Cain Maduro Double Toro and THE Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Years Old: Pairing

The Cigar

Cain Maduro Double Toro

Straight Ligero

I like this cigar and I have a good dozen or so in the humidor but, it has been a year or so since I last had one. 

Off the Light: earthy tones of dry soil and wood.  As the burn continues it reminds me of a medium earthy coffee. 

This cigar was pretty consistent all the way through.  I smoked it slowly – it has been an hour and a half and I still have an inch to go. 

My Strength Rating: 6 – a nice medium-full body with good earthy tones a just a dusting of white pepper. 

The Scotch

THE Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Years Old

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Region: Scotland Highlands

The Balvenie Distillery, Banffshire Scotland

47.8% alc/vol

Bottling Date: 17/03/2011

In Cask: 08/08/1995

Cask #: 8985

Bottle #: 207

Malt Master: David Stewart

Thebalvenie.com

Purchased: Super Fine Wine & Liquor, Canton, Michigan

$74.91

Color: clear amber-honey

Nose: vanilla bean-bourbon, sweet grains, oak

Flavors: lightly sweetened honey dipped candy fruit on the delivery (tip of the tongue), warm green peppercorn feel on the mid palate,

Body/Mouthfeel: medium body, smooth, little oily or a slight syrup feel,

Finish: nice finish, warm vanilla-bean oak aftertaste

The Pairing

The lightly sweetened honey dipped candy fruit added a refreshing feel after puff on the Cain Cigar.  The green peppercorn note of the Balvenie mingled well with the earthy style and light white pepper note of the cigar.  

5 Vegas Freedom Blend Cigar and Laproaig Triple Wood Single Malt Scotch Whisky: Review

The Scotch

Laproaig Triple Wood

(La-froyg)

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

D. Johnston & Company

Laproaig Distillery

Isle of Islay, Scotland

Laphroaig.com

48% abv

$79.99

Appearance: firm amber

Nose: a mix of sherry and a moderate peat smoke, dried fruits.  Later, after a few sips the nose is making me think of cotton candy popcorn with a sniff of honey and almond nuts. 

Flavors: the peat wraps around the sweet sherry with a touch of vanilla and a salty cashew nut.  I had to go and get a hand full of cashews.  This was a good match.  A dash of fine grind black pepper on the finish and aftertaste.   

Mouthfeel: a creamy warmth coats the palate, a fine grind black pepper – citrus feel, sweet caramel malts also linger for a long aftertaste.  Right when I thought the smoky feel faded – wham the next sip smoke. 

To the Point: This was my first tasting of this Triple Wood and I think I like it.  Looking forward to trying it again. To me this is a pretty full bodied Single Malt.  

The Cigar

5 Vegas Classic Freedom Blend

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf

It looks like it is a maduro

The 5 Vegas Classic has a Sumatra wrapper

Fillers: I would guess that it has the same fillers as the 5 Vegas Classic which are Nicaraguan and Dominican

Size: 6.5 x 64 Salomon

I like the shaggy top and the packaging (bands). 

I bought this box last year in the month of July.  I have smoked two of them since there are missing from the box. I remember smoking the first one and it was just okay – going from memory.  Let’s see how they are doing now.

The cigar industry is confusing with its packaging.  A cigar that is labeled ‘Limited’ is on the market forever.  This cigar is not marked ‘Limited’ and from I have read is that they only made about 100 boxes (I am not sure on that) but, I have not seen them on the market since last July.   

Flavor Profile: dark roasted coffee, bitter dark chocolate, dusty soil, toasted hardwood.  This cigar is in the medium-full range.  While the mouthfeel comes across smooth for a medium-full smoke it does feel a bit dry on the palate. 

The Pairing

This cigar stands up well to this hearty Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky.  The peat, salty nut, and the dusty black pepper on the finish seem to dominate the palate with each sip of the whisky and then a few puffs of the cigar seems to smooth over this notes.  The dark roasted coffee and bitter dark chocolate notes of the cigar comingle well with the sweet sherry and vanilla tones of the Laphroaig.  The peat and smoky notes of this scotch is a perfect match with this hearty cigar.     

Butera Fumo Dolce and Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch: Pairing

The Scotch

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Region: Scotland Highlands

Perfected by The Sixteen Men of Tain

43% alc/vol

Purchased: Super Fine Wine & Liquor, Canton, Michigan

$99.99

Reviewed: On the ‘neat’ side

Appearance: rich amber

Nose: lightly toasted vanilla, hint of coconut,

Flavors: on my first sip I picked out the coconut, vanilla, and honey notes.  After that I get a light syrupy sherry tone, spice from the oak, a mix of pink and green peppercorn – (sweet and light peppery feel), with each sip I get a honey-nut taste on the delivery.  Maybe a little golden raisin. 

Mouthfeel/Body: light warmth, light peppery feel on the cheeks and gums, a faint yet pleasing glow on the aftertaste, mild-medium body overall, a sophisticated feel on the palate.  Kind of like slipping into a satin sheet bed with a fine looking women. 

Mouthfeel: short finish, light malty aftertaste.  I preferred the ‘neat’.

To the Point: to me this is one tasty Scotch.  In my short Scotch tasting experience, a dozen different one, this has been my favorite by far.  I’ll be buy more of this baby. 

The Cigar

Butera Fumo Dolce

Wrapper: Connecticut / USA

Binder: Indonesian

Fillers: Dominican

Size: 5.5 x 44

$8.00 in Michigan from Smoky’s of Northville

Taste Profile: light cedary wood note off the light.  As the smoke continues the tasty cedar style continues with light toasted grains and classic tobacco notes.  The Fumo Dolce is mild in body and fairly simple in style.  While the tasting notes are simple in style the cigar has a sophisticated mouthfeel.  The Butera line-up is always billed as having a creamy style.  To me I have never thought of the texture as creamy when smoking the cigar by itself.  The texture is smooth.  I have always thought of the Butera line-up as a having a Spanish cedar and a classic mild tobacco taste. 

The Pairing

This is a very nice pairing.  After a few puffs of the cigar and a sip of the Scotch I think this cigar allows me to experience all the tasty flavors of this Scotch.  The sherry notes and the honey-nut flavors just shine. 

After a few sips and then a puff or two of the cigar the cigars profile comes across as mellow as can be.  I think the oak of the Glenmorangie mixes the cedar notes of the Butera Cigar for a tasty experience. 

I think the only way to make this better would be to smoke a Cameroon wrapped cigar with a good nutty style.  

Boo Louie Torpedo: Review

Smoky’s House Cigar

$7.49 Smoky’s of Northville

Looks like a 6/6.5 x 54

Off the Light: light roast coffee, soil earthy tone here at the start.  As the smoke continues a slight cedary note develops.  I’ll put this in my 4 category – mild-medium.  Tasty so far.

Mid-Point: a cedary twang becomes front and center on the flavor profile.  A bitter note strengthens with that cedary twang.  The light coffee and soil notes are still present but, are dominated by the strong cedar.  Wow, let me give this an 8.  I don’t when or if I have had a cigar that moved from a 4 to an 8 or moved 4 points on my strength scale before.  The bitterness can be overpowering. 

I’ll say this right now – Do not – I mean DO NOT pair this with an IPA Beer.  With that said; I’ll just have to do it for research purposes. 

Down the Stretch: put your big boy pants on for this smoke.  Let’s note that I am smoking this without a beverage in hand.  I’ll have to say that there was a point I thought this baby hit a 9 on my strength scale.  The cedar is strong and carries a big bitter bite. 

