Announcement, Bourbon Review, Education, Event Invite, Luxury, Press Release, Spirits, Uncategorized
Celebrate The Derby with a Rough Rider Bourbon Mint Julep
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Christian
About Christian
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Cigar Review: L’Atelier 54
This cigar from L’Atelier Imports is collaboration between Pete Johnson, his brother K.C., Sean Casper Johnson, and Dan Welsh of New Havana Cigars. The sizes are an homage to Cuban Cohiba Behikes. The cigar is made by Pepin Garcia in the My Father factory in Nicaragua. The filler blend is of Nicaraguan tobaccos while the wrapper is an Ecuadorian wrapper called “Sancti Spiritus”. This is a hybrid of Criollo and Pelo de Oro. I’ve enjoyed Behikes in every size even the 56 which is not normally my preference so let’s see what this Cuban tribute has to offer:
Blend specifics
Size: 5 5/8″ x 54- Toro
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Appearance & Construction
The cigar sports a high glossy band which immediately attracts the eye. The wrapper has a rich brown hue with an oiliness and veins present. There were no soft spots on this cigar and it was rolled extremely well. The triple cap along with the pigtail at the end demonstrates the craftsmenship taken in rolling this smoke.
Taste & Smoking Characteristics
Intial lighting of this cigar gave off tea and sweet fruit notes. Bits of spice where had on the retrohale however the lingering finish was that of sweetness. The body built up to a medium profile at this point and coated the palate with creamy smoke. I initially thought I would get a classic blast of “Pepin spice” however I was pleasantly surprised with the refinement I was treated to. Midway the LAT 54 developed a creaminess and wood profile that finished with that fruit sweetness again. The wood/cedar profile picked up with spice developing in the background. The last third of this cigar gave a more earthy character and chewy texture to it. I was loving the changes in flavor and the tobacco quality was excellent. The finish provided flavors of oolong tea, earth, and cedar. The cigar burned a nice dark gray ash throughout and smoked effortlessly.
Conclusion
Having smoked the entire line of LAT’s I have to say this is my favorite vitola. The flavors presented were refined and harmonious throughout the entire cigar. The LAT 54 smokes medium to full bodied and packs wonderful sweet, wood and earthy flavors. The progression of this cigar left me wanting more and I would love to see where the flavors go with some age. Although a lot of Pepin’s cigars smoke well initially and then tend to fade in flavor, I think this one has potential to develop further if not remain just as good in the future. L’Atelier has shown me something with this Behike tribute. I wouldn’t say it is anything like a Behike nor was it the intention of the maker however for the price and flavors you need to pick a box of these up.
Cigar Review: Cohiba Pirámides Extra
So what cigar do you smoke after a gastronomic journey at the 3 Michelin starred Brooklyn Fare? You need something as balanced and complex as the twenty-three courses Chef Ramirez executes perfectly. Enter:The Cohiba Pirámides Extra. This cigar capped my evening by continuing to leave flavors lingering on my palate akin to the dishes I was served. Here is the skinny on the not so thin Pirámides Extra:
Blend specifics
Size: 6 5/16 x 54 Pirámides Extra
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Appearance & Construction
The cigar is expertly constructed and a fine example of the vitola. The Pirámides Extra sports a beautiful brown wrapper that shines with a velvety smooth texture. The cigar feels nicely packed with tobacco and the smell at the foot is earthy, sweet and cedary. The dry draw yields saltiness along with cedar and wood notes. The saltiness and cedar in this Cohiba is an experience I really enjoy in Cuban cigars.
Taste & Smoke Characteristics
Upon lighting the cigar it hits you with saltiness on the draw along with spice and black pepper on the nose. The finish smacked of leather and lingered on the palate. Within the first few puffs I was already pleased with the flavor profile. At this point you could already tell this was quality aged tobacco. Midway the cigar turned from spice to creamy nuttiness with an earthy finish. As the cigar progressed the interplay of leather and earth came through with a nice weight on the tongue. The balance of this cigar was superb. The final third rounded out the cigar with some of the initial spice and pepper returning along with the classic cedar and earth characteristics of the brand.
Conclusion
Overall this is a very complex and balanced medium to full bodied cigar. The spice, leather, earth and long finish demonstrates what Cuba can do when they work their tobacco well. Cohiba is the iconic brand of the country and this cigar shows it. My only issue was some bitterness as I nubbed it but that was my fault due to smoking it too fast. My enjoyment of all the flavors got the best of me which isn’t the worst thing. I’ve had the fortune to smoke Cohiba Gran Reserva’s, 1966’s, Behikes, Milleniums and some truly rare Cohibas; some of these smokes were worthy of the price tag and some were not. The Cohiba Pirámides Extra is one of those cigars that will not disappoint if you make the investment. Enjoy.
Long Island Spirits releases Rough Rider Straight Bourbon!!!
For all you Bourbon fans out there Long Island Spirits Distillers has created a Bourbon that gives a nod to the spirit of former President and L.I. resident Theodore Roosevelt and his band of Rough Riders. Rough Rider Straight Bourbon is the latest creation from the company with its release of their Small Batch No.1. Long Island Spirits which is best known for LiV Vodka began their foray into the darker spirits with their award winning Pine Barrens Single Malt Whisky. There is also a Brandy out there that is extremely limited which I’m hoping to provide more info on in the future. All of these are small batch and adhere to the highest quality standards. Here is some info from Long Island Spirits with my review to follow:
Teddy Roosevelt, a native Long Islander, organized the United States First Voluntary Cavalry, commonly known as the Rough Riders, in 1898. Composed of 2,350 men from across the country, including cowboys, Native Americans and other Wild West types, as well as Ivy League athletes and aristocratic sportsmen from the East.
