Bourbon 'N' 'Gars - Heavenly Pairings

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Bourbon 'N' 'Gars - Heavenly Pairings

Unread postby bunghole » Sat Jul 23, 2005 6:10 pm

All riiiiight all you ca-Razy Kats & Kittens! It's time to get SaMOkey! Okey-Dokey?

Dig my crazy sticks!
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Unread postby bourbonv » Sun Jul 24, 2005 9:59 am

So now Linn, are you going to put a name on those favorites and then tell us which bourbon(s) or rye(s) you like with them and why?

Mike Veach
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Unread postby bunghole » Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:00 am

I have been seriously into fine cigars for three years now, and there is as much to know about who grows what and who rolls which brands and which countries they come from as there is to know about bourbon.

As you can see from my photos I like Lonesdale; Monarcha, and Churchill sized sticks best.

As far as maduro wrapper leaf goes I've found that Padrons suit my palete best. The Padron family fled Castro's Communist Cuba and settled in Nicaragua. They grow thier own tobacco, and roll their own sticks. Padrons are of the very highest quality in every respect, and have a big bold flavor profile. I have found they pair up well with any Wild Turkey expression, and are exceptional with Knob Creek. I have a box of Padron 3000's aging that I ordered from an e-tailer that I think was $75 shipped. You should be able to pick up singles from your local tobbacanist for about $5 each.

If ever a cigar tasted like bourbon the Partagas Spanish Rosado Ramon Y Ramon is it! These are from Honduras, and are quite expensive. I have a full box aging that I paid something like $125 shipped. These sticks really come alive with two years of age on them. I think they are positively sublime when paired with Buffalo Trace; Woodford Reserve, or Ridgemont Reserve 1792.

One of my very favorite cigars is the H. Upmann Connoisseur Cabinet '96 -30's (lonesdales) & 60's (churchills). These are JR exclusives so you probablly wont find them locally. Quite reasonably priced at $95 shipped. These are rolled by the Tabacalera De Garcia in La Romana, Dominican Rebuplic. The construction of these sticks is absolutely flawless. Perfect with a bottle of Blanton's. So good in fact that now I never smoke any other cigar while drinking Blanton's.

I am in love with the AVO Signature Lonesdales, and of course that means they are expensive. They come in boxes of 10, and the best price I could find was something like $65 shipped. I now have two boxes aging. The flavor profile of these sticks really pairs up well with any wheated bourbon. You can find heaven with an AVO Signature Lonesdale and either Pappy 15 or 20.

Another positively great cigar with any wheater is the Oliva Master Blends Churchill. These were very expensive when they first came out at about $200 a box. They didn't sell well and I was able to pick up two boxes on a closeout deal at $100 each. They can still be found if you search hard enough.

For any straight rye whiskey try the H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon's in either a lonesdale or churchill size. The rich cedar & spice of the Upmann matches perfectly with the rye spiceyness. Also consider the superb Torano 1916's. These also have a cameroon wrapper and are a bit stronger than the Upmanns, and they are more affordable.

That's enough for now.

:arrow: imasmokes :smilecigar:
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Unread postby bourbonv » Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:06 am

Good job Linn!

When smoking a fine cigar and pairing it with a bourbon, do you look for similar taste attributes between bourbon/cigar or do you look for contrast?

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Unread postby sevenmag » Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:14 am

Since we're on the subject, Here's pic of some of my smokes.

I rebuilt this old Chifrobe (sp?) that belonged to my grandmother and got abbandoned in my father's barn.

I don't look for contrast or sameness in the line of flavor profiles. Sweet, austere, herbal or spicy, but I wouldn't smoke a mild cigar like an Avo or Romeo y Jullieta with Booker's or Knob Creek. I'd go with Maker's or another lighter pour. Booker's, Stagg and the like need more powerful, flavor laden smoke like an El Rico Habano, Cuban Monte #2 or a Flor de A. Allones.

Some of my favorite parings are Knob Creek and a Hoyo de Nicaragua Antano 1970. Both big and bold but be ready. I love Maker's with a Fuente Sungrown Double Chateau, but that's the only Fuente product I like.

The Torano Exodus Golds and Buffalo Trace work well together, maybe a bit to well. :wink:

La Gloria Cubana Serie R's are one of my favorites and in a recent session I paired one with Russell's Reserve 101. Sadly it's not available, so I'll have try that one with another pour, maybe a different WT product or give the new 90 proof a shot.

I know Linn does not like the Ramon Allones Specially Selected from Cuba, but they're one of my favorites, and admittedly not for everyone, especially when it's a young RASS. But I haven't found a bourbon that doesn't work well with them. Virginia Gentleman, Knob Creek, Russells' Reserve, AAA have all worked very well, but Maker's got lost in it somewhat.

