The Stogie Guys

Generally speaking, I often prefer the bold, rustic taste of American bourbons to Irish, Scottish, or Canadian whiskies. I suspect many of you have the same preference. But, taking a small step outside my comfort zone, I decided to check out the affordable Reserve 10 Year Old from our neighbor to the north.

Poking around on Canadian Club’s video-intensive website, I was surprised to learn that this 150-year-old company isn’t as foreign as its name might suggest. It was founded in 1858 by an American, Hiram Walker. Fearing the temperance movement in his home country, which ultimately culminated in an ill-fated 13-year criminalization of alcohol, Walker built a distillery across the Detroit River in Ontario, Canada. From there he exported his popular “Club Whiskey” to high-end bars, restaurants, and golf courses around the world.

Any company this old is bound to have some history, and Canadian Club is no exception. Legend has it that Winston Churchill’s future mother, visiting New York in the 1870s, requested a cocktail consisting of Club Whiskey and sweet vermouth—inadvertently inventing the first Manhattan. And Canadian Club helped fuel Prohibition-era speakeasies in the U.S. by dealing directly with Chicago gangster Al Capone.

Today, Canadian club’s whiskies, including the Classic 12 Year Old, are sold in over 150 countries globally. They are made from a combination of corn, rye, rye malt, and barley malt that’s uniquely blended before aging to enhance the marriage of flavors.

The Reserve 10 Year Old is aged in once-used white oak. These American bourbon barrels were chosen because, by the time they are used by Canadian Club, they’ve lost their aggressive oak profile—making them well-suited for a mellow spirit.

So it isn’t surprising that the nose is bit tough to pick up, especially for a whiskey. But, after a low viscosity pour, careful attention yields elusive aromas of smoke, butterscotch, honey, and citrus. The bright and crisp taste includes oak, vanilla, corn, and toffee. And while the finish is impressively long and warm, the overall effect is nonetheless soft and slightly dry.

Most will enjoy the Reserve 10 Year Old neat or on the rocks—especially for a whiskey that sells for $15-18 per 750 ml. bottle (80 proof). Those of you who are more accustomed to hearty bourbon flavors, though, may find it approachable yet too mellow on its own. So try it in a highball, old fashioned, whiskey sour, Manhattan, or with a splash of Coke.

The success of various cigar pairings will likely depend on your cocktail of choice. But, in its most straightforward form, I can recommend medium-bodied smokes like the Montecristo No. 2, Cuban Crafters Cubano Claro, PG 15th Anniversary, and the La Aurora Barrel Aged.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s now officially fall and that means crisp evenings, changing leaves, football, and pumpkin beer. Yes, pumpkin beer.

Since America’s micro-brew renaissance, we’ve been fortunate enough to see great beer innovation, including a number of seasonal brews made with pumpkin flavors. I recently tasted a selection of such pumpkin beers to see what this autumn treat has to offer:

Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale: Brown ale with wonderful spicy aroma and a dry, graham cracker spice. It’s sweet, bready, and medium-bodied.

Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale: Billed as “America’s originial pumpkin ale,” this cloudy ale has very little head and almost no carbonation. It’s a bit watery with clove flavors and a fresh aroma of pumpkin.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale: Made by Brooklyn Brewery, Post Road has a deep copper color and a rich allspice aroma. It’s a crisp, hoppy blend with a flavor that reminds me of roast pumpkin seeds.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead: This Maine brew (not pictured) is actually a “malt beverage with pumpkin spice added” according to the label, but don’t let that fool you. The copper-colored beverage has the aroma and smell of sweet pumpkin pie.

Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale: Harvest Moon is the only pumpkin ale I know made by a large beer producer (Coors/Molson). It’s less pumpkiny than many of its counterparts, but has a bit of spice to go with its otherwise smooth, if watery, flavors.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale: With a dark, cloudy orange color, nice head, and a cinnamon aroma, this is a rich, full-flavored ale. Malty, spicy, and balanced, it would be easy to drink a few of these.

Southern Tier Imperial Pumking: This 9% ABV brew has a delicious aroma of fresh pumpkin and vanilla. It’s a step above the other pumpkin ales in intensity and strength. You get the feeling this would be a delicious beer even without the pumpkin flavors, but the rich pumpkin spice adds a new delicious dimension.

Any of these beers would go well with a fine cigar. Stronger beers like the Southern Tier, Smuttynose, or Post Road could stand up to a more full-bodied maduro or a Cameroon-wrapped cigar. The other beers need a milder cigar or they run the risk of being overpowered. No matter what you choose, though, I recommend you embrace the season and pick up some pumpkin beer. It may not be an everyday pairing, but when the mood and season strikes, it’s a great change of pace.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

You might not have heard of of rhum agricole, but if you’re a rum lover, you probably should have. Agricole, which is traditionally made in countries that were formerly French colonies, is made from pure sugar cane juice, while most rums are made from distilled molasses.

Using fresh sugar cane juice is a more expensive process. Unlike molasses, which can be created anytime, rhum agricole can be made only when the sugar cane crop is at the peak of maturity, meaning it is limited to a short period of time each year. After harvesting the sugar cane, it is  naturally fermented into wine over a few days, before being distilled into agricole rum.

Rhum Clément Premiere Canne is such a rhum agricole. Made in Martinique, the white rum is a crisp, delicate spirit that sells for around $30 per bottle.

Clément Premiere Canne has a nose unlike any other rum I’ve tasted. Grass, vanilla bean, melon, and citrus are all apparent. On the palate, it is smooth and tastes much like it smells: sweet sugar cane, cantelope, and lemon. The finish is long with vanilla and plenty more sugary sweetness.

I enjoyed the Rhum Clément on the rocks, but I think it it really shines in a cocktail. The refreshing flavors made for an excellent mojito with very little simple syrup needed.

As for cigars, Clément Premiere Canne requires a delicate touch. Stick to mild cigars like the Cuban Crafters Medina 1959, Ashton Classic, or a Cuban Por Larrañaga Panetela.

Ultimately, Rhum Clément Premiere Canne is not a classic sipping rum. At first I had mixed feelings about this spirit, even thinking that it reminded me more of a fine tequila than a rum. After a few nights of sipping it, though,  I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy its unique nectar-like qualities. So if you’re a rum drinker looking to expand your horizons, I can confidently recommend Rhum Clément Premiere Canne.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

According to Corner Creek’s website, its distribution spans 30 states, not including the one in which I reside. That’s why I was surprised to find this limited production Reserve Bourbon in stock at my local liquor store in Virginia. It goes without saying that I couldn’t resist picking up a bottle for a test drive.

Corner Creek is distilled in Bardstown, Kentucky, and smoothed with pure limestone water. The blend of wheat, corn, and rye—“a selection of the distillery’s finest barrels”—is then aged for eight years in American oak barrels and packaged in shouldered punt bottles.

Notwithstanding its muted copper hue, Corner Creek’s shape and artwork makes it look more like a wine than bourbon. It’s easy to overlook in a store but looks handsome on the shelf. Each bottle (750 ml., 88 proof) sells in the affordable $25-30 range.

What makes Corner Creek stand out, according to company marketing materials, is that its Reserve Bourbon is “only lightly filtered so that it retains all its complex flavor in as pure and natural a state as possible.” This strategy will win over bourbon enthusiasts who value a hearty, rustic taste and disappoint others who want more smoothness.

The Corner Creek experience starts innocently enough with a crisp nose of charcoal, sawdust, and banana skin. The first sip, though, carries a distinct smoky flavor with notes of dry steak, syrup, and loads of spice. A bit rough around the edges for my taste.

Since this bourbon isn’t necessarily what I’d call refined or elegant, I found myself mixing it up with a splash of Diet Coke instead of drinking it straight or on the rocks. Doing so helps mediate its heavy-hitting character and long, zesty finish.

As you might imagine, Corner Creek pairs best with medum- to full-flavored smokes. I enjoyed it with a CAO Brazilia, J.L. Salazar, Punch Champion, and Sam Leccia’s Cain. All of these produced delightful combinations.

Still, your degree of satisfaction will vary greatly based on your approach to bourbon. I was neither wowed nor utterly disappointed. That said, it may be awhile before I pick up another bottle of Corner Creek Reserve Bourbon.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Some would say Zaya runs an unnecessary risk by declaring itself “the world’s finest sipping rum.” That’s a lot of live up to. Fortunately, from this rum-lover’s perspective, I don’t think their claim is all that outlandish.

Zaya’s Gran Reserva 12 Year Old is hand-blended with 3-5 rums, five times distilled, and aged in white oak barrels for no less than 12 years. The result is an impressive, complex product that has earned notable industry accolades. Zaya was awarded gold at this year’s Ministry of Rum tasting in Miami, as well as double gold at the 2007 Spirit Competition in San Francisco.

Initially a product of Guatemala, the company recently relocated their operations to Trinidad “to provide a plentiful supply of Zaya Rum without compromising on quality or taste,” according to a spokesperson. Apparently Trinidad was a natural fit given the island’s history of outstanding rum production.

Zaya’s bottle, handsomely adorned with a wicker neck, shows off the 12 Year Old’s rich ruby color. The leggy pour takes on more of an amber hue as it hits the glass, then the nose opens considerably to reveal bright aromas of honey, walnut, and vanilla.

The taste, rounded nicely with a slash of water or a few ice cubes, displays a crisp interplay between sweetness and spice. While syrup and oak are at the forefront, notes of coconut, cinnamon butter, and peanut brittle add depth. The finish is long yet subdued with a gentle heat and a spicy tingle. True to its slogan, Zaya is dangerously easy to sip.

The overall effect is as balanced and complex as any rum I’ve tried in this price range. So, with an MSRP of $34.99 per 750 ml. bottle (80 proof), Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Year Old is approachable in both taste and price.

A great rum like this pairs well with most sticks, but I think the most complementary cigars run in the mild- to medium-bodied range and lack much sweetness. Try the Camacho Connecticut, Isla de Cuba Classic, or the Cuban Crafters Cubano Claro on for size. I trust you’ll be pleased.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Not long ago I wrote: “When I think of summer I think of rum drinks. And when I think of rum drinks one of the first cocktails that comes to mind is a classic: Mount Gay Tonic.” Well, an equally classic summer rum drink that comes to mind is the Dark ‘n Stormy.

While no doubt made with a number of dark rums, there is no debate over the fact that the traditional Dark ‘n Stormy version uses Goslings Black Seal Rum. In fact, as the New York Times reported, Goslings trademarked the drink so only those made with Goslings can legally be called Dark ‘n Stormy.

The other key ingredient of the drink is ginger beer. (Anyone who tells you this is the same as ginger ale is woefully misguided.) The strong ginger taste of the ginger beer melds with the dark rum to create a fantastically flavorful concoction with a punch that is known as Burmuda’s national drink.

As for that ginger beer, there’s also some contention over that, too. For many, the classic Dank ‘n Stormy uses Barritts Ginger Beer, an original from Burmuda. However, Goslings recently released their own ginger beer, which is what I used for this Stogie Spirits article. (I’ve also heard it suggested that any Jamaican-style ginger beer will do.)

For the recipe, one part Goslings, two parts ginger beer works perfectly.  Simply serve over ice in a highball glass and garnish with a wedge of lime. For the truly adventurous, you can swap regular Goslings for the ultra-high proof Goslings 151, something I did a few times during my college days with varying results.

When it comes to pairing the Dark ‘n Stormy with a cigar, you’re going to need something with some spice to stand up to the zesty ginger flavors. Three smokes that come to mind are the Arganese CL3, La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami, and my top choice for a pairing, the Gran Habano #5 Corojo. I suspect a fine Cameroon-wrapped cigar like the Fuente Don Carlos No. 2 would also go well.

Drink a few Dark ‘n Stormies and you’ll be wondering why you’ve never visited Burmuda. After all, if a Dark ‘n Stormy in one hand and a fine cigar in another isn’t a slice of paradise, what is?

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When I think of summer I think of rum drinks. And when I think of rum drinks one of the first cocktails that comes to mind is a classic: Mount Gay Tonic.

The recipe is easy: a handful of ice cubes, a few ounces of Mount Gay Eclipse rum, tonic water, and a lime. The result is a refreshing drink with the caramel and banana that defines Mount Gay Eclipse, but mixed with tonic so its goes down easy.

And if you don’t think that a drink called the Mount Gay Tonic is manly enough, just keep this in mind: The first drink James Bond orders in Casino Royale isn’t a dry martini, shaken not stirred (also known as a weak martini), but a Mount Gay and soda, the twin brother of the Mount Gay Tonic.

As for cigars, you’ll want to shy away from anything too powerful, so stick with mild- or medium-bodied smokes that won’t overpower this crisp, spirited drink. A Connecticut-wrapped smoke like the Nub Connecticut or Cuban Crafters Medina 1959 will go perfectly. On the other hand, I also found that a medium-bodied maduro like the Romeo y Julieta Vintage Maduro makes for a nice complement.

No matter what cigar you pair with the Mount Gay tonic, it’ll be a perfect pairing for the beach or by the pool on a hot summer afternoon.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys