The Stogie Guys

If you ever wondered what effect barrel aging has on bourbon, pour yourself a few fingers of Tuthilltown’s Hudson New York Corn Whiskey. Then pour yourself an equal amount of Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey.

The two spirits are chemically identical (distilled from 100% New York corn) before the Baby Bourbon begins its aging process. At that point, what will become Baby Bourbon goes into new charred American oak casks, while the Corn Whiskey is bottled for sale.

The difference between the final products couldn’t be more striking. The bourbon takes on a a deep copper color while corn whiskey is as clear as water.

The nose on the corn whiskey—better known by its prohibition monikers of moonshine, white dog, or white lightning—reveals a sweet bouquet of buttered corn with a hint of raspberry. It’s a surprising welcoming to a spirit with a somewhat harsh reputation.

When you’re finally ready to sip the Hudson New York Corn Whiskey, you’ll find it tastes much like it smells. There’s a hot corn fuel taste with some citrus and fried flavors. The finish is long and toasty.

Certainly it’s not as smooth or complex as a bourbon, but I find the corn whiskey surprisingly pleasant, even straight-up. It makes an excellent whiskey sour, too. I expected more harshness from this white lightning, which I always thought of as an ingredient to be hidden in a punch and not to be savored on its own, but it proved to be an excellent spirit, especially with a fine cigar.

As for that cigar, I am pleased to say I found a perfect accompaniment to that rare, full-flavored, Connecticut-wrapped smoke. I sampled my first San Lotano Connecticut by A.J. Fernandez while tasting the Hudson Corn Whiskey. It is an excellent pairing. Other cigars that would go well include the HC Connecticut by Xikar and the Berger & Argenti Entubar.

I strongly encourage bourbon fans to do as I did and try it side by side with the Hudson Baby Bourbon, for a rare look at what fine whiskey tastes like both before and after years of aging. But even if you skip the finished bourbon, the Hudson New York Corn Whiskey is well worth a try, particularly with a fine cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The year is 1792. George Washington is re-elected president. France is embroiled in revolutionary upheaval. America’s first Columbus Day celebration takes place in New York City. And Kentucky is admitted as the 15th state.

It’s hard to think of bourbon without thinking of Kentucky—or vice versa, for that matter. So it stands to reason that Ridgemont Reserve should commemorate the year the Bluegrass State became official, as long as the spirit in question is up to the task of representing the motherland of bourbon. That’s a tall order.

The folks at the Tom Moore Distillery in Bardstown think the 1792 Ridgemont Reserve is up to the task. This 93.7-proof spirit dates back to the 1880s and is crafted in small batches then aged in charred oak barrels. The result, according to the Sazerac Company, is “a distinctively smooth” bourbon that’s honored as the Official Toasting Bourbon of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

“Our story starts with Tom Moore’s original spring 129 years ago and weaves its way around the distillery ending high up in our Rackhouse Z for at least eight years,” reads an ad. “But if you really want to know all that goes into 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, one sip should tell you everything.”

The back of this bourbon’s skinny, oval-shaped bottle features an individually numbered sticker with signatures next to “checked” and “approved.” Glad to see my bottle passed muster. The line next to “character” reads “rich flavor, velvety.” Removing the wooden, cork-stopped cap, the spirit pours with a bright copper hue with orange peel, charred oak, honey, and caramel on the nose. Light and sweet without an alcohol tinge.

The flavor is dry with a medium profile that’s concentrated on the roof of the mouth. Notes of butterscotch, salty corn, wood, and rustic spice are most dominant. An ice cube or two helps round out the taste and tone down the finish, which is characterized by spicy rye.

The straightforward flavor may not be as balanced or complex as I had expected given its pre-sip aroma, but the Ridgemont Reserve still packs plenty of enjoyment for a wallet-friendly price. Only $25-30 per 750 ml. bottle gets you a decent sipping bourbon that pairs well with most medium-bodied cigars. While it may not be the best Kentucky has to offer, 1792 is an honest, cost-effective choice for bourbon enthusiasts on a budget.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you drive 90 minutes east on I-24 from Nashville, you’ll find yourself in a sleepy corner of Tennessee that’s home to George A. Dickel & Co., the self-proclaimed purveyor of “the finest quality sippin’ whisky.”

The eponymous company was founded when George Dickel, a successful merchant from Nashville, established a distillery six miles northeast of Tullahoma in 1870. He called his product “whisky” instead of “whiskey” because, according to the Dickel website, it was “as smooth as the finest scotch” and decided to drop the “e” as a nod to the scotch whisky tradition.

George passed away before the turn of the 20th century, and his legacy fell on hard times as state and federal prohibition laws forced the distillery to close its doors. Then, nearly 40 years later, master distiller Ralph Dupps rebuilt the operation on 850 acres of land near the original distillery site. That’s where George Dickel Tennessee Whisky is made to this day, presently under the direction on master distiller John Lunn. Today’s distillery production is informed by manuscripts written by George Dickel over 130 years ago. The recipe includes a secret mash of corn, barley, and rye, all ground on-site without preservatives or dyes.

After cooling the mash in tubs of spring water, a unique strain of yeast is used in the fermentation process—“one of the primary reasons that George Dickel Tennessee Whisky has such a distinct and memorable taste,” according to the website. It undergoes double distillation and is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before being aged in new, charred American white oak barrels.

The No. 8 version of George Dickel has been aged for eight years, while the No. 12 version is—you guessed it—12 years old. The latter’s bright amber hue is almost orange in the glass. Great legs. The sweet, prickly nose sports a fragrance of citrus, vanilla, oak, syrup, and spice.

The first taste of Geoge Dickel No. 12 goes down warm and spicy with a finish that’s fiery in the belly and soft on the palate. This isn’t the sort of spirit you can just dive into at room temperature. A few evaporated ice cubes and a couple warm-up sips help bring out the flavors of honey, walnut, and brown sugar. Tasty yet lacking in the sort of complexity that I’ve come to expect from a sipping spirit.

If a top bourbon is a steak dinner, this $20-25 whisky is a bacon cheeseburger. And there ain’t nothing wrong with a bacon cheeseburger every once in awhile. I’ll keep it on hand for occasional sipping, mixing, or for guests who want to try something off the beaten paths of Kentucky.

And when I break out the Dickel, I’ll pair it with a sub-$6 medium-bodied cigar. George Dickel, after all, strikes me as the kind of man who wasn’t too pretentious about his libations or his smokes.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When it comes to pairing my cigars with a spirit, I’ve always been more of a whiskey drinker with a tendency towards bourbons and scotch. But I find that rum is my preferred pairing in the summer heat, lately one rum in particular.

The Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 is made in Guatemala, where it is blended from rum made from concentrated first pressing sugar cane juice rather than molasses. The color is a dark mahogany, imparted from oak barrels previously used for bourbon, sherries, and Pedro Ximenez wines.

Zacapa is aged and blended based on the solera method, a system used regularly for fortified wine such as port and sherry. Under the solera system, barrels of the oldest rum are regularly mixed with newer rum but never bottled completely. The result is a spirit with a mix of 6- to 23-year-old rum.

With a quick swirl the Zacapa 23 shows off it’s long legs and releases a smooth and rich nose of toasted wood, molasses, fruit, and just a hint of spice. You’ll find that the words smooth and rich pop up a lot when describing this rum. It’s unavoidable.

The flavors are also (yes, you guessed it) rich and smooth. It has some serious sweetness up front but what really sets it apart is the complex mix of secondary flavors: vanilla, peaches, citrus, chocolate, bananas, figs, and cinnamon spice. The cornucopia of flavors maintains spectacular balance all the way through the finish, which lingers for 10 seconds before elegantly fading off.

This rum is plenty smooth enough to drink neat, although in the summer I prefer an ice cube or two. Don’t even think about wasting it with anything more than that.

Needless to say this is an excellent rum to enjoy with a good cigar. It could stand up to a spicy smoke like an Opus X, or just as easily pair up with a subtle smoke like a well-aged Paul Garmirian Gourmet Series.

Either way, this is a fantastic rum available at the incredibly reasonable price of around $40 a bottle. The only other rum in its class is the equally impressive Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Year, though you couldn’t go wrong with either one.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Thomas Jefferson wasn’t from Kentucky. Then again, neither was Sam Houston. But that hasn’t stopped one Kentucky-based distiller from naming its creations after these two celebrated Americans.

Crafted in Bardstown—the Mecca of bourbon—Jefferson’s Reserve and Sam Houston bourbons are made in “very small batches” from corn, malted barley, and rye. The distiller “marries a mere 8-12 barrels of various ages to produce the best tasting bourbon possible…”

Jefferson’s Reserve sells for as little as $35 and as much as $50. It is, according to its handsome, knob-topped bottle, “very old.” I’m told as much as 50% of each barrel evaporates during the 15-year aging process.

