First Round Game 3: March Matching 2015
(click here to view the 2015 Set-up)
Let’s take a look at the stats for these two contenders that
will be paired up with New Belgium’s Portage Porter. (click here to see my full review on thisPorter)
Number 4 seed Latitude Zero Robusto: Size 5 x 52; 2011
Habano Ecuador Wrapper; 2010 Nicaraguan fillers; flavor profile: toasted
grains, oak up front, single twist of the black pepper mill, good touch of
earth. Medium-full body
Number 5 Signature Collection Robusto: Size 5.7 x 50;
Ecuadorain Sun Grown Wrapper; Nicaraguan long-fillers; flavor profile: nice
woody style that reminds me of a spicy cedar, touch of oak and a hint of alder
wood; a couple of dashes of white pepper, dry fall leafs and a mild almond
nutty note. Medium body
Here is a quick profile of the New Belgium Portage Porter:
(click here to see my full review) This almost black bodied Porter has a nice
cola edge. It has a nice hearty, roasted
profile that reminds me of a medium bodied coffee, 65% dark chocolate and some
nice burnt woody notes.
This should be a great game here. There was not much balance in the Latitude
Zero Experimental and Man O War game.
Here in this game we have balance; like steak and grilled asparagus. Both cigars are not on the radar and both have
a pretty nice flavor profile. Not only
have I enjoyed these sticks but, I like each one for what they bring to the
table.
Tip of time. The ball
is up and the Signature Collection get the first possession. Off the light burnt fall leafs hit the
palate. There is a burnt slightly
charred note on the first few puffs and then it settles down to a good three point
cedar note. Then it converts with a hint
of oak and then the musty white pepper says let’s play ball.
Time to tip that Portage Porter by New Belgium Brewing. Those toasty roasty notes of the Porter come
to play as well but … there is a little miss direction here. The two are not intermingling. There are the flavors of the cigar and then
sip the ale and there are the flavors of the Porter but, they are not playing
together. This is not always a bad thing
here but, I was not expecting this. Let
me explain; you can have an ale overpower a cigar, or vice versa, and 90% of
the time it’s not a good thing. But,
here one is not overpowering the other nor is it intermingling but, each
retains its own flavor profile with each exchange. Looking a little confused on the court here.
Light up the Zero. Nice
toasted grains off the light. And I am ready for a sip of that Porter. Big time dunky dew. The toasted grains mix right in with the
Porters robust style. A few puffs in and
a nice oaky presence appears. Think of
starting a campfire with some small twigs and that note comes to play with a
dose of dry mineral soil – I smell it and I swear I can taste it. Another sip of ale and oh baby, baby, this is
it. This Porter seems to bring out some
other flavors in this baby. Oh
baby. One more ‘Oh baby’ and it might
sound like sex is going on here.
The Signature regains possession. Nice tasting cigar. Nice tasting ale. They are not clicking. It is like being on a bad date when everybody
said, ‘you two will be perfect for each other.’
It’s just not happening. This is
just a sad scene with ‘Oh baby baby; baby baby’ happening in the back seat of
the car while you are sitting in the front with the ice princes.
The Latitude Zero is just draining three pointer here in
this game. Zero has a 30 point lead with
15 minutes to go in the game and looking to make it 50 by the end of this
game.
Latitude Zero moves on to the final four to be paired with
the Camacho Maduro Old Label.
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