Man O War Ruination No. 1 Robusto vs Latitude Zero Robusto paired with Portage Porter

Final Game – March Matching 2015

(click here to view the 2015 Set-up)

Number 3 seed Man O War Ruination Robusto No. 1; Size: 5.5 x 54; Ecuador ligero wrapper; Cuban-seed Nicaraguan and Honduran long-leaf ligeros fillers; Flavor Profile: Toasted oak; portabella mushroom, forest floor earthy tones; roasted grains and nuts.

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

These two cigars really mirror one another.  I did not notice this until I put them side by side here for this match up. 

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.

Here is how the brackets started off

In the North Northeast but slightly South of the boarder Bracket we had:

Number 1 seed Camacho Maduro (old label) Robusto

Number 8 Morro Castle Robusto

Number 4 seed Latitude Zero Robusto

Number 5 Signature Collection Toro

In the West Southwest but almost next to nowhere Bracket there was:

Number 2 seed Camacho Triple Maduro (old label) Robusto

Number 7 Villiger Robusto

Number 3 seed Man O War Ruination

Number 6 Latitude Zero Experimental Robusto

Now we are left with only two cigars still standing and a glass or New Belgium Portage Porter waiting to wash over my lips. 

It is tip off time and Man O War Ruination No. 1 Robusto gets the nod.  Off the light there is a solid fresh earth; reminding me of some spring time soil.  I am not picking up the usual peppery spice off the light – interesting?  A sip of the Porter and it looks like dinner time; time to feed the big boys.  The fresh soil note of the cigar plays right into the hands of the dark chocolate and medium body roasted coffee notes of the Porter.  A few more puffs of the cigar and the oaky woody tones show up to play with the slightly burnt wood character of the Porter.  A hint of pepper, from the cigar, peaks in to see what is happening.  This is one great pairing and the Number 6 seed Latitude Zero is going to have to have the game of its life to battle here folks. 

Let’s light up the Zero.  A slightly firm draw pre-light.  No big problem during the light.  A nice spicy note mixes in with some toasted grains during the first few puffs.  Just like the Man O War – LZ sends in the oaky note off the bench to come and play.  A very pleasing exchange between the cigar and the Porter.  This is a nice pairing but there seems to be something missing compared to the Man O War Cigar.  Let’s go back the Man O War.

Smooth easy draw.  The Portabella Mushroom and forest floor earthy tones kick in to add some good depth to this cigar.  Sip of the Porter and boy is this one fine operation here.  The earthiness of the cigar transfers over to the Porter and intermingles with the notes from the Porter. 

Latitude Zero is back to play and the oak, toasted grains, and the hint of dry soil while tasty just seems to be a bit shy compared to the Man O War notes.   A few sips of the Porter with the LZ and this cigar shows it does have some game while paired with this tasty Porter.  A hint of black pepper appears now and then and adds a little character to the pairing.  This is one nice pairing: this Porter likes this Cigar from Latitude Zero.

Man O War reaches in and grabs the ball for a steal.  The rich moist soil tones and solid oak of the cigar just fits perfectly with the Porters robust style.  The medium roast coffee and dark chocolate like notes of the Porter likes to play with the cigars flavor profile and seems to add a little coffee note over to the cigar as well.  From the one quarter point of the cigars burn to the halfway point the cigar mellows for a pleasing experience but at the halfway point the cigar builds for a robust profile. 

This is no run away game here but, the depth off the bench for the Man O War shows that it is for my liking here with this Portage Porter from New Belgium Brewery. 

The toasted grains and oak profile of the Latitude Zero sure had some game here with this Porter but the single earthy style of dry soil and a hint of pepper now and then was not enough when up against the complex forest floor earthy style of the Man O War Cigar.  The toasted grains, hint of walnut, and solid oak of the Man O War just kept pace with the overall notes of the LZ but, those bench players of the Man O War would come in and take control. 

The Man O War Ruination No. 1 Robusto, the number 3 seed of the 2015 tourney, is the clear winner of this year’s March Matching.