Hoyo de Monterrey Sultan Double Maduro and Round Barn Brewery Wood Oaked IPA: Paring

The Cigar

Hoyo de Monterrey Sultan Double Maduro

This has been one of my favorite cigars for a long time.  It weighs in at 7.2 x 54 in size.  The flavor has a tasty medium roasted earthy coffee bean profile with a nice touch of oak.  It is not the most complex cigar around.  I would have to say that it is rather simple in style but, in that simplicity is the beauty of this cigar.  It is a ‘classic’ Hoyo for it has withstood the test time.  This is not the latest and greatest cigar on the market and within a year or so to never be heard from again.  It also has a great price point; around $5.00 on-line and $8.00 in your brick and mortar locations.  Whenever I smoke one of those 15 or 20 dollar cigars, while I enjoy them, I always say is it worth the money.  When I smoke this Sultan Oscuro there is no doubt that it is worth every penny – oops, old man talk – every dollar. 

The Ale

Round Barn Brewery Wood Oaked IPA 

the Round Barn Brewery

Oaked India Pale Ale

the Round Barn brewery

Baroda, Michigan, USA

Roundbarnbrewery.com

6.75 abv

$9.99 a six pack

I have to say that I am really looking forward to trying this beer for the first time.  An Oaked IPA – sound good to me and it sounds like it should go good with a fine cigar.

Appearance: cloudy, deep golden-tangerine body with a half finger bone white head that leaves some lacing on the glass with each sip but does not stick.

Aroma: light overall, some oak, citrus-floral in the mix

Flavors: the mild-moderate oak flavor seems to mix well with some muted hops, mild citrus at best with a hint of pine on the finish. 

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation, dry, oak spice that is reminding me of my oak sea salt that I use in cooking, piney on the finish and aftertaste along with the oak, nothing overpowering

To the Point: IPA fans or Hop Heads might be disappointed or a little disappointed but, I like the touch of oak.  For someone who likes cigars and some cigars have oaky notes … well this would be worth buying and enjoying with a fine cigar.  Look forward to a few reviews on my cigar blog with this beer. 

Worthy to try … ahrrr … interesting to try? Yes.  For the cigar smoker it is a must pairing – I’ll bet. 

The Pairing

This cigar is not one I would grab for to pair with an IPA.  The dry and slightly bitter medium roasted coffee

note just does not go with the bitter hops on an IPA.  This Wood Oaked IPA by Round Barn does not have a strong bitter hoppy style, it is rather mild-medium in its citrus notes but has a good oaky tone.  I thought this oaky note makes for a good match for a fine cigar. 

Nothing like a little liquid oak from the ale mingled with a little smoky oak from the cigar to please this cigar-beer fanatic.  The muted citrus notes don’t bring out the bitterness in the cigar like a strong IPA would.  The soft fruity notes of the ale are pleasing with the earthy coffee bean notes of the cigar. 

I have to admit that it is not a memorable pairing but, it is a very pleasing pairing.  I could smoke this cigar and drink this ale all night long and be satisfied.    

San Miguel Box-pressed Torpedo and Avery Anniversary Ale Fifteen: Pairing

The Ale

Avery Anniversary Ale Fifteen

Ale Brewed with Spices, Herbs and Figs

Avery Brewing Company

Boulder, Colorado, USA

Averybrewing.com

22 oz bottle

$7.99 a bottle

7.68% abv

I have not had the Fifteen before so, I have no frame of reference to see how it is aging.  The bottle is marked Bottled in April of 2008.

Appearance: pretty golden-orange body with a white head on top; now I got some of the sediment off the bottom of the bottle pouring the second half of the bottle and the body is a hazy orangie light amber with a solid one finger white head.

Aroma: a light tart apple note hits the nose first followed by some fruity notes, light floral

Flavors: light-moderate sour-tart bite that reminds me of lemon meat and tart apple; herbal biscuit, golden fruity notes with a musty white pepper and light earthy yeast

Mouthfeel: firm carbonation, tartness on the mid and finish,

To the Point: I would buy another bottle of this.  This is a good example that beer can be aged.  If you find a bottle still around it is worthy of buying. 

The Cigar

San Miguel Box-pressed Torpedo

Read Full Cigar Review

I thought this cigar would be an interesting pairing for this ale because the cigar also has a musty white pepper style along with some cedar, and light dusty soil earthiness.  The cedar wood and light dusty soil of the cigar mingles well with the ales light-moderate tart lemon meat, herbal note, and golden fruit.  The white pepper notes and light earthy tones of each complement each other well.  This is a very nice pairing.   

La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black No. 58: Review

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Topado Ligero grown in Jalapa

Fillers: Nicaraguan

Size: 6.7 x 58

5 pack for $24.00 Cigars International

La Gloria Cubana Serie R Maduro #6 is one of my favorite cigars.  I am looking forward to trying this new Serie R Black cigar.  The Black is made with Nicaraguan tobaccos while the regular Serie R is Dominican.   