This disparate group shared a common purpose: the pursuit of adventure, independence and excellence. Despite winning the Battle of San Juan hill, the Rough Riders disbanded on Montauk Point after only 137 days of service.
Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Batch #1 is inspired by the uncommon virtues of those men.
Each limited batch of Rough Rider Straight Bourbon is meticulously handcrafted at a distillery just miles from where the Roosevelt’s Rough Riders departed, in Montauk Long Island. The whiskey is a high-rye, straight bourbon that starts out as a highly refined mash bill, consisting of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, and is then aged for several years in charred new American white oak barrels.
Rough Rider is then finished in hand selected American oak barrels, which once held some of Long Island’s finest wines. The wine casks that are selected for the second maturation, described by Long Island Spirits owner Richard Stabile as its exclusive method of “Reserve Aged,” are chosen from the finest wineries on Long Island and are an exquisite balanced blend of award winning Merlot and Chardonnay barrels.
These casks undergo a “cask finishing wash”, with a very unique 180-proof brandy distilled from local Long Island Chardonnay, that tempers each wine barrel prior to filling it with the bourbon. Rough Rider mellows while acquiring its distinctive character during this delicate second maturation period, adding a layer of dark red fruit and honey notes to the small batch straight bourbon.
My Review:
Rough Rider Straight Bourbon
Producer– Long Island Spirits
Appearance: Dark amber in appearance this bourbon shows modest thin legs as it slides down the glass when swirled.
Nose: Initial nose of sweet vanilla, caramel and toasted oak.
Taste: This bourbon hits you up front with spice, caramel and maple wood. Midway there’s a butteriness that seems to coat the sides and top of the mouth along with touches of candied spice, oak and vanilla. Lastly you are hit with spice and a lot of “bourbon heat” going down. The finish is long with a lingering buttery texture and residue spice leftover. Also to note on the 2nd nosing I picked up a lot of heavy caramel and maple syrup in the glass. This bourbon took me for a ride from start to finish that left me feeling like I was sipping spirits down Kentucky way.
Conclusion: In speaking with L.I. Spirits founder Richard Stabile I appreciate the fact they finish their bourbon using old Long Island wine barrels for a “Reserve Aging” in their distillery as well as following traditional whisky practice. This keeps the “Spirit” within the Island as well as keeping roots with Kentucky bourbon proper. I love experimentation in spirits from utilizing different malts, wheat, barrels, as it opens up a world of new tastes and textures. I am already looking forward to seeing what their game plan is for Small Batch No.2. So if you like your Bourbon sweet and toasty to start with a lengthy finish that “Makes no apologies” at the end in the heat department, then try and get your hands on this bourbon before it “Rides” out the door.
Long Island Spirits Website: www.lispirits.com
Long Island Spirits Tasting and Distillery:
2182 Sound Ave.
Baiting Hollow, New York 11933
Cigar Review: Opus X Reserva D’ Chateau
The other day I decided to pull out of my humidor a classic cigar, an Opus X Reserva D’ Chateau. This is from the iconic Fuente Opus X line that in my opinion changed the level of premium cigar cigars when they were released in the 90’s. I’ve been fortunate enough to smoke Opus since its inception and have always enjoyed the full spice, leather and savory notes these cigars provide. I feel the smaller vitolas such as the #4, #5 and the XXX provide more concentrated flavors indicative of the brand however the Reserva delivers nuances that the aficionado will enjoy. Make no mistake; this is not a lightweight cigar as it yields full flavors.
My thoughts on this one:
Blend specifics
Size: 7 x 48 Churchill
Wrapper: Dom. Rep.
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Appearance & Construction
The Reserva has that lovely reddish brown Dominican wrapper the brand is known for. A few veins run across this smoke but nothing that would appear to hurt its performance. There are no soft spots and the cigar feels appropriately packed with tobacco. The foot has the smell of spice, sweet raisin and tobacco.
Taste & Smoke Characteristics
Upon lighting I was greeted with spice, leather and coffee notes. The leather lingers on the palate while a retro hale gives you a rush of spice through the nose. This cigar always awakens my senses with its startup as these are the flavors I tend to really enjoy. Midway the spice adjusts to reveal those lovely graham cracker and cinnamon notes I usually get from this cigar. The burn was uneven and the cigar required several relights however it did not detract from the flavors. As it progressed the leather was more pronounced while the spice took to the background. This cigar builds in strength at this point. By the last third the leather, earth and sweetness interplayed leaving a balanced and harmonious finish. The smoking time was about 2 hours 10 minutes.
Conclusion
As far as taste goes I’ve always enjoyed the leather, tobacco and spice Opus provides. The downside to these smokes can be the constant relights as well as the uneven burns at times. In the past few years the latest batch of Opus hasn’t given me the balance of flavors as of old, however within the past year I’ve noticed a return of said flavors. I don’t know the specifics of the past years crops although I have some unverified ideas. If you’ve never smoked an Opus X it is certainly a cigar worth your while. The smaller vitolas will really accent flavors although if you have the time smoke the Reserva D’ Chateau and treat yourself to a wonderfully balanced experience. You deserve it.