March Matching Final Four 1 vs 4

Second Round Game 1: March Matching 2015

Camacho Maduro Robusto (old label) vs Latitude Zero Robusto

(click here to view the 2015 Set-up)

Read about the Number 1 seed Camacho Maduro Robusto taking on the long shot Number 7 seed Villiger Talanga Robusto.  Click here When Posted

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

Number 1 seed Camacho Maduro (old label) Diploma Robusto: Size 5 x 52; Tobaccos from Honduras’ Jamastan Valley. Taste profile: a solid earthy style with rich dark soil leading the way; sweet grains follow with a nice touch of black tea in the mix.  It has a good medium body that should satisfy any cigar smoker.

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.

It is tip off time and Latitude Zero takes control. Off the light the cigar is showing its spicy side and the toasted grains seem to be just an undertone.   The Porter soothes that spiciness of the cigar.  Nice score though. After that first quarter inch of spiciness the cigar mellows out to the toasted grains as the main profile.  Once again a sip of the ale and boy is this a nice matching.  The oak wood comes off the bench to dance with this Porter.  The burnt woody notes of the Porter enjoy playing with this oaky tone.  This cigar seems to settle those burnt woody notes of the Porter. 

Time to cut the Camacho and lighter her up.  Oh no, foul on the play.  A crack in the wrapper while cutting.  Oh that happens once in a great while. To the humidor to get another and I’ll have to glue this one up. 

Cut – fine – light – good – we are back on track. Oh yes, sweet grains, a hint of black tea and mellow earthy style.  Three point conversion.  Those grains and black tea make this a smooth pairing with the Portage Porter from New Belgium Brewing.  This is one solid pairing – I would enjoy these two any time. 

Back to the Latitude Zero Cigar.  The coffee and chocolate notes of the porter intermingle so well with flavor profile of the cigar.  A little black pepper appear from the cigar to add a little interest and brings out a little spice in the Porter.  These two know how to play with one another.  One thing about this cigar is that big ass label.  I don’t like big labels.  The single twist of the pepper mill black pepper is back on the bench.  But, the other players are here to play.  This is also one super nice matching. 

This is one great game.  Both cigars are great with this Porter.  I’ll have to smoke these two down to the nub to call this game. 

The Camacho Diploma sure has game here but, I am going with the Latitude Zero because of the bench players.  That hint of black pepper comes and goes with the smoke but adds some good interest.  The oak also mixes so well with the woody tones of the Porter.  The coffee and chocolate notes of the Porter along with the slightly burnt woody notes love the style of this Latitude Zero. 

This was a buzzer.  Close game the whole way.  I didn’t like see one of these losing here.  Both had game.  The Latitude Zero just edges out the number 1 seed Camacho Diploma Maduro. 

Number 4 seed Latitude Zero moves on to the final dance to strut its stuff against the winner of the Villiger Talanga and Man O War No. 1 game.  

March Matching 2015 Villiger Talanga Robusto vs Camacho Maduro Robusto

First Round Game 4: March Matching 2015

(click here to view the 2015 Set-up)

                     

Information is a little incomplete here for this match up. 

Number 2 seed Camacho Triple Maduro (old label) robusto; Size: 4.5 x 50; while one of my favorite cigars I have never done a full review on the Triple Maduro and I never put any info down on its construction.  I like this cigar because of its spicy style and rich compost soil tone.  It is a heavy weight for the smoke coats the palate for a full-medium bodied smoke. 

Number 7 Villiger Robusto; Size:5 x 50; Honduran Connecticut wrapper; Jalapa Habano binder; three filler blend of Esteli Corojo, Ometepe Habano, and Candega Habano; I have never smoked this one so I do not have any flavor notes to go by. 

I picking the Number 2 Triple Maduro to kick butt here.  No competition. 

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.

Game on.  It’s tip off time.  There’s the tip; a little scramble and the Villiger Talanga comes out for the light. 

The Talanga has a sharp cedar style right off the light.  After a couple of puffs a sweet cedar comes to mind, then slowly a toasted wheat bread blends in.  Bring on the ale.  A nice exchange there.  About a half inch in the sharp cedary note just disappeared in a puff of the cigar.  Oh, the cigar mellows big time to a nice sweet cedar and buttered toasted wheat bread.  Now, let’s take a sip and see what happens.  A few good puffs of the cigar and a sip of the Porter and yes that is nice.  This different from the other ones that I liked.  The obvious is it’s a mild-medium cigar but it has a sweet style to it.  Bringing out a little sweetness in the malts of the Porter – impressive since this Porter has a hearty style.  When I sip the Porter then puff the cigar a little coffee style transfers to the cigar from the Porter.  I’m liking this.  Don’t judge a book by its cover. 

Time to light up the Camacho Triple Maduro and I have to say I don’t want to let the Villiger go.  The Triple is ready for its time with this tasty Portage Porter from New Belgium Brewing.  Off the light the rich compost soil is up front.  About an eighth of an inch in a mild spicy note appears.  A sip of the ale and there is a solid two point conversion is scored.  This cigar brings out the robust style of the Porter. The burnt woody notes of the Porter come out to play and a nice medium roast coffee note is in the mix here.  The body of the cigar is building to its full-medium style and this is working with the strengths of the Porter. 

This is going to be one tough call to make here.  We have contrasting cigars here and both are working well with the Porter. 

The Talanga takes possession.  Oh, that’s nice.  The sweet style is still there and a lightly roasted grain and mild coffee note come off the bench to play some ball.  A sip of the Porter – and we have a ball game here folks.  The sweet cedar and buttery bread mixed with the bench players and this cigar is showing it has some depth to mix with the robust notes of the porter.  The cigar still seems to mellow this Porters hearty woody notes.  The cigar plays up the 65% like dark chocolate note and the medium coffee of the Porter.  This is one very nice match up. 

The Camacho Triple says sit down little boy I’m here to play too.  The full bodied notes are hitting here in the mid part of the cigar.  Meaty compost soil a little pink peppercorn in the mix a toasted oak kicks in and we have a game.  The meaty notes of the cigar intermingle with the Porters hearty flair.  You want a full bodied experience this is it.  A little sweet Maduro kicks in now and then to add a little character to this tasting. 

Six seconds to go and a one point difference – Camacho is on the lead.  Villiger in bounds the ball.  Takes it to net and scores a two point layup to win the game.  What an upset!  Damn I don’t have another Villiger cigar – I’ll have to go and buy some now.  Stay tuned. 

The Villiger Talanga moves on to take on the Man O War Ruination No. 1 in the final four. 

The other game will be Camacho Maduro vs Latitude Zero.