“Like the accomplished third President of the U.S., this bourbon,” according to its website, “is complex, elegant, and sophisticated.” Apparently numerous critics agree. Jefferson’s Reserve has amassed impressive accolades in recent years, including a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute and a ranking among the “Best 50 Spirits of 2008” from Wine Enthusiast. Robert Plotkin, author of The Bartender’s Companion, called it “a sterling example of how great an American whiskey can be. This is a superlative American whiskey.”

Jefferson’s Reserve has a light, yellow-tinted color in the glass (as opposed to more of a reddish copper tone in the bottle). Good legs. Notes of pear, vanilla, and butterscotch make for an inviting nose that’s sweet and lacking in alcohol tinge.

The taste is a bit bolder than expected, though still on the subtle side of most bourbons and therefore remarkably easy to sip. Fronted by tangy hickory and citrus, the profile is set against a background of classic bourbon flavors: syrup, sweet corn, and dry oak. The finish is light and watery at first, only to ramp up a few seconds later with a long, peppery finale.

While such contrasts make for a versatile pairing partner, mild- to medium-bodied cigars are the best complements. Try the H. Upmann Signature, Illusione Epernay, and La Caya Cameroon on for size. I don’t know for sure, but I’d imagine these are the cigars Thomas Jefferson would choose to pair with his eponymous bourbon.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back in February, I praised the Tuthilltown Hudson Baby Bourbon as a New York bourbon that proudly stacks up with “the best Kentucky has to offer.” Made of 100% corn, that unique spirit is a bit of a departure from the standard bourbon.

The Hudson Four Grain Whiskey is a more traditional bourbon. Along with a majority of corn (all bourbon must use over 50% corn) the bourbon also uses rye, wheat, and malted barley.

All four grains are combined then pot distilled two times before aging. Like the Baby Bourbon, the Four Grain Whiskey is aged in Tuthilltown’s signature small barrels, which come in two, three, and seven barrel sizes. The result is a spirit that ages far quicker than traditional bourbons (which are aged in much larger 53-gallon barrels) because there is more surface area per ounce of spirit.

The result is a deep copper-colored spirit. It is well-framed in a stout 375 ml. bottle that sells for around $45, a high price for half of a normal bottle.

After pouring a few fingers in a glass, I found a sweet nose with honey and a hint of orange peel. On the palate, the Four Grain reveals a smooth taste with sweet graham, plenty of creaminess, nuts, vanilla, and a bit of pepper. Unlike the Baby Bourbon, other muted flavors are present that combine for a balanced spirit with a warm, lingering finish.

Not surprisingly, the Four Grain Bourbon goes great with a fine cigar, and I found cedary medium- to full-flavored smokes pair particularly well. A few suggestions include the Tatuaje Gran Cojonu, Cuban Montecristo Petit Edmundo, Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum, and the EO Cubao.

While I slightly prefer Tuthilltown’s Baby Bourbon to its Four Grain edition, that preference doesn’t mean the Hudson Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey isn’t excellent. Bourbon drinkers who appreciate flavor, subtlety, and balance should go out and grab themselves a bottle.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Campari might seem like an unusual suspect for a cigar spirit pairing, but it’s such a classic cocktail ingredient I’m determined to give it a try.

Between Steve Zissou (played by Bill Murray) ordering up rounds on the rocks in the movie Life Aquatic, and Nick Naylor, the lead character in Thank You for Smoking, ordering up one vodka negroni after another in Christopher Buckley’s classic book on the nanny state, the drink is as cool as they come.

Campari, for those who don’t know, is an Italian aperitif made with a secret blend with plenty of bitters and a distinctive bright red color. It’s the main ingredient for Campari and soda, the Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water), and the negroni (both of the gin and vodka variety).

I decided to make a few negronis and see what cigars, if any, they pair well with. The ingredients for a negroni are simple enough: one part Campari, one part gin or vodka, and one part sweet vermouth served over ice with an orange twist.

The result is surprisingly good. The bitter/sweet combination of the negroni (in both traditional and vodka varieties) goes surprisingly well with a variety of mild- and medium-bodied smokes.

My extensive testing proved that mild smokes with creamy flavors, like the Cuban Crafters Medina 1959 and the Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne, proved an excellent pairing. Meanwhile, more medium-bodied smokes like the Tatuaje Reserva SW, Tatuaje P2, and the Don Pepin Blue Label also worked well.

Ultimately, Campari cocktails are a surprisingly good complement for cigars. If you like Campari-based drinks (certainly not everyone does) you should go out of the box and make yourself a proper negroni and light up a fine cigar.

No, it won’t replace traditional pairing staples like bourbon, scotch, or rum, but for something different, particularly as a pre-dinner smoke, order up a Campari cocktail. You just may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys