La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero 700 and Bombing Range Red 2006: Pairing

The Cigar

Time to revisit some old friends; I reviewed this cigar back in September of last year and the wine I reviewed two years ago.  I really like both of these and it is time to have these two friends meet.  I sure hope they get along. 

La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero 700 

Wrapper: Dark Ecuadorian Sun Grown

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Size: 6.5 x 60

$10.00 Smoky’s in Northville, Michigan

Laflordominicana.com

The flavor profile of the cigar reminds me of dark roast coffee, hardwood, green peppercorn, rich mineral soil.  The aftertaste has a black peppercorn citrus bite and the texture is leather like.  My overall strength rating is an 8/8.5. 

The Wine

Bombing Range Red 2006 – Horse Heaven Hills

Prosser, Washington, USA
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre

From their web site, mckinleysprings.com, the description says – Raspberry and blueberry jam aromas with violet and cinnamon. The taste is rich blackberry, mocha and currant.

If you are looking for a great value under $20.00 this is it. 

Appearance: almost black body with a ruby edge.

Aroma: big black berries with a touch of spice on the nose along with a deep smoky tobacco note,

Flavors: Those berries are just wonderful. The blackberry and blueberry profile is upfront along with the black currant. It is like you could spread this across your toast in the morning. Honestly, with every sip I think, ‘life is good,’ I love the berry taste.  There are also notes of mocha and smoke.  Two years ago I did not pick up the cinnamon but this time I notice a powdery cinnamon note – it is more on the finish to me so, the Mourvedre grape is showing up.  

Mouthfeel: to me this wine has a great jammy feel to the palate.  The berries linger on the aftertaste.  The complexity is decent. 

The Pairing

Last September, I thought this cigar made the wine that I paired it with seem like a little baby and it was a full bodied wine.  Let’s see how this wine holds up.

Oh, this wine is doing the trick with this full bodied cigar.  After a few puffs of the cigar the wines berry notes come through strong and the tasty mocha and dusty cinnamon is still in play.  The body of the Bombing Range Red did not weaken with this cigar like the wine I paired it with last year. 

This is a full bodied pairing so have water ready. 

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro and Bell’s Cherry Stout: Pairing

The Stout

Bell’s Cherry Stout

Bell’s Brewery, Inc

Comstock, Michigan, USA

Bellsbeer.com

7% abv

12oz bottle
$16.99 a six pack

Packaged on 10/4/11

Stout brewed with Michigan cherry juice

The few beers that I have had with cherries added to the mix I have not truly enjoyed. So, let’s see if Bells can pull it off.

Appearance: black body with a toasty tan one finger head that leaves very little lacing if any.

Aroma: to me there is not much on the nose, I do pick up the cherry juice, but the stout notes seem relaxing

Flavors: oh yes, the cherry flavor is pleasing with a stout background giving it some body. The flavor reminds me of a coffee cherry blend. The coffee note seems medium in strength.

Mouthfeel: smoother than I expected, some nice stout like bitterness but not powerful, lingering cherry and roasted notes on the palate.

My Strength Rating: 6 – medium-full overall to me

To the Point: leave it to Bell’s to do it right with the cherry flavor. I cannot think of one beer with cherry added to it that I would drink again but, I would do this and good thing since I bought a six pack. I think the wife may even like this stout and she does not like too many types of stout.

The Cigar 

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro

Wrapper: Brazilian Habano
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic

Size: 6.5 x 54

Off the Light: little spicy and earthy from the start.  Deep soil earthy tone with a grassy/grainy note with a white and black pepper mix swirling around.  The cigar has a good medium body mouthfeel here at the start.

Pairing: The Bell’s Cherry Stout reminds me of a coffee cherry roast blend.  This stout goes well with this Air Bender.  The cigars earthy style of soil, grass, and grains mingles perfectly with the stout’s upfront cherry profile.  The stout’s smooth and tasty mouthfeel is a nice complement to the cigars smooth mouthfeel yet light peppery taste. 

Mid-Point: the mid-point brings a ‘black and tan’ coffee tone that reminds me of the medium-roast black and tan coffee from Biggby Coffee.  The soil, grass, and grainy earthy tones of the cigar continue along with a tasty mild white and black pepper mill mix.  The texture is smooth while the earthy tones coat the palate.  I’ll have to give it a 5.5 on my strength scale. 

Pairing: during the exchanges between these two fine products the big cherry profile of the stout seems to transfer to the flavor profile of the cigar.  Take a couple of sips of this stout then, swirl it around the palate and then take a few puffs of the cigar and you will experience this exchange.    

Down the Stretch: the cigar picks up a little bitter bite during the final third but, nothing that detracts from the taste.  The earthy style is a bit more roasted.  The soil is deeper and the grains are toastier. 

My Strength Rating: 6 – just making into the medium-full range.  The final third brought it up to the 6 rating. 

To the Point (cigar): a good quality smoke but, is it worth the $14.00 a stick price?  Well, probably not.  It is worthy to try one or two sticks. 

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maestro: Review

Wrapper: Habano

Binder/Filler: Dominican

Size: 5.5 x 52
laflordominicana.com

$8.69 from Smoky’s of Livonia, Michigan

Off the Light: medium roast coffee.  As the smoke continues there is a light undertone of sweet caramel and a nice woody tone with a focus on cedar. I don’t get any peppery spice but, more of a settle spice box note (green and brown spices).  During the first half of the cigar the medium roast coffee seems to be the main profile.  The burn has been uneven but, does not need correction with the lighter – yet.  The draw is a bit firm. 

The strength rating on the first half is a 4 to me.  This would place it as mild-medium on my strength scale (can be found in left margin on the blog).  To me the body weight is medium at best and the flavors and mouthfeel are mild-medium at best. 

Second Half: this stick holds a firm grey ash.  It should be easy to get a one or two inch ash on this cigar.  The slight uneven burn during the first half has evened up on its own by the time it has reached the middle point of the cigar.  The draw is still a bit firm but, has opened a bit from the first half. 

There still is a sweet medium coffee flavor with a good woody character.  The spice box note is still present and it seems to have a dash of white pepper added to the mix.  There is a light yet rich soil earthy tone that is building strength here on the second half.  The mouthfeel overall is a smooth leathery feel. 

The strength rating during the second half seems to be building to a 5 strength rating.  Let’s see how the final couple inches go. 

The smoke is still smooth and tasty as I smoke this stick down to the nub. 

My Strength Rating: 4.5 – medium at best overall.  I have seen a few reviews on this cigar and they were call it full bodied; I just don’t see that. 

To the Point: the Maestro is a tasty stick.