Coming down the stretch, about an inch into the final third, the cigar starts to mellow a bit on that strong cedar note.  As my taste buds regroup the coffee taste starts to reemerge and a dry soil comes into play.  I’ll guess the strength rating to be a 6 at this point.  What a roller coaster ride this stick is – starts off mild-medium at best and turns into a full bodied Hulk a Mania through the mid-section and then starts to coast towards the end.  

CAO Cameroon L’anniveraire Toro and St. Innocent Pinot Noir 2009: Pairing

The Wine

St. Innocent Pinot Noir 2009

St. Innocent Winery

Salem, Oregon, USA

Temperance Hill Vineyard

Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Stinnocentwine.com

$55.00 from a restaurant

Wine aged in  26% new French oak barrels for 16 months. 

Appearance: good looking dark cherry with reddish highlights.

Aroma: this is fruity, sweet cherry, red raspberry

Flavors: this is a juicy fruit Pinot Noir, lots of fresh red berries like red raspberry, a hint of strawberry and touch of red currant, throw in a nice dose of sweet dark cherry and a touch of vanilla along with a silky smooth mouthfeel. 

Mouthfeel: the acidity is low, there is a mineral like quality, silky smooth texture, a touch of oak on the finish and aftertaste, mostly red berry like aftertaste, along the way I get a hint here and there of a light spice box.    

To the Point: While it has a very nice red berry taste it just seems to lack depth, character, and complexity.  Have this with lighter fare.  Their web site says this vintage can be aged for eight years. 

The Cigar

CAO Cameroon L’anniveraire Toro

Wrapper: Cameroon

Binder: Nicaragua

Fillers: Nicaragua

Size: 5 ½ x 55 box press

Off the Light: smooth, soft and almost sweet like earthy style; I start to think of portabella mushroom.  As the smoke continues the taste I like to experience while smoking a Cameroon shows up – nut.  A nice nutty style, soft earthy style continues, a hint of light rye bread.

Second Half: the nutty note continues along with the soft almost mushroom like earthy quality, the light rye is still present and a light to moderate dose of cedar wood has evolved. 

To the Point: I don’t know why I don’t smoke more of these.  This is a Cameroon smoke that I really like. 

The Pairing

These two are very good together.  The red berry fruit style of the wine mingles well with the nutty and soft earthy style of the cigar.  The wines flavor profile is not really affected by this cigar.  I style get the big juicy red berry bowl flavors on the wine.  The cigar seems to change a little during this exchange.  There is a little musty note that shows up during this pairing.  

La Aurora Puro Vintage 2003 and Meantime India Pale Ale: Pairing

The Ale

Meantime India Pale Ale

Meantime Brewing Co.

Greenwich, London, England

7.5 abv

1pt 9.4oz bottle

$9.99

Meantimebrewing.com

Fuggles and Goldings hops

Appearance: deep amber with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves very little lacing

Aroma: light nose overall, touch of citrus, mostly grassy hops

Flavors: a bit of grassy hops, mild citrus meat, mineral water, light rye bread, pale malt

Mouthfeel:  mild-medium body, light grassy aftertaste, almost creamy texture, low carbonation, light dryness on the palate

My Strength Rating: 4.5/4

To the Point: a very good interpretation of a nineteenth century IPA.  I have to admit that I do like to enjoy an English IPA now and then. 

The Cigar 

La Aurora Puro Vintage 2003

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Dominican

Fillers: Dominican

Size: 7.2 x 52 Salamone

I picked it up for 10 bucks a stick

The cigar wrapper looks like it should cloak a fine leather sofa.  Damn it is pretty. 

Off the Light: dry soil earthy tone and lightly toasted grains. As the smoke continues a dry cedary note develops and then a musty white pepper spice note appears. 

Mid-Point: Similar to the first third; dry soil, toasted grains, dry cedar, and a dash of white pepper spice.  The texture is dry and leather like. 

Down the Stretch: this smoke does not change a whole lot during this experience.  The flavors where pretty much the same thing.

My Strength Rating: 4/4.5 – mild-medium in style overall

To the Point: the flavors come together for a fine smoking experience.  I picked these up for 10 bucks a stick and I think I might buy some more.  This might be a good stick to pair with a fine Scotch.  I have a couple left so look for that pairing. 

The Pairing

This was the correct IPA to pair with this cigar.  I think if I paired an American style IPA with this stick it would be a bitter experience due to the mouthfeel of this cigar.   

Partagas Decadas 1998 Cigar and Dalwhinnie 15 Years Old: Review

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

43% abv

Dalwhinnie Distillery

Dalwhinnie, Inverness-Shire, Scotland
$60+ a bottle - I didn't write down the actual price

Always interesting info on a box and here it is:

What are the six classic malt whisky making regions?

Highland

West Highland

Islay

Skye

Speyside

Lowland

I did not know the six regions and ask me in six months and I still won’t remember.

Let’s get on to the review

Appearance: light golden

Nose: very light bouquet, after a swirl of the glass and a sip of the whisky a soft baked pear with a drizzle of honey and a dash of ginger.  Damn, I am going to try making that. Let me through in a little oak and a faint touch of smoke.

Flavors: boy, do I like this!  It is smooth and mellow.  It is most elegant in its style.  A light warmth greets the palate with a creamy vanilla-honey biscuit sliding over the first third of the tongue.  Light sweet grains and sea grass on the mid and the light warmth continues.  The finish has a pleasing warmth and touch of spice – a light ginger spice and warmth.  The aftertaste has a short light spice and warmth. There is a light smoky feel that floats over the flavors as I inhale on the sip and exhale on the swallow. 

If you are not thinking about this little Scotch you would say it is just mellow. 

The Cigar

Partagas Decadas 1998

I am at my summer place and I only have about 25 cigars with me and none of them have the elegant style that I am thinking of for this Dalwhinnie. 

I do have a cigar that a student gave me.  It is the Partagas Decadas 1998 and it retails for $20.39 and comes in a glass tube.  Maybe, the student thought that leaving the price would help with his grade – well, he didn’t need my help.  He was damn good all on his own. 

Let’s get to this cigar.  I have never had this Partagas before and after I review it I’ll look up and see if anybody else has reviewed it.

Off the Light: light spice that reminds me of a dash of white pepper and a pinch of ginger.  As the burn continues a nice woody tone appears to give the flavor some structure. 

Now, it is time for a sip of the Dalwhinnie.  Oh boy, this is a treat.  That sweet vanilla-honey biscuit still slides over the tongue on the deliver but, I think the spice on the Scotch gets kicked up a tad while pairing it with the cigar. 

Mid-Point: nice meaty toasted tobacco leafs and rich soil on main profile.  The spice is still in play with good touch of cedar twang.  This Partagas has some style. 

This pairing is going so well that I am heading out to the campfire pit and finishing this stick with the Dalwhinnie.  

Gurkha Ninja Spike: Review

Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro

Fillers: Dominican

Size: 4.5 x 48

$5.99 Smoky’s of Northville

Off the Light: medium-dark roast coffee with toasted grains and oak.  As the smoke continues what stands out to me is the robust toasty style.  Medium-full in body.

Taste Profile:  a good robust style.  The coffee is dark roast like, the grains nice and toasty while the wood note seems slightly burnt.  Now, that I think of it this has a good scorched forest floor style. 

My Strength Rating: 6 – medium-full.

To the Point: if you are looking for a short smoke and a good hearty robust taste profile this is it.   

Macanudo Vintage Maduro 1997 Perfecto and Syrah Le Pousseur 2007

The Wine

Syrah Le Pousseur 2007

Bonny Doon Vineyard

Santa Cruz, California, USA, Earth

13.5% abv

$16.20

It has been a long time since I have had a Bonny Doon Wine.  Back around 2000 they were growing and growing fast.  One day at the doctor’s office I was reading a wine magazine and it had an article about the Bonny Doon owner downsizing because – he wanted to.  He wanted to spend more time in the field between the grape vines and less time marketing his wines. 

Appearance: Purple with a pretty purple rim

Aroma: light, very light, is my glass empty?, did I not pour the wine?, it’s in there but it sure is the lightest bouquet I have ever experienced.

What am I in for?

Flavors: okay, it’s tasty, nothing wrong here so, let’s get to it.  Nice juicy dark berries, a hint of cherry, earthy – soil like, this is strange with the lack of aroma. 

I like the taste that I am experiencing but, I feel like I am being cheated – I know there is more

Mouthfeel: seems to have a nice medium body but, I think I am missing a few notes or flavors due to the lack of aroma and I think that would give me a different read on the overall texture, 

Okay, I’ll light up a cigar and finish this glass while I decant some of the wine in preparation of dinner. 

My Strength Rating: 4.5 – medium body – the wine never opened up – I felt cheated.

To the Point: a bit disappointing, the flavors are nice but, they could be more with a nice bouquet

The Cigar

Macanudo Vintage Maduro 1997 Perfecto

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro

Fillers: Nicaraguan, Brazilian, and Dominican

Size: 6 x 49

Yes, that band is solid metal.

Off the Light and the First Half: a nice sweet maduro style on the first few puffs.  As the smoke continues it tastes like: black soil, rich medium roast coffee,  pumpernickel bread like quality that swirls around a sweet maduro note.  There is a light acidic bit. I’ll give it a 5 on my strength scale for the first third.



The one on the right



The Pairing: Okay, the lack of a nose on this wine is getting to me.  Usually, the aroma of the cigar then, the aroma of the wine blend together to help the melding of the flavors and one’s overall experience.   Now, without, I realize how many time when I puff a cigar and then smell a wine or beer - I say, ‘this is going to be great’ (or good, or okay),

The tasty dark berries, of the wine, do mix well with the maduro’s sweet nature and tasty dark bread like quality.  The earthy style of the cigar with its rich black soil likeness mingles with the pleasing mineral like soil earthy tone of the wine. 

I think I smelled something coming from the wine!  Some berry notes.  Damn they are gone on the next sip.

Second Half of the Cigar: smaller ring gauged cigars can burn warmer so making the cigar a bit more robust than their larger brothers in the same line-up.  I am not experiencing where this cigar is burning too warm.  Smoke the cigar at the right pace and it should not burn too warm. 

The notes are a little more robust than the first half.  Toasted dark bread, it is more of an earthy medium-full roast coffee at this point, I don’t notice the sweet maduro note, and instead of a rich black soil it is more forest floor like with notes of soil and dry leafs. 

The Pairing: I do like this pairing but, the lack of aroma is still an issue to me.  I like taking a few puffs of the cigar and then a sip of the wine to refresh the palate.  The wines berry notes linger on the palate long enough to enjoy a few puffs of the cigar then. 

Johnnie Walker Blue Label with a Comparison to Two Other Scotch Whiskys

Johnnie Walker Blue Review

Blended Scotch Whisky

Johnnie Walker and Sons

Kilmarnock, Scotland

Johnniewalker.com

40% abv

$200.00

Appearance: Amber – it looks just like the Gold Label – I held them side by side.  Some nice legs on the glass.

Nose: wet oak, hint of oak spice, grain, honey – the bouquet his is light overall

Flavors: nutty, grains, a sweet honeycomb and oak, (sounding like a breakfast cereal), every once in a while I get a mild ginger spice. 

On a clean palate – on another day – the flavors were pretty similar but the mild ginger like spice was more consistent with each sip and it lingered on the palate for a short while.  I like it better today than the other week when I first opened the bottle.   

Mouthfeel: I get a hint of warmth on the finish when I exhale, other than that it is one super smooth Scotch.  Blue might be to smooth for its-own good.  To me this leaves a void – did I really experience anything here.  

