The Quesada Tributo Alvaro is a medium bodied cigar with a few veins and a tight pack. It comes from the master cigar makers at Fonseca and Casa Magna. The cigar has an Ecuadorian wrapper with Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. The cigar has a cool tag (as seen in the picture) and a great feel to it. It has barely any veins and a really tight pack. Ok, time to light it up:
As you light up you get a intense wood/nut flavor, not too intense but it does bring a lot of flavor to the table. The Quesada I smoked was a torpedo so I can't say the draw was too tight or too loose, because it varies on how short or long you cut it. The smoke output is good accompanied by a very even burn.
Halfway point to the end stayed consistent in flavor for the most part. Towards the middle of the last half, a little bit of coffee notes arrived. It fit right in, allowing the cigar to really reach its potential. Strength-wise, the cigar wasn't too strong until the end where it really intensified. Overall, I enjoyed this cigar, it has several different flavors and a very even burn. I recommend it for those who enjoy strong cigars with a lot of flavor. Enjoy!
Stogie Rite score: 96
CyB by Joya de Nicaragua
The CyB by Joya de Nicaragua is medium bodied and full of flavor. I have a great respect for Joya de Nicaragua because of the quality cigars they make. I plan on doing more reviews on them in the near future. This particular one was created to, according to Jose Blanco, be different than any cigar they have made.
As you light up, you get light spice with some coffee hints here and there. I've been reading others opinions on this cigar and they say that the spice is overpowering at the beginning, but I have not felt that at all. It has the perfect amount of spice mixed in with the coffee flavoring.
At the 2/3's point to the end, the flavor has stayed consistent except for a nut flavor coming in. When you get the end, you get a mix of coffee, nut, wood, and some cocoa. The smoke output was great, the draw was perfect, and it burned even for the whole stick. It's definitely an everyday cigar.
Stogie Rite score: 99
Jose Blanco interview on the CyB by Joya de Nicaragua:
As you light up, you get light spice with some coffee hints here and there. I've been reading others opinions on this cigar and they say that the spice is overpowering at the beginning, but I have not felt that at all. It has the perfect amount of spice mixed in with the coffee flavoring.
At the 2/3's point to the end, the flavor has stayed consistent except for a nut flavor coming in. When you get the end, you get a mix of coffee, nut, wood, and some cocoa. The smoke output was great, the draw was perfect, and it burned even for the whole stick. It's definitely an everyday cigar.
Stogie Rite score: 99
Jose Blanco interview on the CyB by Joya de Nicaragua:
Padron 1926 No. 1 Natural
This weekend I had the chance to smoke a Padron 1926 No. 1 Natural. It's been a few years since I last had this cigar, and it was just how I had remembered it to be... fantastic. The No. 1 is a 6 3/4 x 54 stick, box-pressed, and has no visible veins. It has a basic tobacco aroma with a light hint of coffee. Time to light it up:
As you light up, you immediately get a burst of black pepper flavoring. It isn't overpowering, it's just a strong rush of pepper. The smoke output is good, producing a lot of thick smoke. The cigar has a nice even burn and a draw with little resistance. At the end of the 1/3 point, the cigar has received some hints of coffee, cocoa, and earth.
The 2/3 point to the end have stayed consistent with the flavors that I had mentioned were coming in. The black pepper flavoring has toned down a little bit, but stayed around long enough to give me a buzz. This cigar is pretty strong, not compared to their maduros though. In fact, any Padron you buy is going to be full bodied, or really close to it. I really recommend it for those of you who like the strong cigars that leave you feeling a little bit light-headed.
Reviewing this cigar wasn't on my schedule for this week because I didn't know I was going to be getting it... It was a birthday present. This cigar is great for gifts/special occasions. Padron is consistent with their flavor, construction, balance, and strength, so you really can't go wrong buying one as a gift.
Stogie Rite score: 98
As you light up, you immediately get a burst of black pepper flavoring. It isn't overpowering, it's just a strong rush of pepper. The smoke output is good, producing a lot of thick smoke. The cigar has a nice even burn and a draw with little resistance. At the end of the 1/3 point, the cigar has received some hints of coffee, cocoa, and earth.
The 2/3 point to the end have stayed consistent with the flavors that I had mentioned were coming in. The black pepper flavoring has toned down a little bit, but stayed around long enough to give me a buzz. This cigar is pretty strong, not compared to their maduros though. In fact, any Padron you buy is going to be full bodied, or really close to it. I really recommend it for those of you who like the strong cigars that leave you feeling a little bit light-headed.
Reviewing this cigar wasn't on my schedule for this week because I didn't know I was going to be getting it... It was a birthday present. This cigar is great for gifts/special occasions. Padron is consistent with their flavor, construction, balance, and strength, so you really can't go wrong buying one as a gift.
Stogie Rite score: 98
Whiskey Review - Ardbeg 10
Time to journey back to the Isaly region of Scotland, this time to a distillery situated near the distilleries that produce the previously reviewed Lagavulin and Laphraoig - Arbeg. Ardbeg distillery, currently owned and operated by Glenmorangie, who is owned by even another company, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, names you may be familiar with. I sure would love to go to that Christmas party).
Arbeg has an interesting history, distilling since 1798 - legally since 1815. Smugglers and the like found its location (a small, remote cove) ideal for the production of whisky without having to involve the excise men. In 1815, John McDougall founded Arbeg which, aside from a few hiccups (1981-1989, 1996-1997), has been operating since then. As I mentioned, Arbeg is an Islay whisky which means that the aroma is incredibly smoky and peaty, as I like to say, it's a "campfire in a glass". The whisky is very light in color, which seems to be to be common in whisky from this region; this whisky was almost clear. The legs were a bit thicker than I had anticipated, always a nice surprise (I really love whisky legs for some reason). The nose of this whisky was fantastic, salty sea air and smoke. I suppose if you bottled the air surrounding a burning galleon that it might come close to a match.
The mouth feel of this whisky is very light, lighter than the legs had suggested, but consistent with my experience with Islay whisky. This whisky really opens up on the tongue, the taste buds react exuberantly to the strong peaty taste. This Islay had more peat to the taste than others I have enjoyed, but that was OK with me. The taste was pretty straight-forward, not very complex. That same peaty taste lingers for some time after tasting; leaving you with a good, warm feeling.
Rating: 4.5 out of a possible 5 Casks
Reason: A fantastic, peaty aroma that commands your attention, a taste that matches the level of the aroma, a long aftertaste and a nice, warming effect on the body. I personally really enjoy Islay whisky and the smell of sea air so I was a fan of the Ardbeg from the moment my glass was set before me. The cost is manageable, around $50-$60 per bottle and $6-$9 a glass. In my opinion a bottle of Islay whisky will go further than any other for two main reasons. First, the taste and aroma are so potent that you will likely sip slower and consume a bit less in a sitting. Second, many people fear that same aroma, so you're less likely to have 'moochers'.
Cheers,
Charles
La Unica #400 Natural
La Unica cigars come from J.C. Newman and Carlos Fuente. Newman had the idea, Fuente made it a reality. This particular La Unica that I'm reviewing today is called the La Unica #400 Natural. It consists of a Connecticut wrapper along with Dominican binder/filler. It isn't too veiny and has a tight pack. Time to light it up.
As you light up, the flavor hits you hard and fast. It has an extremely bold black pepper flavor. I wasn't expecting the flavor to be this intense up front, and it stayed consistant. But as I finished up the first half, the flavor became more mild and a little creamier. The smoke output is great, accompanied by an even burn and an easy draw.
The second half became even more mild. As I mentioned above, the flavor became creamier, but now is being complimented with earthy/coffee flavors. The burn stayed relatively even (kind of went off balance towards the middle of the second half). Although I said the flavor became milder, I'm still getting hints of spice on the tip of my tongue. The creamy/earthy/coffee flavoring along with a little spice really blended together nicely for a fantastic smoke. If you get the opportunity pick up this cigar or even go buy a box of them. It will be well worth it.
Whiskey Review - Balvenie DoubleWood
Recently I did a review of the Balvenie Caribbean Cask in which I mentioned this whisky, the Balvenie DoubleWood. This is a whisky that I have been familiar with for a long time. It is created using the same basic concept of the Caribbean Cask (two-cask maturation)- first the whisky is matured in an American oak cask, then it is transferred to a European Sherry cask where it finishes out its maturation process. This whisky is not difficult to find either by the bottle or by the glass.
Visually, the whisky is about average: a medium amber color with relatively thick legs. The nose is smooth, woody, and a bit subtle - I had to really focus on this one to pull the aromas out. Upon tasting the whisky I could detect vanilla off the bat as well as the influence of the sherry cask (but not to the same level as something like the Glenmorangie Lasanta), and the American oak to a slightly lesser degree. This was a sweeter whisky that had no bite to it. The mouth feel was a bit dry and the whisky opened up a bit more on the tongue. There was a slight numbing effect to the roof of my mouth. The aftertaste lingered for a respectable amount of time.
Rating 3.25 out of a possible 5 Casks
Reason: Something I came to realize when tasting this whisky is that the more whisky I sample the harder it is to come back to whiskies like the Balvenie DoubleWood. It is a great whisky, especially for someone who is beginning with Scotch, or for someone who doesn't take whisky as seriously and simply enjoys a good glass. However, if I am going to compare it to the other whisky I have had the pleasure of enjoying, I cannot in good conscience give this more than a 3.25. It is a good whisky, a smooth and sweet whisky, but nothing miraculous that would set it apart from the pack. You're still looking at around $50 for a bottle which pits it against many other options in the same price range; definitely worth a taste to at least acquaint yourself with. it.
See you soon,
Charles
iceDrops
I woke up the other day to an email from a guy starting a kickstarter project. I thought it was just going to be another person trying to get me to fund their projects or advertise for them. As I started to look into this project, I instantly became attached. It's a fantastic idea. You all have heard of whiskey stones, where you freeze a couple of special stones then throw them in your glass to chill the whiskey. Well this project is the same concept, and they go by name of iceDrops. Everyone would like to chill their whiskey without diluting it, and right now their only option for doing that was to buy whiskey stones. Now, if we can fund this project, we can chill our whiskey with cool shapes and sizes!
iceDrops:
iceDrops:
Innovative Product – iceDrops are porcelain shapes that cool any drink without dilution. From the freezer - to your drink - to the dishwasher – and back again.
Unique Design – Unrestrained by inflexible material and shapes such as soapstone and granite, our porcelain iceDrops offer unlimited potential in terms of shape, style and eventually color while being non-porous and non-imparting.
Made for guys and girls – Perfect gift giving opportunity for those who want to enjoy their drinks without dilution and look stylish doing so.
Here is the link to their kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/
It would be awesome if you could all pitch in!
Whiskey Review - Macallan 12
Here's an old favorite - The Macallan 12. This is another one of those whiskies (like Glen Livet 12 and Glen Fiddich 12) that you're very likely to come across in many pubs and restaurants. I offer some history about the distillery and whisky, as well as the range, in my review of the Macallan 17 Fine Oak (Click to be redirected to that review). The Macallan 12 has the distinction of being the first Scotch whisky that I ever tasted, although at the time I was far less appreciative.
It can be hard to judge all of the whisky on the same scale but that is something that I strive to do. That being said, I found myself in a moral dilemma because it almost seems unfair to pit an inexpensive 12-year against something like the Macallan 17 Fine Oak, which received my first 5/5 rating. So, just to recap, all of the whisky that I review is judged solely on the whisky, ceteris paribus.
This whisky is an inviting shade of amber with medium legs. These are the first things you are going to notice so it is important to stop for a moment and take them in. Moving on to the nose, my initial impression was "delicious". This has an incredibly smooth nose which smells of sherry, oak, and in my personal opinion, brown sugar. The taste was a bit dry, somewhat of a surprise but nothing too negative. Like the nose, the taste is very smooth and as it was with the nose, the sherry was evident. The aftertaste remained dry, lasting for only a short period of time.
Rating: 3.75 out of a possible 5 Casks
Reason: If I had to sum this up in one word, it would be "smooth". The nose was incredible but actually beat the taste by a small margin. The taste left just a little to be desired after such an amazing aroma. It is a great whisky, I cannot overstate the smoothness. I can see why this is a popular whisky to carry at a pub; being so smooth it would seem to be very versatile among whisky drinkers. It is a good whisky, a smooth whisky, and a relatively inexpensive whisky at around $40-$50 per bottle. By the glass you're probably only looking at $6-$8.
Cheers!
Charles
CAO La Traviata
As I did with the Estilo Cubano, I went to my local cigar shop and picked up a random cigar. This CAO cigar had a great tag, so I picked it up. It has an old fashioned leather scent that really caught my attention. The tobacco and filler come from both the Dominican and Ecuador. Great look overall.
I lit the cigar up and immediately tasted a leather/earthy/cream flavor. The burn was incredibly even and it had great smoke output. About 1/3 way through, the burn has stayed the same and so has the flavor, for the most part. The flavor has become a little spicier, but not significant.
About 2/3 to the end of the cigar brings change to the flavor. As I mentioned above, the spicy flavor was becoming more prevalent, but towards the end it has completely disappeared and the cigar has a sweeter flavor. It was a quick change, which made it a little more enjoyable. This CAO was enjoyable, which was not a surprise.
Stogie Rite score: 90
I lit the cigar up and immediately tasted a leather/earthy/cream flavor. The burn was incredibly even and it had great smoke output. About 1/3 way through, the burn has stayed the same and so has the flavor, for the most part. The flavor has become a little spicier, but not significant.
About 2/3 to the end of the cigar brings change to the flavor. As I mentioned above, the spicy flavor was becoming more prevalent, but towards the end it has completely disappeared and the cigar has a sweeter flavor. It was a quick change, which made it a little more enjoyable. This CAO was enjoyable, which was not a surprise.
Stogie Rite score: 90
Whiskey Review - Glenmorangie Lasanta
Here's one that takes me back - Glenmorangie Lasanta. You may have heard of Glenmorangie, they make a popular 10 year single malt that isn't hard to come by simply called "The Glenmorangie Original" (don't worry, I will eventually write about that). A few years back, I think around 2008, they had the brilliant idea of taking their famous 10 year whisky a step further by aging it an extra two years in various wine casks, calling it the "Extra Matured" line. The wine casks they chose were port, sherry, and sauternes. This resulted in the release of, in the same order, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, Glenmorangie Lasanta, and Glenmorangie Nectar D'or. Again, do not fret, those will most definitely be featured soon.
Back in 2008, when I managed a pub, a rep brought the three in for me to taste, knowing my insatiable appetite for new whiskies. I have to admit that, at the time, the Lasanta was my least favorite; I chose only to carry the other two. Seeing as that was 5 years ago (gasp!) and my palate has developed considerably since, I thought it might be time to give it another go. I also have to add that I was influenced by how sherry casks had affected other whiskies that I really enjoyed (mainly The Macallan 17 Fine Oak). I am glad I made this decision.
The whisky passed the visual test, a medium amber with medium legs; it met my own personal preferences (yours may be different and there is nothing wrong with that). I had made a critical error when tasting this, as I had chosen the wrong glass for the experience. You may recall my post about choosing the right glass. I failed to follow my own advice and chose a large, heavy tumbler with a widened opening. This forced me to cover most of the glass with my hand to direct the aroma my way. It is always fun to realize that you did something wrong, and that you do indeed know better already. Fortunately, it gave me a chance to remind everyone about the importance of choosing the right glass when enjoying whisky.
Once I found a way to bypass my own stupidity, I found that the nose was very smooth, no burn and with a strong aroma of sherry. That of course made sense, prior to bottling it had slept in a sherry cask for two years. I was also able to pull caramel out, and a sweetness that I couldn't quite define. The whisky tasted just as smooth as the nose, opening up a bit on my tongue with a spiciness coupled with a mild citrus. It was also sweet, which I mainly attributed to the influence of the sherry. It was not as thick as I had imagined, there was an ever-so-slight dryness to the feel. The aftertaste was strong and satisfying, lingering for quite a while.
Rating: 4.25 out of a possible 5 Casks
Reason: This is a very well-rounded whisky, very smooth in every stage, and affordable at around $40-$50 per bottle. The sherry can be a bit overpowering if you are not prepared, but I think that this is a great whisky, especially for summer. I would also say that this is a good lunch whisky, light enough, smooth enough for a glass in the daytime. The exceptional smoothness would also make this a good bottle for when you have guests over. This whisky does not limit itself to the connoisseur. The odds of finding it by the glass are low in my experience, but if you see it, treat yourself. Otherwise, I feel that you wouldn't go wrong to pick up a bottle.
Cheers, enjoy yourselves!
Charles
Whiskey Review - Balblair 1997
Like The Glenrothes, Balblair prefers to release their whisky with vintage rather than an age statement. The "First Release" has been discontinued (isn't that always the case?), but the "Second Release" is still available.
This leads me to a side note - you might ask yourself why I bother to review whisky that you might not be able to try yourself, due to availability. Remember that first and foremost I write this review more for educational purposes that I do to fill the page with lengthy, overly-descriptive and hard to understand reviews. I merely add my own tasting notes to help you learn about how to taste whisky, the whisky in question, and what you might be able to expect from that particular distiller or bottler in the future.
Balblair is a distillery that has been around since 1790 in the Highland region of Scotland. Balblair prides themselves on releasing their whisky at the precise moment that it is ready. This is why they prefer vintages vs. age. They view this as an art, being able to judge whisky straight from the cask and determine it to be "ready". There is a decent amount of different Balblair bottlings to choose from, but I would determine this to be the one you would likely find in a pub, currently. There are newer vintages, the 2001 and 2002 that have been released; I assume that I will see those on the local shelves soon. Sometimes whisky takes a while to get to my area.
This whisky bathed its glass in a light golden glow. Coming to me recommended and with medium legs, I looked forward to this tasting. The nose was strong, spicy and fruity with not much of a burn. I could detect apricot and citrus. Tasting the whisky, which boasted a decent viscosity, I decided that if I had to sum up the flavor in one word, it would indeed be fruity. I was surprised that the immediate aftertaste was a bit dry, but the overall finish was, although subtle, quite lengthy. This is a whisky that I would recommend to both sexes as well as beginners and veterans of drinking whisky.
Rating: 4.5 out of a possible 5 Casks
Reason: I enjoyed this. As I have indicated in the past, the whiskies that I enjoy most are the whiskies that I can pull individual flavors from; this did not disappoint. I liked the viscosity, the nose, the taste, and how long the taste lingered with me after tasting. It is also always nice to discover a whisky that would be an easy 'sell' to a guest who might not be an established scotch drinker. I'd say grab a bottle or at least a glass if you have the opportunity. The Second release runs about $80-$90a bottle, a glass cost me $13.
Until next time, cheers!
Charles
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