That's a few, maybe more to come later.
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Unread postby bunghole » Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:06 am

Wow Todd, now that's what I call a humidor!

I do agree that with Booker's or George T. Stagg a real Havana Montecristo #2 is the ticket to paradise. I've just kept my comments to legal smokes that are widely available.

Happy Herfin'

:arrow: ima :smilecigar:
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Unread postby bunghole » Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:35 am

bourbonv wrote:Good job Linn!

When smoking a fine cigar and pairing it with a bourbon, do you look for similar taste attributes between bourbon/cigar or do you look for contrast?

Mike Veach


Now that is an excellent question, Mike!

What I personally look for in a vitola is that it produes a good volume of thick rich smoke with no harshness. The cigar also has to have some degree of complexity so that the flavors change slightly as you smoke. A good smoke will have both simularities to the bourbon and will also have some contrasting qualities.

Just like bourbon, cigars need to be expertly crafted to begin with, and they both need to be housed properly, and aged to maturity.

By way of contrast, firearms are good to go right out of the box, and require no aging.

:arrow: ima :sunny:
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Unread postby sevenmag » Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:09 pm

I've scaled down a bit since I took that picture. I have new smaller humi, I just haven't taken any pictures of it.

Just like bourbon, cigars need to be expertly crafted to begin with, and they both need to be housed properly, and aged to maturity.


Absolutey!!!


My only problem, if it really is a problem, is that I can only have one cigar with bourbon in a night. I tried two once, and almost knocked the screen door off the hinges trying to get back in the house.
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Unread postby bourbonv » Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:07 pm

Linn,
I met a person from a cigar club here in Louisville at Bourbon's Bistro the other day. We started talking about bourbon and cigars. He believes that bourbon is the best spirit to have with a cigar and says he has tried them all - single malts, ports, cognac, etc... He is of the opinion that your bourbon should be opposite of your cigar i.e. if it is a spicey cigar then a sweeter but flavorfull bourbon like Pappy 15yo should be smoked with it while if it is a milder smoke then something more spicey like Old Grand Dad 114 is more appropriate. Any comments on this yourself?

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Unread postby bunghole » Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:09 am

Mike, I think a mild cigar such as a Macanudo would get lost with a bold bourbon. Many whisky drinking cigar smokers over at Cigar Weekly like single malts best, because they don't overwhelm the vitola.

You know what I think of Scottish whiskies, and now they do too! I can be such a vicious troll. :violent3: :violent2: :chainsaw:

My point of view is that the cigar is to augment the enjoyment of the whiskey, while their's would be that the whisky is to augment the cigar smoking experience.

I would proffer the notion that any good cigar will have some simularities to bourbon and also some contrasting elements. That's where proper aging comes into play, and offers the smoker more complexity and depth.

:arrow: imasmokes :smilecigar:
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Unread postby bourbonv » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:24 am

So Linn, what are your cigar suggestion for a bourbon like Old Grand Dad 114? Or sugesstions for something in the opposite direction like Old Charter Classic 90?

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Unread postby TrueBarrel » Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:39 pm

Although bourbon is my favorite drink with cigars, I find good sipping rums (e.g. Ron Zacapa, Barbancourt, Pompanero (sp)) are also good. A third choice for me is good cognac. Of bourbons, I find that ORVW 15 and ER 17 go with virtually ever cigar. Stagg is a great pairing with most cigars, but sometimes I find the many nuances of Stagg harder to detect when pairing it with a cigar.
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Unread postby sevenmag » Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:00 pm

If it was me drinking Grandad 114 it would be a either a La Gloria Serie R #4 in natural, Flor de A. Allones, or an Oliva Master Blend.
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Unread postby bunghole » Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:40 pm

Mike - without a doubt any Old Grand Dad cries out for something maduro which to me means Padron, but I have some very well aged Excalibur churchills in maduro that would do nicely. A Torano Exodus 1959 gold band would also fit the bill, but just make sure thay have a year or more of age on them.

Old Charter's Classic '90' is an old friend of mine, and I'd like something like an AVO Signature or a Torano Signature. A well aged PUNCH Rare Corojo would be nice. Do you remember that box of La Escepcion Series IV's that I brought to Howie's the last time we were up? They would be a supurb choice, and I still have five left! I think I'll smoke one now.

:arrow: imasmokes :smilecigar:
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Unread postby sevenmag » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:47 pm

Do you remember that box of La Escepcion Series IV's



:thumbleft: :thumbright: Love those things. But then I'm a sucker for damn near anything sungrown.
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