To the Point: put this Scotch in a non-descript bottle and serve it up and I wonder what they would say about it then?  I’ll bet the rating points would drop 15 points on a 100 point scale.  The flavors were nice but, very hard to detect.  The flavors were faint and the main focus was the mouthfeel – SMOOTH.

I have sampled JW Blue and Gold along with Macallan 10 on separate days and today I am going to do a side by side comparison.

Personally, the Gold was better (on this day) in the side by side comparison that I did here.  Flavor wise The MACALLAN 10 year old held up to these two.  Now, the MACALLAN was not silky smooth or buttery smooth and the MACALLAN had some warmth to the mouthfeel that the other two did not really have.  So, I say the bang for the bucks would be MACALLAN 10. 

I expect greater complexity and well defined flavors from Johnny Blue at $200 a bottle.  The Blues nose was sooo light that it just takes away from the experience. 

What I thought about this bottle was that it is over hyped and over rated.  But, to me I will put this bottle on my all-time list of products that did not live up to the hype and the price tag.  

For $200.00 a bottle all I can say is that you will be in for a silky smooth experience and a super light bodied Scotch. 

The Cigar Pairing

Casa Magna Domus Magnus Cigar

After sampling the three Scotches it was time to light up a fine cigar.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

A few puffs of the cigar and a sip of the Scotch: the Scotch is over powered by this medium bodied cigar.  One puff of the cigar and the Scotch flavor is wiped out. 

Johnnie Walker Gold Label

A few puffs of the cigar and a sip of the Scotch: a hint of honey, the vanilla-oak stood out, and I think the cigar added a little body to this Scotch.  On the next puff of the cigar I had a little Scotch still on the aftertaste (Little). 

The MACALLAN 10 Years Old

A few puffs of the cigar and a sip of the Scotch: a little bit of the sweet sherry comes through.  On the next puff of the cigar there was a slight mingling of the notes.  

Morro Castle Robusto and Margaritaville Coffee: Review

The Cigar

Morro Castle Robusto

Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra

Fillers: Nicaraguan and Honduran

Size: 4.7 x 52

Off the Light: moderate oak and soil earthy tones.  A nice robust start for a mild-medium smoke.  As the burn continues the slight robust start mellows after the first half an inch.  The moderate oaky note settles to a touch of oak with a good buttery wheat bread note stepping up to the plate.  There is a mild coffee taste with a mushroom earthy tone kicking in.  The texture is smooth and mellow overall for the first half.  I’ll give it a 4 on my strength scale. 

Second Half: the smooth and mellow texture graces the palate for a pleasurable morning cigar.  The light oak and damp earthy tones along with the mild coffee taste continues.  The damp earthy tone reminds me of portabella mushroom and lightly toasted leafs.  I did not pick up any peppery spice on this robusto like I did on the Toro size. 

My Strength Rating: 4 – mild-medium

To the Point: a very good mild-medium smoke.  I personally like this as a morning time cigar.  You will enjoy smoking this down to the nub. 

The Coffee

Margaritaville Coffee State of Mind

Medium/Dark Roast

$5.00 from Big Lots for a 12oz bag

Blend: South American, African and dark roasted Indonesian coffee

Nothing super special here. It is just a straight forward tasty medium/dark roast coffee.

The Pairing

The medium/dark roasted coffee flavor blends well with the light earthy tones of the cigar for a great morning experience.  The buttery toasted wheat bread note of the cigar mingles with the State of Mind coffee to make you think you are eating breakfast during this pairing. 

If you are looking for a very good morning cigar to enjoy with your coffee the Morro Castle Robusto is it.  