Off the Light: nice moderate peppery start with rich soil earthy tones coating the palate.  As the smoke continues the peppery style reminds me of dusty white pepper mixed with a little fine grind black pepper.  The soil note is thick and there is a woody character in the mix.  The texture is leathery and the spice lingers on the aftertaste.  There was a little uneven burn that needed a lighter correction and the burn was fine after that.  This is a full bodied smoke – I’ll give it an 8 on my strength scale.

Mid-Point: the soil, wood, and peppery mix is still present.  There seems to be a rye bread note every now and then.  A little acidic coffee bean taste is on the scene with some toasted grains.  The texture has moved from a leathery feel to a smooth leathery feel.  I’ll give it a 7.5/8 on my strength scale: full-medium to full.  The cigar delivers plenty of gray smoke.

Down the Stretch: something to drink will be needed with this full bodied cigar.  I have S. Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water to refresh my palate during this smoking experience.

The burn is a little uneven as it enters the final third but, the burn corrected itself.  The peppery style is mild at this point and the focus is on the earthy tones of soil, wood (a little cedar like), and toasted grains.  The coffee note reminds me of a medium-full roast coffee.  There seems to be a little dusty spice here in the final third. 

To the Point: a tasty, hearty, bold full bodied smoke.  Good complexity, ample smoke, and a smooth leathery feel.  I saw a couple of reviews were people experienced cream, honey, nutmeg and sweet malts.  I did not.  Someone even said it had a creamy texture.  I thought it was more leather like. 

I still like the regular Serie R Maduro better.  

The Bugatti 2002 Dual Lighter

The Bugatti 2002 Dual Lighter

I just got this Bugatti Lighter today, as a freebie, with my cigar order from Cigars International.  I already have one that has not worked properly.  In cold weather, 70 degrees or lower, forget it – it won’t light and other times I click it five or six times till maybe it stays lit. 

The new one works like a champ.  But, this is one crazy lighter.  You have to remove the inner-workings out to refill the tank with butane. 

The black dial has to be moved to the extreme + side to stay lit.   

I got brave and moved the brass dial on my older one to the far extreme left (be careful for it can come undone).  That helped my older lighter to work a litter better.  

It is a great looking lighter with its copper trim color and black body.  

It has a dual flame which is nice for lighting larger ring gauge cigars. 

The new one is still working well.  My older one is still a little bit of a problem.  I am one for three on Buggatti lighters.  I personally would not pay a dime for one of these lighters.  The Buggatti B-1 just won't work period.  

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro and Avery The Maharaja Imperial IPA: Pairing

I have never had this beer before but with a 102 IBU I should not be pairing it with this Air Bender.  I did give the cigar a 6 rating on my strength scale but, I think I may need something on the 3 or 4 point range with some smooth earthy tones.  This Imperial IPA may be a good one to go with the contrasting cigar.  Should I be doing this to a 14 dollar cigar?  In the name of science, exploration, research, exploration – I am doing it!  I just lost $1,000 at the casino – so let’s not worry about 14 bucks.  But, let’s be adventurous – for it is my last day off and tomorrow back to work.  PS: don’t go to the casino during vacation. 

The Ale

Avery The Maharaja Imperial IPA

Dictator Series

Avery Brewing Company

Averybrewing.com

Batch no. 13

March 2011

1pt 6oz bottle

$8.99

102 IBU’s

10.54% abv

I drank the Ale first, before lighting the cigar, to establish the taste profile.  With a little more than half the bottle I am ready to light the cigar. 

Appearance: deep copper-ish caramel body? Amber burnt orange? Damn what is it … it is mesmerizing … it almost glows in the light.  If I made up names for a paint company I would call it copper glow. Just sheets of lacing hanging on the glass. 

Aroma: the glass has to be a foot and a half away from my nose and I can smell from here.  Let’s get up close and personal; I was expecting a hop blast to the nose but, I pick up fruit first; mango, peach, orange, a touch of pineapple; then a whiff of rich caramel malt; then some ruby red grapefruit meat

Flavors: the malts are sure in the picture here for a 102 IBU (international bittering units) ale.  What is going on here for it is almost hypnotic.  Sweet on delivery, rich caramel and earthy grains (the barley) hit the mid, then some hoppy bitterness mix in the mid and hold on thru the finish – the fruit reminds me of pink and red grapefruit mixed in with some mangos, and then there is a dusty bitterness on the long lingering aftertaste

Mouthfeel: somewhat thick, almost creamy, sticky oily hops, low-moderate carbonation – on the low side, earthy yeast on the front, grapefruit like bitterness on mid and finish, the alcohol was not a factor in this 10% abv – no boozy feel to me. 

