Perdomo ESV 2002 Torpedo Maduro and Cave Spring 2008 Riesling Icewine: Pairing

The Cigar

Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage 2002 Torpedo

Tabacalera Perdomo

Wrapper: Nicaraguan broadleaf sun-grown

Fillers: Nicaraguan

Size: 6.5 x 54

$9.50 a stick

Off the Light: first couple of puffs soft soil and then it builds to a strong almost burnt coffee note, crisp fall leafs, campfire.  As the smoking experience continues past the first inch the notes are still robust in style but have settled from the ‘strong almost burnt’ notes.  The earthy tones of crisp fall leafs and twigs seem to be leading the way with a medium spicy coffee note, campfire, fine grind pepper mill mix, and a long lingering robust finish.  My Strength Rating: 8

Mid-Point: the earthy tones are still up front to me, the coffee note seems smooth now, there is just a hint of the fine grind pepper mill mix, and the sweet pink peppercorn seems to be on the finish.  My Strength Rating: 7

Down the Stretch: just like the mid-section. 

To the Point: when making your selection make sure to get a stick that is almost black in appearance.  The dark brown wrapper is not as tasty in my humble opinion.  A very good maduro smoke otherwise. 

The Icewine

Cave Spring 2008 Riesling Icewine

Cave Spring Icewine

Cave Spring Cellars

Jordan, Ontario, Canada

Cavespring.ca

10% abv

100% Riesling

Appearance: golden crystal with nice legs on the glass

Aroma: light bouquet, sweet pear

Flavors: honey dipped white summer fruit – apple and pear; golden raisin; very light lemon twist on the finish

Mouthfeel: silky smooth, nice icewine syrupy feel coats the palate and lingers on the palate with a touch of lemon twist – the kind you just rub on the rim of a glass.

To the Point: a must buy for icewine drinker.  This is a sipper – just like all icewines.  One or two ounces and that is it – the sugar content is way too high to drink more – believe me.   

The Pairing

This is going to be an interesting pairing.  A full-medium bodied cigar with bold notes and a sweet icewine with mild flavors and a medium body due to the syrupy like consistency.  This could be a good contrast or total crap. 

This cigar would make for a good after dinner smoke and this icewine is a great dessert wine. 

After a few puffs of the cigar I take a sip of the icewine.  Wow, what an effect.  The icewine just smoothed out that robust style of the cigar.  The toasty earthy tones, medium coffee, and spicy style of the cigar mellowed out the mouthfeel in just one sip of this sweet icewine.  What a great contrast. 

I then take a couple of sips of the Cave Springs Icewine and then introduce the cigar – the sweetness that coats the palate lingers while I enjoy a few puffs of the cigar.  The sweet white summer fruits mingle ever so gently with the toasty earth, coffee and spicy style of the cigar.  I think it even mellows out the strength rating of the cigar.   

This is two thumbs up for me on this pairing.