The Cigar
Felipe Gregorio Icon Groucho
Size: 5 x 55; Robusto
Wrapper: triple fermented Costa Rican
Fillers: Condega, Nicaragua and Dominican-grown Piloto
Cubano 2002
The Worst of the Worst Series is about the bad cigars that I have left in my humidor.
I have two or three of these cigars still floating around in
my humidor. I have to have purchased
these four or five years ago. I really
wanted to like this cigar because of the theme – Icon. Groucho is one of my favorites. I bought a five pack and smoked two and
thought it was a bad cigar from the get go so, I stuck it in the humidor with a
few other losers. I never reviewed this
stick because I was never brave enough to try it again. I am off work today, the sun is shining, I
feel good and not even a crappy cigar could ruin this day … so, let’s get reviewing.
Off the Light and First Half: a dry metallic twang greets
the palate off the light. This would go
well with a Czech beer. Dry soil and …
and … nothing else; wait the dry metallic taste is not as strong. From what I am recalling on this cigar is
that it was dry and boring to the core.
The cigar holds a rouged salt and pepper ash that is about
an inch or so right now. As the burn
approaches the halfway point the metallic taste is not noticeable, the dry soil
is still present with a cheap coffee note, the kind of coffee that comes in a
can – something like Maxwell House. Dry
grainy dive-diner kind of coffee.
Second Half: the dryness reminds me of rough leather. Dry soil and cheap grainy coffee is the main
profile. Cigar International had a good
description of this cigar; “complex core of rich, mocha-like flavors with notes
of coffee and leather, finished by a touch of pepper. Dee-lish.”
The Ale
Heavy Seas Black Cannon
Black IPA
Clipper City Brewing Company
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
7.25% abv
45 IBU
Available January thru March
Appearance: black body with a one finger tan head that
leaves some lacing on the glass.
Aroma: not big, but I am picking up a hint of pine, a touch
of floral, a touch roasted grains, a little coffee note
Flavors: toasted flavors, roasted grains, pine in the mix, a
little semi-sweet chocolate,
Mouthfeel: a little wool like on the texture, roasted notes
linger,
To the Point: a nice Black IPA; worthy to try
The Pairing
First Half of the Cigar with the Ale
A few sips of the ale and then a puff of the cigar is the
way to go with this pairing. The
toasty/roasty flavors of the ale really help this cigar out; it seems to bring
out a toasty fall leaf note in the cigar.
When I take a few puffs of the cigar and then a sip of the
ale I get a different effect. The dry
worn out leather mouthfeel of the cigar with that slight metallic twang brings
out the bitterness in the ale.
Second Half of the Cigar with the Ale
When I take a few puffs of the cigar and then sip the ale I
notice the pine needle like taste and texture to the ale, the roasted notes of
the ale are also pleasing. The metallic
twang of the cigar is no longer a factor and not interfering with the
experience like it did during the first half.
The mouthfeel is of course very dry during this pairing. Water is needed.
I still enjoy the matching when I drink the ale first and
then the cigar. The tasty flavor of the
ale mingles well with the cigar and makes the cigar seem a little better than
what it really is.
The ale is gone and it is not worthy to smoke the last inch
and a half.