My Strength Rating: 8 –full

To the Point: a super DIPA, I can think of two others that I like better.  This is the first beer out of 540 reviews on my blog that I have used the words ‘mesmerizing’ and ‘hypnotic’ during the review.  If you are a hophead what do you think?  If you have not tried it get to the store.  Leave a comment by clicking on the comment button below.   

Batch 13 March 2011 on the bottle; it is aging just fine

I think this ale may be just fine with this cigar because of the malts displayed. 

The Cigar

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro

Wrapper: Brazilian Habano

Binder: Dominican

Fillers: Dominican

Size: 6.5 x 54

Off the Light: grassy/grainy yet mellow with a dusting of earth.  As the smoke continues the earthy tones are tasty and a hint of black and white pepper mill grind starts to hit the palate. 

The Pairing: the mellow black and white peppercorn of the cigar mingles well with the citrus grapefruit zest of the ale.  I thought it might bring out the bitterness to a level where it just becomes unpleasant to pair.  Remember that black pepper has a citrus bite, so I think the mellow style and the white pepper really helps here.  Also, the surprising malt profile really helps with this pairing as well. 

I was expecting to say, ‘see don’t pair a medium-full cigar with an IPA’

Look at the cigar hut box this cigar came in.  A replica of a real tobacco curing hut.  

Mid-Point: in the past with this cigar I picked up a coffee note but, pairing it with this cigar I am not noticing the coffee.  The focus seems to be on the earthy tones of grains and grass along with the mellow mix peppercorns.  Damn I am really enjoying this pairing.   

Tobacco leafs hanging on the side (plastic) 

The Pairing: I mentioned how the mellow peppery style of this cigar worked when matching it with this ale but, a big factor is the earthy style of this cigar.  This cigar has grassy and grainy earthy tones, I like a cigar paired with an IPA that has soil and wood earthy tones to mix with the ales citrus, pine, and grassy hops.  It was this grassy/grainy style of the cigar with its peppery style that I thought it would not work – but – it does.  The earthy grains of this cigar just play so nicely with the hops while bringing out the earthy yeast and tasty fruits of the Maharaja. 

I keep my air hockey pucks in the box next to the air hockey table

Down the Stretch: similar to the mid-point profile.  Might be a little toaster but, the Imperial IPA is keeping it in check surprisingly. 

To the Point (cigar): this was a truly limited production back in 2010 or 11 – it is no longer on the market.  Might come out in different packing?  A regular cigar box – not this fancy cigar hut.  Is it worth 14 bucks – personally, no.  Michigan did have a 32% tax at the time I bought these cigars.  A nice smoke non-the-less. 

To the Point (pairing): just wonderful

Bugatti B-1 Single Torch Lighter: Review

Just got my shipment from Cigars International today and I received two free lighters.

The Xikar lighter works great for a single flame lighter.  Nice for lighting robusto size cigars or use to fix burning issues on a cigar.

It has a good large flame adjuster on the bottom.  It does not have a fill window. Nice Cigars International logo.

Here is the problem child.

The Bugatti B-1 single torch lighter.  Small flame adjuster.  No fill window. Can't take it apart to see if it just needs to be readjusted on the inside.

You have to manually push open the lighter top

Tried filling the lighter three times and nothing but one big flame came shooting out of the clicker area.

It has a nice punch for your cigar on the side of the lighter.  A small punch and a larger punch.  

This is the second Bugatti lighter that I have received from CI and the Bugatti-2002 lighter only works when it wants to.  Both are very nice looking lighters.  I guess I will not buy one.  Here is the problem: it was free - I don't really want to send it back - it was free right - and here is the funny thing - I have another free one showing up in a couple of days.  Will I be 3 for 3 on Bugatti lighters that don't work.  I did not buy the cigars to get the free lighter - I bought the cigars because they were something I wanted and a great price to boot.

A Fuente Hemingway Work of Art Maduro

This little pricy cigar is all about reputation.  Every year I have to buy one or two of these when they come out.  I always say, ‘why am I overpaying for this cigar – there are others that are just as good, if not better, and cheaper.’  I have to say that I prefer the Cameroon over the Maduro in this cigar.   

This little sucker measures in at 4.7 x 60. 

Taste Profile: dry soil earthy tone, a touch of sweet maduro that does not last long enough and mild-medium roast coffee.  The mouthfeel is very dry so this cigar needs a beverage.

I paired this cigar with Bowers Harbor Langley 2896 a red Meritage. (Visit the wine blog to read this review)  This mild-medium bodied red is just what this cigar needs.  Actually, the wine needed the cigar.  The cigar seems to give this wine a little more body by bringing out its earthy tone.  The cigar is still on the boring side of town. 

I am going to have to remember to pass on buying the Work of Art Maduro in the future.