Viaje Oro Toro and Belhaven Scottish Ale: Pairing

The Ale

Belhaven Scottish Ale

Belhaven Brewery

Dating back to 1719

Dunbar, Scotland

5.2% abv

Purchased: Superfine Wine & Liquor Store; Canton, Michigan

$15.99 a six pack

Appearance: semi-dirty penny with a one finger off-white head that leaves some chunky lacing behind

Aroma: very delicate yeast reminding me of a soft sweet biscuit with honey on it

Flavors: a musty and slightly tart pecan shell like taste, a light caramel note swirls around a grainy and mineral like character, earthy yeast

Mouthfeel: super fine carbonation that gives a little fizzy feel to the tongue, a dirty-grainy malt aftertaste

To the Point: This is okay to me, not something I would drink on any regular bases – okay once every two years would do it for me. 

The Cigar

Viaje Oro Toro

Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: 6 x 50

I bought two of these about a year ago – I think it’s time to review it

Off the Light: earthy notes of leafs and wood; as the smoke continues a mild mineral like coffee note develops

Mid-Point: good earthy tones continue, lightly toasted grains with a mineral quality, I don’t notice the coffee so much but …, light spice, fine grind green peppercorn like on the mid and late palate,

The Pairing

This is an okay pairing.  Nothing that knocks my socks off but, it works.  These two are pretty similar in their profiles.  Both have a mineral quality and the ale has a nice earthy yeast note and the cigar has a nice forest floor earthy tone of leafs and wood.  Maybe, it is just that they are too similar to create any true interest. 

This would make a good before dinner pairing. 

Gurkha Ninja Churchill and Old Pulteney 12 Year Old Scotch: Review

The Cigar

Gurkha Ninja Churchill

Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro

Fillers: Dominican

Size: 7 x 50

$6.99 Smoky’s of Northville

Off the Light: medium roast earthy coffee.  As the smoke continues there is a woody tone that develops that reminds me of hardwood with a touch of cedar.  The medium roast coffee is still present with a light sweet nut like note.  Starting off medium in body and smooth in texture.

Mid-Point: the earthy coffee profile continues with the woody tones following.  Lightly toasted grains and a slight sweet note swirl around the main profile.  It is still medium in body but the texture is a bit leathery. 

Down the Stretch: the coffee seems a little on the burnt side, the grains a little more toasty, the earthy note is coming across like dry soil.  The mouthfeel is feeling a little dry so, a drink along the way helps; the body is on the boarder of medium-full, and the texture is leathery.

My Strength Rating: 5 – overall

To the Point: this is the first I have had in the Ninja line.  I enjoyed the smoke and for the price I’ll be trying more of these.  

The Scotch

Old Pulteney Aged 12 Years

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Pulteney Distillery

Wick, Scotland

Highland Malt

43% abv

Oldpulteney.com

$39.99 – in Bad Axe, Michigan

What a great looking bottle

Appearance: golden honey, almost the same color as the gold ring on my finger.

Little swirl in the glass shows some legs.

Nose: the alcohol is noticeable at first and then starts to settle; aromas of stone fruit, hint of vanilla, touch of toffee, creamy feel on the nose.

Flavors: underneath that almost creamy mouthfeel I notice a touch of honey, the sherry is coming through and sweet grains, moderate ginger spice warmth coats the palate, with sweet bourbon on the exhale and finish. 

Mouthfeel: long lingering warmth with a slight spice and sweet malt character.    

My Strength Rating: 5.5 – medium

Yes, you can fit a round bottle in a oval canister

To the Point:  This is on my second glass of this Scotch.  I am looking forward to trying this again.  It seems to have an elegant style.  I am also looking forward to pairing this with a fine cigar. 

On another day of tasting the Old Pulteney: Oh yes, I like this baby.  I shared it with my neighbor in Grindstone City (summer place) and he really liked it and he is a Tennessee Bourbon guy. 

The Pairing

The earthy coffee profile of the cigar pairs well this Single Malt Scotch.  The profile of the cigar really brings out the honey, sweet grains and tasty sherry.  The cigar also seems to control the moderate ginger spice during this pairing.  But, I like the spicy note.

On the final third of the cigar when the taste becomes a little fuller the Old Pulteney really helps to refresh the palate.