The Wine
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Caymus Vineyards
Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, USA
15.2% abv
Appearance: a very pretty dark purple
Aroma: dark berries; blackberry dominates, nice oak and
brown spice
Flavors: dark berries; black currants, black plum, and let’s
throw in a little black cherry. Then
there is a swirl of vanilla-caramel-oak in the mix here on the first
glass. A touch of tart cranberry on the
finish.
Mouthfeel: smooth and supple texture. The sweet notes hit the front and then a
touch of spice in the mid and then a light tartness on the finish. A long linger aftertaste of dark berries and
a light touch of vanilla.
To the Point: I have
to say on the first two or three sips I was a little concerned. The vanilla-caramel note was smack in my face
and the rest of the flavors seemed to be hiding in the background. After swirling the glass for a minute or two
I must have called all the flavors to order.
So, decant this bottle for a little bit and the flavors
should all be inline and ready to enjoy.
The Cigar
Cain Maduro Double Toro
Straight Ligero
Wrapper: Maduro
Fillers: Nicaragua: Esteli, Condega, and Jalapa
Size: 6 x 60
$9.75 they may be more now in Michigan for this stick has
been in the humidor for a long time – 2 or 3 years.
Flavor Profile: this is one hearty cigar. If you like a robust smoking experience this
should fit the bill. Deep dark soil and
hardwood notes dominate. There is a good
dose of coffee grounds and a solid peppery spice.
I have more of these Cain’s in my humidor somewhere. I’ll have to do a little digging around and
find them to enjoy them. The only
problem with having about 800 cigars in a humidor – you lose track of some of
them.
The Pairing
I thought this cigar would complement this wine and it does. The wine has that vanilla-caramel-oak
swirling around the dark berries and the cigar has the firm earthy tones and peppery
spice.
I was thinking that I would pair a more elegant style of
cigar with the Caymus Cabernet but, that would have been too easy. I wanted to test the upper limits of a bold
cigar with this wine and I am glad I did.
Did it maximize my tasting experience?
Well, probably not. But, it is
damn good anyways.
I think this cigar has brought out the brown spice in the
wine. The vanilla-caramel note is more
of an undertone now and the oak has come forward a bit.
