigger ring gauges than this little 46.  After a few puffs and a sip or two of my stout the taste is returning.  I don’t remember the last time I ever over torched my cigar on the light.  Nice roasted coffee bean, a tasty sweet alder wood tone,  

Late in the first half it has a bit of a nutty quality, almost walnut meat like or walnut shell, there is also a chocolate note showing up that reminds me of a semi-sweet chocolate. 

Nice tight gray ash.  The burn has been perfect.  Ample smoke from this little baby.  My strength rating for the first half: 5.5 – medium. 

The Pairing: the roasted coffee bean, alder wood like note and semi-sweet chocolate of the cigar comingles with the stouts deep roasted tones, bitter chocolate and milk sugars for a wonderful medium-full pairing. 

Second Half: the roasted coffee bean continues, the wood like tone is reminding me of a hardwood maybe a cedar tone, I am not picking up any nutty notes at this point, and the chocolate is more of a dark chocolate bite.  The strength rating is right around a 5.5/6. 

The Pairing: the Too Cream Stout is refreshing to drink after a few puffs of the cigar.  I think it is that creamy mouthfeel of the stout that helps with that.  It does leave a good bitter coffee note on the aftertaste. 

Here are my football picks for today.  New England over Baltimore in a tight game.  I like both these teams so, if Baltimore wins I am alright with that.  For the second game today; I hate both these teams but, I'll go with San Fran with an easy victory over New York Giants.  Please no victory for New York. 

Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2004 and Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy: Pairing

The Stout

Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout 2011

“Dark and complex with 11 malts and grains balanced by three different and distinct hops.”

Jacob Leinenkugle Brewing Co.

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

9.5% abv

Appearance: black as night body with a fine one finger dark tan head. Thick lacing left on the glass and it look syrupy running down the glass with each sip.   

Aroma: dark roasted grains and a little anise, the overall bouquet is soft though. 

Flavors: dark roasted grains, salty, espresso like taste, bitter dark chocolate (95% dark chocolate), roasted molasses, 

Mouthfeel: the bitter notes dominate, little syrupy and creamy feel, low carbonation,

My Strength Rating: 8 – a good full bodied Russian Stout

The Cigar

Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2004

Habana, Cuba

Size: 6.5 x 54 is my guess

The wrapper has some big veins and the end cap looks rough. The cigar has an oval shape as well (which could happen

A friend sent this stick to me. I think he said he got it from someone who brought it back from an international trip. 

Now, I am no Cigar expert on Cuban cigars but, there are plenty of fakes out there.  The cap on the butt of this cigar is too jagged and the veins too big for starters. 

Then, look at the label.  Someone once told me the number of dots is a dead giveaway.  From the orange/yellow band and up there should be four dots and this one has five.  Let me get my book out on Havana Cigars.  Now, this book is dated 1997 so, this is based on old information.  But, here is a picture from the book.

The four dot band was discontinued
in 2003

Let’s search the web for more info.  Here is a good web site on Cuban Bands.  The web site says that the four dot band was discontinued in 2003.  The five dot band started in 2003 and the label is embossed.  Now, my question is, ‘is the name embossed’ or ‘the name and the other gold trim around the name embossed?’  On the cigar that I have the name looks like it is/was embossed and the gold trim box around the name is flat. 

Another way to tell is to smoke it.  A lot of the fakes will taste like dry hay or grassy and some can be very good.  The ash of the fakes will sometimes be flaky and hold a weak ash.  Let’s see how this one performs. 

Off the Light: soil and a light woody taste. As the smoke continues there is a good medium roast coffee note, along with the rich soil and a hint of dry cocoa powder.

The ash is very tight and there is nothing better than a tight ash.  The cigar also holds a very strong ash.  It took two firm taps to knock a one inch ash off this stick.  The burn is very even.   It smokes like a real one. 

Let me pair this cigar with a Russian Imperial Stout from Leinenkugel’s called, Big Eddy.  I had one of these last week and it was tasty. 

The Pairing: the dark-bold coffee and 95% dark chocolate like qualities of the Stout complement the medium roast coffee, rich soil and the dry cocoa powder notes of the cigar.  This is a full bodied pairing. 

Second Half: I would have broken this down in thirds on a big cigar like this but; I have been enjoying the beverage pairing with this cigar that I forgot what I was even doing here!!! 

Anyways, there is only three inches left on this tasty cigar.  The coffee note seems to have taken a step up from the medium to a medium-full roast; the rich soil quality is still present; and the dry cocoa powder seems to be more of a dark chocolate like note. 

The first half seemed to be a medium bodied smoke that was leaning toward a medium-full. This second half is starting to build some strength.     

The Pairing: the salty note from the stout seems to be more on the aftertaste while smoking this cigar.  Both products are showing their dark roasted coffee notes and some firm dark chocolate tones.  If you are looking for a full bodied experience – well, this is it. 

My Cigar Lounge

I fixed up my garage this past fall.  I wish I had before and after pics but, here are the after ones.

I have some antique golf clubs, old catcher and umpire masks with an old baseball bat from the 40's. 

The chair is from Gardner White, the side table from an estate sale and the floor ashtray is one that I refinished.

My favorite chair that I picked up at a garage sale for $30 dollars.  It is a Thomasville chair that has an ottoman.  The table I picked up at an estate sale.  The greyhound floor stand ashtray is one of my favorites as well.

I picked this leather sofa up at Gardner White in the clearance section for $250.  It was just missing the feet.  I put new feet on for a total of 20 bucks.  The side table I picked up at an estate sale. 

I painted the cabinet doors black and the frames grey.  The three TV's came from the basement and I put new flat screens in the basement then. 



La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maestro: Review

Wrapper: Habano

Binder/Filler: Dominican

Size: 5.5 x 52
laflordominicana.com

$8.69 from Smoky’s of Livonia, Michigan

Off the Light: medium roast coffee.  As the smoke continues there is a light undertone of sweet caramel and a nice woody tone with a focus on cedar. I don’t get any peppery spice but, more of a settle spice box note (green and brown spices).  During the first half of the cigar the medium roast coffee seems to be the main profile.  The burn has been uneven but, does not need correction with the lighter – yet.  The draw is a bit firm. 

The strength rating on the first half is a 4 to me.  This would place it as mild-medium on my strength scale (can be found in left margin on the blog).  To me the body weight is medium at best and the flavors and mouthfeel are mild-medium at best. 

Second Half: this stick holds a firm grey ash.  It should be easy to get a one or two inch ash on this cigar.  The slight uneven burn during the first half has evened up on its own by the time it has reached the middle point of the cigar.  The draw is still a bit firm but, has opened a bit from the first half. 

There still is a sweet medium coffee flavor with a good woody character.  The spice box note is still present and it seems to have a dash of white pepper added to the mix.  There is a light yet rich soil earthy tone that is building strength here on the second half.  The mouthfeel overall is a smooth leathery feel. 

The strength rating during the second half seems to be building to a 5 strength rating.  Let’s see how the final couple inches go. 

The smoke is still smooth and tasty as I smoke this stick down to the nub. 

My Strength Rating: 4.5 – medium at best overall.  I have seen a few reviews on this cigar and they were call it full bodied; I just don’t see that. 

To the Point: the Maestro is a tasty stick.  

Man O War Virtue Box Press and Sprucewood Shores 2007 Meritage: Pairing

The Wine

Sprucewood Shores 2007 Meritage

VQA Lake Erie North Shore

Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery

Harrow, Ontario, Canada

Sprucewoodshores.com

13% abv

$21.95 a bottle

Aroma: smoky black cherry that would make a good pipe tobacco blend

Flavors: black cherry, juicy berries – red currant and black raspberry, smoky earthy tone, cocoa powder 

Mouthfeel: this is velvety smooth, the tannins and acidity are in balance, a moderate dry feel on the finish, the lingering berries seem a bit short

See full review on WinePostings

The Cigar

Man O War Virtue Box Press

Wrapper: Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian grown

Fillers: Nicaragua

Size: 5.5 x 52 box-press

Special size from a sampler tin

They bill this as a mild-medium smoke but, the one I had back in the summer months was pepperyyy! But, the palate was dry and all I had was a bottle of water.  I remember the day well.  It was a beautiful summer day with a crystal blue sky and I was driving to my summer place in Grindstone City.  Let’s see how it reviews today.

Off the Light: Nice oak, light spice, dusty soil.  As the smoke continues it does not change much.  Tasty oak, soft white pepper, and dusty soil come together for a tasty blend. 

The Pairing: these two work well with each other.  The soft white pepper and oaky tone of the cigar adds some nice character to the wine with its juicy berries, smoky earthy tones and cocoa powder notes. 

Second Half of the Cigar: the smooth delivery is still present along with the oak, soft white pepper and dusty soil. 

The Pairing: the velvety smooth style of the wine just transfers this quality to the cigar.  This pairing has an elegant mouthfeel. 

My Strength Rating (cigar): 4 – I’ll have to go with the medium-mild call.

This was a very nice pairing.  Worthy of having again.