La Gloria Serie R No. 5 Maduro and Paulaner Salvator Double Bock: Pairing

For the month of May I am doing the Cigar Derby Series.  Click here to read about the set up. 

The Cigar

La Gloria Serie R No. 5 Maduro

Size: 5 x 54

I have always enjoyed the Serie R Maduro in the 5 and 6 size. 

Flavor/Mouthfeel Profile: the cigar starts off with some green peppercorn like spice mixed with a dark roast coffee note.  Overall, a firm earthy mineral soil like style, dark roast coffee that is espresso like, the peppery spice fills the back of the palate and linger on the aftertaste with that firm earthy tone.  

To the Point: the No. 5 is a solid robust smoke and it is like you can taste the soil that the tobacco plants were grown in.  I really like this stick and I like the La Gloria No. 6 Maduro even more for it seems to have a smoother style. 

The Beer

Paulaner Salvator Double Bock

Paulaner Brauerei

Munich, Germany

Paulaner.com

7.9% abv

11.2oz bottle

$10.99 a six pack

Appearance: shiny bronze body with a one finger bone white head that leaves no lacing

Aroma: baked caramel nut muffin;

Flavors: sweet caramel nut raisin muffin; light spice maybe from the alcohol or hops; light brown sugar;

Mouthfeel: sweet up front and mid; light spice on the back; medium body on the front and medium-medium-full body on the finish; I’ll place it at 6 on my strength scale; light alcohol warmth;

To the Point: a nice to very nice Double Bock; pleasing and easy to drink; damn, I want a muffin now, this beer can get a bit too sweet to me but, it is not cloying type sweet; one bottle maybe two of these and I am fine.

The Pairing

I thought this cigar would be a great fit for this Double Bock and that is why I gave it 3-1 odds to win the Cigar Derby Series this month.  That sweet muffin style of the beer is knocked down a notch while paired with this cigar.  The firm earthy style of the cigar brings out some of the earthy yeast in the bock beer.  This horse jumps out to the lead right our of the gate. The green peppercorn from the cigar helps to bring out the light spice in the beer.  I think this cigar brings out a milk chocolate coffee flavor in the Salvator Double Bock.  At the halfway point in this horse race the other horses are ready to make their move. This is a pretty nice medium-full bodied pairing. This might not be the best cigar for this beer but, it is going to be hard to beat.  Comeback to visit the Cigar Blog to see what happens with the other cigars (horses) in this first ever Cigar Derby Series.