The Stogie Guys

Those who remember their Spanish Conquistador history (I don’t) know that El Dorado is a mythical city of gold. Despite it’s fictional appearance in the 1998 movie The Mask of Zorro and in the latest (and embarrassingly bad) Indiana Jones flick, centuries of searching could not locate El Dorado.

Yet apparently these seekers were looking in the wrong place, because I struck gold with this rum from Guyana, the small South American country wedged between Venezuela, Brazil, Suriname, and the Caribbean Sea. It’s a 15-year-old blend, which makes it the second youngest of El Dorado siblings. (Patrick A sampled the 12 Year here, and there are also 21 and 25 Year versions.) The 15 Year expression can be found for around $35.

Like blended scotch whiskey, El Dorado’s age actually refers to the youngest rum in the blend, which includes rum that is actually quite a bit older than that, having rested in used bourbon barrels for up to 25 years. The rums that make up the El Dorado blends come from a variety of different style stills, some that have been making rum for hundreds of years. Not exactly golden, 15-plus years has imparted a deep mahogany color on El Dorado. The nose has vanilla, coffee, smoke, and sharp citrus.

My first sip overwhelmingly reminds me of pure black strap molasses, that crude oil-like stuff that would sit for years unused in the back of my mother’s kitchen cabinet. But that’s just the first layer to this rum. Below lurks a complex combination of toasted almonds, calvados brandy, oak, and vanilla. It’s a lot of power up front, that quickly fades into a complex, balanced spirit. The finish is woody with some lingering grapefruit flavors that remind me of the rum’s tropical origins.

This is an excellent rum, with all the characteristics—sweetness, balance, and a hint of tropical citrus—that make fine aged rum my spirit of choice in the summer (as opposed to the winter, when bourbon and scotch is preferred).

El Dorado 15 Year Old is a worthy addition to any rum lover’s liquor cabinet. It goes very well with a medium-bodied Cameroon-wrapped cigar, like the Fuente Hemingway or re-blended La Aurora Cameroon.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

From time to time I browse my local liquor store (which, unfortunately, is a state-run Virginia store) in search of something new or exciting to try. The bourbon and rum sections are my favorite, and the last time I dropped by I was pleased to find the Elijah Craig 18 Year Old bourbon sitting there, on “sale” for $43.

The standard Elijah Craig was always a dependable good bourbon, and so I had high expectations for it’s most rare expression, the 18-year-old, single barrel variety. Made at the Heaven Hill Distillery, this bourbon is crafted side-by-side with another favorite of mine: Evan Williams Single Barrel.

The Elijah Craig 18 is a slightly cloudy amber-colored bourbon. The nose is distinctly sweet, with toffee, nut, and caramel. The flavors are that of a well-aged bourbon: oak and char from extensive aging combined with vanilla, butter, oak, corn, and smoke. It’s a very intense flavor, but there’s only a hint of spice on the finish and an overall smoothness that’s very enjoyable.

It’s the type of bourbon that can hold up well when paired with a full-flavored cigar. I smoked one of the new Tatuaje Faustos with it and found an enjoyable pairing. Also recommended would be the EO 601 Green, Fuente Opus X, Roman Allones Specialy Selected and PG 20th Symphony. (more…)

Information on Wathen’s is tough to come by. If you go to the spirit’s website, a notice reads, “New Website Coming…01/01/10.” I guess they’re behind on their marketing efforts.

But many bourbon enthusiasts would call Wathen’s anything but behind in terms of crafting a quality spirit. Reviews across the web are very favorable for this bourbon that was 8 generations and 250 years in the making.

Today Wathen’s is produced by Charles W. Medley and his son Samuel Wathen Medley with limestone-filtered water, corn, rye, and barley. It is distilled in Kentucky then bottled at the Charles Medley Distillery in San Jose, California. The bourbon undergoes a “100% copper doubling process” and is aged in charred new white oak barrels. The result, according to the bottle, is a spirit that’s “characterized by its lightness and dryness and has no peer among bourbon whiskeys.”

I picked up a 750 ml. bottle of Wathen’s (94 proof) for just shy of $30. I was attracted to its deep orange color, stout bottle, and classic-looking label. A sticker across the top denotes the barrel number and the date my sample was bottled: September 30, 2010.

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In the premium tobacco industry, new blends often commemorate one anniversary or another. Such traditions transcend industry boundaries. Plantation 20th Anniversary Rum, for example, celebrates Alexandre Gabriel’s two decades of leadership over Cognac Ferrand.

The French company is primarily a producer of cognac. For years, it sold its prized cognac casks to rum producers in the Caribbean who would use the containers to age their spirits. “During these exchanges, Gabriel had the opportunity to discover some very old batches of rum with extraordinary richness and a diversity of aroma and flavor,” reads the Cognac Ferrand website. “Available in tiny quantities, the rums were intended either for the personal consumption of the distillery’s cellar master or used to give style to industrial rum blends. Quite naturally, Cognac Ferrand decided to bottle these special rums as a series of vintages.”

Each vintage is named for its locale of origin: Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad, and St. Lucia. Over and above these, Plantation 20th Anniversary is the flagship rum from Cognac Ferrand. It is made from the company’s oldest Caribbean reserves in Barbados, aged in bourbon casks in the tropics, then matured in oak in France for an additional 12 to 18 months. “This double aging process brings an incomparable smoothness and fullness to this rum,” reads the spirit’s ornate box.

Ever since I discovered it a few weeks ago, Plantation 20th Anniversary has become one of my favorite rums. Its superior quality is evident on the nose, which is creamy and rich with a butterscotch-like character. On the palate the spirit is very complex. Notes as varied as coconut, vanilla, orange peel, cinnamon, banana, and warm tobacco are evident, and they linger for quite some time in a warm finish.

The price tag of $40 for a 750 ml. bottle is no small expenditure, but I’m more than convinced that Plantation 20th Anniversary is worth the cost. What a finely balanced, multifaceted rum this is. For maximum enjoyment, pair it with a mild-bodied cigar that will play off of—rather than drown out—the spirit’s exquisite subtlety.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’ve always been a fan of Knob Creek. I recall my father picking up a bottle at some point when I was in college, and I remember it tasting far better than the Jim Beam I had grown accustomed to drinking at school. (Coincidentally, Beam makes Knob Creek along with other small batch bourbons that I’ve come to enjoy, including Booker’s and Baker’s.)

But I didn’t realize Knob Creek came in a Single Barrel edition until a friend recently bought me a bottle. (He owed me after he polished off most of a bottle of my Baker’s.) Sure enough, late last year Knob Creek came out with its first single barrel Knob Creek. (more…)

Last month, I wrote about the Squall IPA by Dogfish Head Brewery and what a great pairing it made with a full-bodied cigar. It reminded me how the right beer can be as good of an accompaniment to a fine cigar as scotch, bourbon, or rum.

Afterwords, I decided to hit the beer store and pick up more IPAs to see if I could find more solid pairings. Unlike the Buds, Millers, and Coors of the world, these beers pack some real flavor. After all, India Pale Ales supposedly got their name because English brewers needed to make a beer strong enough to survive the long trip to India by ship. There’s actually quite a bit of evidence to suggest that common explanation of the name isn’t actually true, but the fact that it is so easily believed is testament to the strong, hoppy characteristics of IPAs.

For this article I selected four beers (two from each coast) so that most Americans will be able to at least find one of them in any store that features a decent selection of beer:

Stone IPA — Made by Stone Brewery in Southern California, this IPA features an orange hue and a citrus nose. It’s a medium-bodied, well-balanced IPA with just the right amount of bitterness. Only recently has this beer been widely available here in the DC area, and I’m glad it has because it goes great with a full-bodied maduro like the Fuente Añejo.

Redhook Long Hammer IPA — Made in New Hampshire, this was the mildest of the beers I tried and also my least favorite. Relatively bland for an IPA, it features herbal notes with citrus and clove. Even though it’s not particularly exciting, it drinks easy and goes well with a medium-bodied cigar like the La Arora 107.

Victory HopDevil IPA — Crafted at the Pennsylvania Victory Brewing Company, this is a big, flavorful IPA. Slightly less carbonation means the creamy bitterness comes through in a lasting finish. The devilish ale pairs well with a full-flavored Nicaraguan puro like the EO 601 Red Label.

Stone Ruination IPA — This flavor bomb proudly claims it will be “ruinous” to your palate. The intense hop punch certainly packs a big whack, but behind the beer’s intimidating front is a flavorful combination of citrus, pine, malt, and grassiness. Enjoy it with a peppery smoke like the Opus X.

All these beers confirmed (once again) that hoppy, flavorful beers go great with flavorful cigars. Stone IPA has been a favorite of mine since I tried it a few years ago in San Diego. And the Ruination IPA and Victory are now in my regular rotation, when I want bold IPAs to pair with a fine cigar.

Got a favorite IPA for pairing with a cigar? Let us know in the comments.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Sometimes you see something and you have to try it. Such was the case during a recent visit to the local spirits store. I hadn’t planned on picking up any scotch, but decided to check out the scotch section to see if anything new had arrived.

When I saw a Talisker I hadn’t seen before, I knew I would be picking it up. Talisker, from the Isle of Skye, has long been a favorite of mine with it’s distinctive smokey and peaty flavors.

Talisker 1996 is a unique expression of the Talisker Single Malt. Distilled in 1996, after its normal aging it is finished in an Amroso sherry cask. Not inexpensive, though not extremely pricey by scotch standards, it sells for $80.

The scotch is a deep chestnut brown color. The nose is peaty with tar and fruit notes.

As is characteristic of Talisker, peaty and smokey flavors dominate. But underneath is an added sweet element, with rich dried fruit and toffee. The finish is long and spicy with a hint of chocolate.

All in all, this distinctive single malt is a new favorite of mine. With it’s double cask aging, it simultaneously has the classic salt water peat flavors I’ve come to expect and enjoy from Talisker coupled with a hint of sweetness that reminds me of a fine bourbon.

Not surprisingly, the Talisker Distillers Edition 1996 makes for an excellent pairing with a fine cigar. The rich but balanced flavors go well with a diverse group of premium smokes. Mild- to medium-bodied cigars like the Cuban H. Upmann No. 2 or the Berger & Argenti Entubar Natural work well. So do refined, full-bodied smokes like the Paul Garmirian Symphony Connoisseur or Tatuaje La Verite.

If you’re a fan of full, peaty scotches like Talisker or Laphroaig, I highly recommend picking up the Talisker Distillers Edition 1996, pouring yourself a few fingers neat, and lighting up your favorite cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys