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Arran Distillers Score Double Gold for Multi-Award Winning Malt

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Arran-Malt-14-Year-Old

Independent Scotch whisky producer, Isle of Arran Distillers, is celebrating after its 14 year old malt was awarded a Double Gold medal by US-based food and drink website TheFiftyBest.com.

Now a multi-award winning whisky, Arran’s oldest spirit released in 2010, picked up the award in the Single Malt Scotch Aged 10-15 years category.

Euan Mitchell, managing director of Isle of Arran Distillers, said: “This is a fitting end to what has been a fantastic year for the distillery.

“These awards are highly regarded in the industry so we’re delighted that our oldest malt has again been recognised for its quality and character. Next year we’re planning to release our first 16 year-old malt, which I hope will be equally well received.”

The Arran Malt 14 year old was one of just a handful to be awarded the prestigious Double Gold Award by FiftyBest.com.

The spirit also won a Double Gold Award at this year’s World Spirits Competition and in 2011 was named ‘Best Island (non Islay) Single Malt Whisky, 13-20 Years by Whisky Magazine.

James MacTaggart, master distiller at Arran Distillers, added: “Our whiskies are now celebrated all over the world, but we’re not going to rest on our laurels and will continue to produce innovative and high quality malt whiskies for many years to come.”

Since it was established 17 years ago, Isle of Arran Distillers has won a number of awards including Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007).

For the full list of winners in the FiftyBest, visit here

About Isle of Arran Distillers:

* Current accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007.)

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.)

Also, ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the World Spirits Competition 2012. Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards 2012.

About FiftyBest.com:

TheFiftyBest.com is an award-winning online guide to fine living, featuring rated listings from on unbiased surveys and proprietary tastings judged by food, wine/spirits journalists, and connoisseurs. Adhering to strict tasting rules and rigorous methodology,

TheFiftyBest.com achieves the highest standards of spirits evaluation.

For more information, visit: www.TheFiftyBest.com

Match Lounge to Host Exclusive Whiskey Tasting & Cigar Pairing Event

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match lounge

December 10, 2012 (Jeffersonville, IN) — Match Lounge will host a whiskey tasting and cigar pairing event sponsored by WhistlePig’s Master Distiller Dave Pickerell and Oliva Cigars during Match’s grand opening celebration Friday, December 21st 7:00-9:00pm. In addition, neighboring Riverside Cigar Shop and Lounge will hold an exclusive launch event with Oliva Cigars 4:00-9:00pm.

Match’s Whiskey and Cigar Event will feature a scotch, bourbon and whiskey flight, paired with a signature Oliva Serie V Melanio Cigar. WhistlePig’s Master Distiller, Dave Pickerell, one of the nation’s preeminent master distillers who previously spent fourteen years as Maker’s Mark Master Distiller, and Ian Hummel, of Oliva Cigars, will be on hand to entertain and educate attendees during a one-on-one question and answer session. This pairing event is limited to thirty people with tickets being sold for $30 per person. To purchase tickets, please call 812-284-6198.

In conjunction with Match’s event, the adjoining Riverside Cigar Shop will host an event sponsored by Oliva Cigars. Oliva, a leader in the cigar industry, has a long history of producing award-winning cigars, primarily grown and produced in Nicaragua and sold worldwide. Riverside’s event will be one of the first opportunities in the U.S. for customers to receive the 2013 Oliva Cigar sampler. Customers who purchase a box of Oliva Cigars will receive the 2013 Oliva Cigar sampler free of charge. In addition, any box purchase at this event will enter the purchaser in a raffle for a custom cigar cutter from Hutch valued at $300. The Oliva Cigar event is a free event.

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Cigar Review: Cremo Classic Maduro Intrepidus

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Cremo Classic Maduro 5

Cremo is, in my opinion, one of the more interesting brands on the market today, partially for its duel identity. Though the brand has been around for well over one hundred years, its current form is only a handful of years old. The Cremo Classic Maduro is the second blend out of Cremo, coming on the heels of the remarkably successful Cremo Classic (reviewed here). I was excited to smoke these pre-release cigars after enjoying the Classic, so now I’ll get right to it.

Blend Specifics
Size: Intrepidus (6 x 52)
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Appearance & Construction

The Cremo Classic Maduro really is a beautiful cigar. This is partially to do with the unique reflective band that displays “Cremo” in black lettering. I find that this presentation works really well with the dark brown color of the San Andreas wrapper. The stick is slightly springy to the touch, well packed, and has only a few barely-visible imperfections.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Before lighting, the smell off of the foot of the cigar reveals chocolate notes, definite spices, and something like hay. On the light, this cigar kicks off with deep, rich notes of milk and dark chocolate, a hint of cherry, and medium spice on the retro hale.

About an inch in, the body increases, and a touch of leather is added to the mix. At the beginning of the second third, there is a significant addition of white pepper and bitter chocolate, a welcome complexity. The body continues to build.

In the final third, the strength picks up even more, while black pepper dies off, leaving a profile very similar to the Alec Bradley American market sungrown. It is here that the profile finds its resting point and after about an hour and a half of smoking, I put the cigar down.

Conclusion

Coming in at about $12 a stick, the Cremo Classic Maduro isn’t a cheap stick, but it is well worth the ticket price. The Cremo Classic Maduro is rich, complex,  aromatic, and well balanced. It is a cigar that tells a story as it progresses, and I didn’t want to put it down. Easily a must-buy cigar. I’m very impressed with how Cremo has released two incredibly different cigars, both of which measure up to a high standard of quality and enjoyability.

Final Grade: A

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Cigar Review: La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Magnifico

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La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor

I dropped by the Cigar Inn recently and figured I’d give the La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor another smoke. I was a big fan of it when it came out, and a big fan of it when the brand took #2 Cigar of the Year for 2011.

Blend Specifics

Size: Magnifico (6 x 52)

Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Construction & Appearance

This cigar features a dark rust- brown wrapper in a box pressed vitola. Construction is well done, though there were consistently some minor imperfections. After clipping the cigar, I can tell the draw is perfect – not too permissive or too tight. The prelight draw gives me a bit of earth and spice.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

This cigar is, in my opinion, fairly straightforward. Notes of toasted bread, cinnamon, wood, and cocoa hit the tongue and the nose in very enjoyable fashion. As one would guess, there was a good deal of spice in this stick, though in the second third and onward the spice dies down a bit to reveal the root flavors more clearly. Very few cigars can zero in on dark, rich notes, and remain balanced at the same time. For that reason, this is a stick to pay attention to.

Conclusion

This stick is a must-smoke. It isn’t in my top ten, but it probably makes top twenty, and for good reason. You get a clear, enjoyable profile, good construction, and ultimately a very enjoyable smoking experience.

Final Grade: A-

 

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TED’S CIGARS LAUNCHES DALE EARNHARDT JR. PREMIUM CIGAR

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Ted Cigars Dale Earnhardt cigar

December 5, 2012 — Ted’s Cigars, a leading manufacturer of premium branded cigars announces the collaboration with famed race car driver and celebrity Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ted’s Cigars has partnered with JR Motorsports on a licensed hand-crafted cigar showcasing Dale Jr.’s facsimile autograph and his iconic #88. As the ten-time consecutive winner of NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver award, race fans admire Earnhardt’s authenticity and common sense approach.

Ted Cigars Dale Earnhardt cigar2

Indeed the Earnhardt name evokes excellence, thanks to his incredible 19 career victories, including the 2004 Daytona 500. Upon winning the 1998 and 1999 NASCAR Nationwide Series titles, Earnhardt became the only third-generation NASCAR champion. Earnhardt’s crossover appeal is unmatched among today’s celebrities and athletes. The officially licensed Dale Jr. “88” cigar is distinctly fashioned to appeal to race fans, cigar enthusiasts, and casual smokers.
With over 15 years as an industry leader, Ted’s Cigars is known for its exceptional cigars, packaging, and branding. The Dale Jr. cigar blend received a rating of 88 (excellent) by Cigar Aficionado, a fitting mark for a cigar branded by NASCAR’s iconic driver. Earnhardt’s winning attitude bridges generations’ young and old. He is refined and raw, charismatic and rebellious, simple and cool, as is the Dale Jr. “88” cigar.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.® 6 x 50 Toro features a mild, creamy smoke with a smooth finish. Individually sealed in a glass tube – no humidor required. The cigar is hand rolled in the Dominican Republic.
Available individually and in boxes of 3, 10, & 25 cigars at www.tedscigars.com/dale-jr-cigars

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