The Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

If memory serves, I received this cigar (7 x 47) as a pre-release sample back when it came out in 2009, only a little before my colleague reviewed the pyramid size. The now discontinued blend celebrates Louis Tiant’s 1968 season with the Cleveland Indians, a year in which he won 21 games. It has a Sumatra-seed Ecuadorian wrapper and a Nicaraguan Habano binder with three different ligeros from Nicaragua and seco tobaccos from both Nicaragua and Honduras. The result (after almost four years of age) is a medium-bodied smoke with an interesting combination of earth and a damp Davidoff-esque musty flavor. The legendary Cuban pitcher is now working with Don Pepin Garcia for his El Tiante lines, and while I also enjoy those cigars (though they are very different profiles) I would be pleased if I found a few more of these in the bottom of my humidor.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Despite the hundreds of bourbons on the market under an almost countless number of brands, nearly all of them come from not more than a handful of distilleries. Pure Kentucky is no exception, only you don’t know exactly which one it comes from.

That’s because the “small batch” Pure Kentucky is bottled and aged by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) which, despite the name, doesn’t distill any of the bourbon it sells (at least not yet, although it has recently opened its own distillery). It does, however, bottle many well-known bourbons including Noah’s Mill, Willett, and Rowan’s Creek. (For more on the sometimes controversial phenomenon of non-distiller producers read here and here.) KBD is open about the fact it doesn’t actually distill what it bottles, and as long as they’re honest, it really doesn’t bother me.

What’s important is what the consumer buys, and if they enjoy it. According to the back label, Pure Kentucky is 12-year-old (or older) bourbon bottled at 107-proof. Available for $30-35, it has the potential to be a great value considering many similarly aged bourbons cost quite a bit more.

My bottle came from batch QBC No. 12-121 (there have been reports of significant variation between batches). Once you open the slightly infuriating plastic cap beneath a layer of blue wax, the copper-colored spirit reveals a nose of molasses, oak, and mint. The flavors are overly woody with vanilla, lots of wood spice, and a good bit of mouthfeel. The finish continues the woodiness as it lingers for seemingly a minute on your tongue.

There is a school of thought in bourbon that after nine or ten years, aging becomes detrimental to flavor. Obviously, such excellent bourbons as Van Winkle, AH Hirsch, and Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 are the counter to that. But Pure Kentucky might be a case for limited aging, as the barrels seem to have overpowered this spirit, sapping its complexity and leaving mostly old tasting wood and spice flavors behind.

Curiously though, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a bourbon I wouldn’t pick up again. That’s because when mixed with younger bourbon it can add that well-aged flavor that can be so hard to find. (I’ve experimented with combining it with many other straight bourbons and found my favorite to be equal parts Maker’s Mark and Pure Kentucky. The result is, in my opinion and others I’ve shared it with, a reasonably close approximation of the impossible-to-find Pappy at an average cost of $30 a bottle! Try it and let me know if you agree.)

As for cigar pairings, in its pure form it requires a strong, full-flavored, spicy cigar to hold up to the spice, like a La Flor Dominicana Air Bender or Opus X. When you start playing mad chemist and mixing and matching, the possibilities become limitless.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Note: The following is one of a series of articles regarding StogieGuys.com’s recent visit to Nicaragua as part of Drew Estate’s Cigar Safari. Read all our Cigar Safari articles here.]

One of the more interesting nuggets from the trip was Drew Estate CEO Steve Saka telling me that if production capacity allowed, he has as many as a dozen blends he thinks are market-ready. Here, I will look at some potential upcoming blends from Drew Estate.

First, one important note: I’ve only smoked one sample of each of these cigars (some in Nicaragua and some upon my return) and they may or may not be the final blend; so what follows are (obviously) not reviews, or even Quick Smokes.

My Uzi Weighs a Ton Kentucky Fire Cured

This is the “Beef Jerky” cigar (or at least a variation of it) that Saka first told me about at the 2010 IPCPR Trade Show. While you won’t see it in Drew Estate’s marketing copy—almost certainly for trademark reasons—I expect this cigar to be known by most smokers as simply “Uzi KFC” or just “KFC,” which certainly has a familiar ring to it. The blend, which I’m led to believe is pretty much finalized since it has been officially announced for the 2013 Trade Sshow, uses up to three different fire-cured tobaccos, including one as a cap for the wrapper that imparts flavor directly on the mouth. The fire-cured tobaccos definitely have a smokey, mesquite aroma and flavor, but those flavors weren’t as dominant as I thought they might be. It’s definitely different, but I for one look forward to trying more.

Drew Estate Nica Rustico

This cigar uses a unique strand of tobacco that grows wild in Nicaragua that comes from a different variation of the tobacco species than is normally used in cigars. It was described as having rough characteristics and that certainly is true from the sample I smoked. I would describe it as gritty, rustic, slightly vegetable, and even a bit grating. Those characteristics come on a bit strong at first, especially for smokers who value balance in their cigars, but it does seem to mellow slightly as the cigar continues (though perhaps just because you become accustomed to it). I find this to be an even more unique cigar than the KFC and more likely to be either loved or hated by each particular smoker.

