The Ale
Meantime India Pale Ale
Meantime Brewing Co.
Greenwich, London, England
7.5 abv
1pt 9.4oz bottle
$9.99
Fuggles and Goldings hops
Appearance: deep amber with a thin off-white head that fades
quickly and leaves very little lacing
Aroma: light nose overall, touch of citrus, mostly grassy
hops
Flavors: a bit of grassy hops, mild citrus meat, mineral
water, light rye bread, pale malt
Mouthfeel: mild-medium
body, light grassy aftertaste, almost creamy texture, low carbonation, light
dryness on the palate
My Strength Rating: 4.5/4
To the Point: a very good interpretation of a nineteenth
century IPA. I have to admit that I do
like to enjoy an English IPA now and then.
La Aurora Puro Vintage 2003
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican
Fillers: Dominican
Size: 7.2 x 52 Salamone
I picked it up for 10 bucks a stick
The cigar wrapper looks like it should cloak a fine leather
sofa. Damn it is pretty.
Off the Light: dry soil earthy tone and lightly toasted
grains. As the smoke continues a dry cedary note develops and then a musty
white pepper spice note appears.
Mid-Point: Similar to the first third; dry soil, toasted
grains, dry cedar, and a dash of white pepper spice. The texture is dry and leather like.
Down the Stretch: this smoke does not change a whole lot
during this experience. The flavors
where pretty much the same thing.
My Strength Rating: 4/4.5 – mild-medium in style overall
To the Point: the flavors come together for a fine smoking
experience. I picked these up for 10
bucks a stick and I think I might buy some more. This might be a good stick to pair with a
fine Scotch. I have a couple left so
look for that pairing.
The Pairing
This was the correct IPA to pair with this cigar. I think if I paired an American style IPA
with this stick it would be a bitter experience due to the mouthfeel of this
cigar.