Herrera Estelí Maduro

Possibly for release later this year, this is the maduro project that is a derivation of the original Ecuador Habano-wrapped Herrera Estelí. Dubbed “WH Project M” on the test bands, it sure seems like a finished product to me. It features medium- to full-bodied flavors and adds earth and dry chocolate to the basic profile of the original Herrera Estelí. Whether it’s just the Estelí Herrera with a different wrapper or a more extensively tweaked blend, I’m not sure. (I’d certainly believe the former, but knowing Drew Estate’s attention to detail the latter seems more likely.) Like Willy Herrera’s projects before and at Drew Estate, it maintains the Cuban-esque style he is known for. This is my favorite of the the blends listed here.

“WH Cuadrado”

This is another blend created primarily by Willy Herrera. It would be his first box-pressed cigar, hence “Cuadrado,” which translates to square. Herrera told me he’s always wanted to create a box-pressed smoke. The cigar starts very full-bodied before rounding out slightly, though it’s certainly more full-bodied than his other blends while keeping in the Cuban style.

–Patrick S

photo credit: JonathanDrew1/Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

This Nicaraguan puro from Alec Bradley and made at Nestor Plasencia’s factory features a sun-grown Habano wrapper from Jalapa. The dark leaf is a stark reminder of the difference that location makes, as it’s one of the darker Habano wrappers I’ve seen (especially compared to Ecuador, which also grows a lot of Habano wrapper). It started out with a burst of bitterness, but fortunately that fades relatively quickly leaving blend dominated by dry earthy flavors. Construction was free of any problems. It’s a decent smoke at a reasonable price ($4.75) but hardly inspiring.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

About a decade ago, as small batch bourbon was really taking off, Wild Turkey released Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon as a limited release. A few years later it became a regular release, and gradually shed the Wild Turkey branding as it became its own line.

Of course the influence of Wild Turkey never really went anywhere given that it’s distilled and aged at Wild Turkey and is named after its Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, who says this 10 year bourbon is the spirit he drinks most regularly. The 10 year “small batch” spirit is bottled at 90-proof and sells for around $30 (I picked up a bottle for $32).

Russell’s Reserve 10 is a dark, amber-colored bourbon that shows a good bit of vanilla sweetness along with soft oak and hints of dried fruit. It has a rich mouthfeel that tingles the palate with lots of dry woodiness, cinnamon spice, roasted nuts, and only hints of sweetness. The finish is long with more oak and candied flavors.

It’s a fine spirit for the price and one that is very approachable, yet with enough complexity to keep even the discerning palate interested. I tasted some side by side with the barrel strength Wild Turkey Rare Breed (essentially just a different expression of the same mash bill) and, even accounting for the difference in proof, found the Russell’s Reserve more rounded and refined.

That refined complexity makes Russell’s Reserve Small Batch 10 Year perfect for mild- and medium-bodied smokes. I found the EPC Short Run 2012 a perfect pairing. For something more medium-bodied, I enjoyed the Viaje Late Harvest.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Lately I’ve been really enjoying smaller format smokes, and the Tatuaje Petite Cazadores Reserva has long been one of my favorites of the genre. The 4-inch, 40-ring gauge parejo has an unfinished foot, an deep brown Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. It’s full of flavor and complexity with dry chocolate, earth, coffee, pepper, and good balance. Best of all, it’s available for under $4 if you stock up on a whole box.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Buffalo Trace is one of the most prolific bourbon makers in America. In addition to their eponymous bourbon, Buffalo Trace makes a range that includes the impossible-to-find Pappy Van Winkle; the slightly more available Special Reserve; the cutting-edge-turned-classic Blanton’s Single Barrel; the highly sought-after Antique Collection, including George T Stagg; and great values like Eagle Rare and W.L. Weller, among others.

One Buffalo Trace bourbon that I had missed over the years was Elmer T. Lee, at least until last week. (Credit goes to David “Doc” Diaz of Stogie Fresh for speaking highly of it during one of the bourbon conversations on my recent Cigar Safari.) At his urging, I picked up a bottle for the reasonable price of $30.

The single barrel selection is named in honor of longtime Buffalo Trace head distiller Elmer T. Lee. And while the now retired Lee goes by the title “Master Distiller Emeritus,” he still personally selects the barrels that go into his 90-proof, single barrel bourbon.

Elmer T. Lee, which comes in a classic-looking squat, square-ish bottle, pours a light copper color. The nose features a bit of oak with lots of sweetness including vanilla, rock candy, marshmallow, and tropical fruits.

On the palate you find a soft, easy drinking combination of vanilla, honey, and dried fruit. The finish shows hints at some woody spice but quickly tapers off, leaving you wanting more.

And that’s what I enjoy about this bourbon. It’s an easy sipper that’s balanced and rich. You’ll want to look for similar qualities in a cigar pairing. Herrera Estelí, PG Gourmet Series, La Aurora 107, L’Atelier, and Illusione Epernay are some of the cigars that fit the bill.

As for Elmer T. Lee, this seems like a definite addition to my permanent rotation. It’s 95% of the richness of Blanton’s at just 60% of the price, and certainly worthy of drinking straight. If you like bourbon but haven’t made a point of trying Elmer T. Lee, it’s highly advised that you pick some up. I’m certainly glad I did.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys