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Deveron 12 Year Review

4 0 6.9k

Tobacco Power Flavor for the Adventurer after Dinner
Deveron 12 Year Review

Product Specifics

  • Scotch Reviewed: The Deveron 12 Year
  • Distillery: Macduff Distillery
  • Region: Highland
  • ABV: 40%
  • Suggested Retail Price:  $60+

Mark Garbin’s Review

So you walk into a cigar bar. You crave deep dark paneling and a quiet scene. The server brings over a humidor and asks if you want a Havana. You blush and say ‘I love the smell but I don’t indulge. What would you suggest?’ With a grin and not m issing a beat, he breaks out the Deveron 12 bottle and a Glencairn. A dram, in a puff of magic, appears in your glass.

Scents of red delicious apples, honey and lemon greet you, but it wasn’t that Upmann-esqe aroma you wanted. Just as you’re about to lift your hand to complain, phenolic tobacco pummels the sweetness. Hmm…Interesting for a low ABV spirit. From where did that appear? Wow! Ok, let’s try it. Arggghh. The fruit and sugar come back but…what’s going on? Whew! A Maduro fragrance returns and the initial tastes in my mouth disappear replaced by a good Cuban. But wait, now I sense a massive pepper extract. Please stop this merry-go-round! Sigh.

Sometimes, you meet a whisky where everything is not in balance and it winds up being valued. Closer to spirits designed for Power, its strong qualities rotate. The Adventurer will yearn for those flummoxed taste buds. A Rob Roy made with this, creates a cocktail pleasing for its changing flavors. A Rusty Nail all of a sudden becomes more than a mere sweet vs alcohol smack down. It transforms into a collage of style. Forget water. All you’ll find is total dilution. Open your arms, heart and palate to a multi-one-sided Scotch. If a mixed drink or a cordial doesn’t suit your fancy, pick out a medium strength stogie. Then sit outside in pleasant weather and pour yourself a measure of Deveron 12. If you light up, the UFC Speyside flavor cage match takes your smoke to a new level. If not, you’ll get the tobacco without fumes, anyway.

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to

 Optimal Client Type Great For

Subtlety Aficionado

 Apprentice

Cocktails

Power Flavor Admirer

 Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer

With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist

Dessert or Afterwards

Distiller rating: “There’s a humble elegance to this whisky. It has all the sensory pleasures of retiring to a small farm house. You stick your nose in and smell wet hay, a dab of honey in your morning oatmeal, and a pot of white flowers by the windowsill. You have to work at it but underneath the charming bouquet you’ll discover dry wood smoke, orchard fruit, and ground white pepper on the palate. All of this is cleansed at the end with a warm splash of Lapsang tea. The whole experience is light and fleeting of course, because the dram.” -Sam Davies

Whiskeyreviewer rating: “The Deveron 12 is not as sherried as its stablemate, Craigellachie, but it has its own charms. It is a great starter malt for a novice scotch drinker, but it has enough presence to make it a fine after work sipper for more seasoned whisky fans.” –Kurt Maitland

Jura 18 Year Review

4 0 2.8k

Power Flavor for the Adventurer with After Dinner Cigar

Product Specifics

  • Whisky Reviewed: Jura 18 Year
  • Distiller: Jura Distillery
  • Region: Inner Hebrides
  • ABV: 44% (88 proof)
  • Matured in: ex-bourbon / ex-red wine

Mark’s Review

“Friendship is a smoke made with the fume of sighs”. Shakespeare’s Romeo must mean Jura 18. I can’t recall drinking such a smoke grenade but if you’re a cigar lover, it’s a magnificent bomb. Don’t concern yourself with the toffee ocean spray red wine tannin nose. Forget the acrid iodine Scottish seaside taste. Focus on the campfire starting at mid-palate continuing to the ever-lasting grilled tobacco white pepper finish.

People I know speak in hushed tones of the Cu Avana Punisher stogie and its stunning hot spice.  Katman’s quote is hilarious: “I believe this cigar was really invented by Otolaryngologists who are drumming up business . . . I’m pretty sure I will need to see one to remove the scar tissue from the tip of my tongue.” He too describes this 18-year-old dynamo.

A power monster, water only diluted the force. So skip the aqua. Apprentices say “not for me.” An Enthusiast wonders “Who on earth…?” The Hedonist, always in search of stunning flavors, won’t find any here. But the Adventurer, who conquers mountains because they exist, finds comfort in this dram. Note the huge disparity in ratings. (3 out of 10? Huh?) Like I say: One person’s 95 is another’s 75. It means if you don’t crave it, move on. Otherwise prepare to fall in love. Pack either the Punisher or a stick of strength. You’ll require a companion on this trip!

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: Optimal Client Type Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado Apprentice Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist Dessert or After Meal Cigar

Other expert reviews of Jura 18

Distiller.com review: The classic Jura flavors of light smoke and intense brininess are regally framed by the bourbon cask’s indulgent tones of toasted honey comb, pie crust, and vanilla cream. On the palate the red wine casks are felt with a pleasant impact of sweet red currant and dried cherry. The malt has a nice full-ish body and a lingering finish that shows a return of the peaty and salty maritime flavors of the distillate. –John Rankin

USC review: This enigmatic scotch shows overlapping tones of packed salt, preserved cherry, and baked figs. There is distinct red fruit character in the mouth that plays a beautiful contrast to intense maritime iodine that underpins the experience of the dram.

Malt-Review: A pretty lacklustre 18 year old by any stretch of the imagination. I can name several similarly aged whiskies for around this price point. Go find a Tasliker 18 or the delightful Inchmurrin 18 year old and really experience a well made whisky that hasn’t been messed with.

Hapa Mag review: There’s only one way for me to describe this whisky: spicy!! This single malt packs a fiery punch as it dances down your gullet. With sharp hints of cinnamon and holiday aromatics, this is a whisky I’d use for mulled wine, eggnog, or a hot toddy. If you have a holiday cocktail party in your future, spice things up with Jura 18. –Melissa Slaughter

Casa by Caldwell CdM Exclusive Review

5 0 3.6k

Up for review is another cigar from Caldwell Cigar Co. If you’ve read any of our other reviews of Caldwell product, you know that we’ve got a soft spot for this brand. After arriving on the cigar scene a few years ago, the company has proven time and again that it can produce full bodied cigars of the highest quality.

Casa by Caldwell is the company’s first “exclusive,” meaning a blend creating exclusively for a single retailer. In this case, the honor of Caldwell’s first exclusive goes to Casa de Montecristo, one of the largest chains of high end cigar lounges in the USA.

Blend Specifics

  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Claro
  • Binder: Sumatra
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 6 x 50 Toro

Appearance & Construction

The Casa by Caldwell is, like other Caldwell cigars, wonderfully presented. The outer Sand Andres wrapper is thick and leathery, with a dark, inviting complexion. Off of the foot there are strong scents of dust, cedar, black pepper, and savory meats. The cold draw on the other hand is subdued, with some granola and dark chocolate. The draw is perfect, about a 7/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness. Let’s light up.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Casa by Caldwell kicks off with rich, medium bodied smoke, and excellent smoke production to boot. To start, there’s a healthy dose of dark chocolate on the palate met in equal force with oak, giving the flavor profile a character that is satisfyingly high in bitterness and in sweetness. On the tip of the tongue there are some grilling spices, while charred wood and pepper make up the lions share of the retrohale. Construction is on point, with the ash only waving a touch as I near the end of the first third. 

Overall, I really love the combination of creamy chocolate, bitter wood, and savory spices.  It’s an excellent way to start the cigar. It’s got a heft and heartiness to it that’s hard not to love. 

Unfortunately, that experience doesn’t continue for long. About 20 minutes into the cigar, the flavors shift dramatically, with charred wood and black pepper dominant. Layered beneath are notes of espresso, stone minerality, and some of that dark chocolate. But overall I feel like I’m smoking a barbecue, which is great but also betrays a lack of balance with the overly dominant pepper influence. 

As the second ash drops near the start of the second third, the pepper and oak settle down to more manageable levels, allowing a silky espresso note to come to the forefront along with a slight savory note. There’s still plenty of hot red pepper on the tip of the tongue, with more espresso on the retrohale. The cigar is now just above medium bodied, medium strength. 

The Casa by Caldwell continues on in similar fashion, with no lapses in construction all the way up to the final third. The smoke begins heating up, while red pepper, more charred oak, and Mexican chocolate make up the profile. With an inch and a half left, the heat ramps up quickly, providing a good opportunity to set the cigar down. 

Conclusion 

Casa by Caldwell is a winner in my book. Although not always balanced, the flavor palette of charred oak, espresso, dark chocolate, pepper and spice is delicious. This is a damn good cigar, and Casa de Montecristo should be proud to have been given the honor of playing host to Caldwell’s first exclusive. 

Final Rating: 90

La Instructora Perfection Invicto Review

5 0 4.4k

La Instructora Perfection Invictus Review 2

Up for review today is another cigar from Aaron Saide and La Instructora Cigars. The company made a splash in the industry a couple of years ago, standing out for a number of reasons. First, the branding on these cigars is fascinating in that it’s actually quite difficult to read the name of the company which is debossed onto a modern art inspired band. The same is true for Aaron’s second company Sans Pareil, with bands that have literally no mention of the brand name. Second, the brand received a lot of attention for Saide’s assertions that the company only uses the absolute best tobaccos, specifically tobaccos from Jose “Jochy” Blanco’s farms, which no doubt do contain some of the most expensive tobaccos around.

I’ve smoked a number of cigars from both companies owned by Saide. In my experience, they’ve been somewhat hit and miss. But when they hit, they are some of the most complex and innovative cigars I’ve smoked, ever. The Limited Edition La Instructora blend I reviewed last year, for example, received a 94, a score which only two other cigars that year received. Saide’s cigars take up some of my most valued humidor space, so I’m always excited to review a blend I haven’t had yet.

And so it is with the La Instructora Perfection Invicto. It’s a cigar I haven’t had before, so I’m itching to get started. So on to the review.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: La Instructora Perfection Invicto
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado
  • Binder: Dominican Criollo ’98
  • Filler: Dominican Criollo ’98 and Dominican Piloto
  • Size: 5 3/4 x 56 (perfecto)

Appearance and Construction

The cigar’s outer wrapper is dark brown with a bit of a reddish hue to it. It has minimal veins, an oily sheen, and a strong texture similar to fine sand paper.  After clipping with a straight cut, the draw reveals itself to be perfect, with just the right amount of restrictiveness. Smelling the foot of the cigar I pick up notes of woodsiness, granola, and coffee. The cold draw on the other hand delivers a bit of the same but with some bright, spicy citrus. 

La Instructora Perfection Invictus Review

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics 

When the La Instructora Perfection Invicto kicks off, there’s a lot going on. The first few puffs are chock full of aggressive but very complex flavors, balanced between sweet, bitter, and savory flavors broadly speaking. After a few minutes of fighting for center stage, savory notes of cured meats, grilling spices, and leather take center stage. The smoke has a spicy texture, and the retrohale reflects and magnifies it. Overall I’d put the cigar at medium in terms of strength and body. The retrohale is another story entirely, offering up a blast of aggressive white and red pepper. 

By an inch in, it’s clear there’s a construction problem. The cigar is requiring many puffs in a row just to get a real draw of smoke, and the burn is starting to stray significantly. As the first ash drops, I can see why: there’s a fairly significant tunneling in the filler tobacco, creating air flow issues. This requires a long touch up to address. I’m hopeful it will sort itself out because I really want to experience this cigar to its fullest. 

At this point, the cigar is burning towards the end of the first third. I notice a stark decrease in intensity on the retrohale, and some new flavors make an introduction: cream, milk chocolate, and sweet nuttiness. The sweetness of these flavors pair very nicely with the spicy, savory notes that still take up most of the space. Unfortunately, as enjoyable as this development is, it’s nearly derailed as the burn again begins to stray. Is the cigar over humidified? Is the rosado wrapper just too thick? Or is it just a common rolling error? I wish I knew. 

As the La Instructora Perfection Invicto burns past the halfway mark, it seems as if the construction issues may finally be starting to resolve, but it sure has taken a lot of work. And it’s too bad, because from a flavor standpoint, it’s a great cigar. The spicy and savory notes have come into near perfect balance with the sweet, chocolaty flavors introduced in the second third—the kind of complexity you really have to have on a cigar to justify the ~$18 price point. 

In the final third, the ring gauge is tapering down, and there’s a marked resurgence of the spice on the palate and retrohale. The chocolate and cream give way to a woody core, and the finish is remarkably clean for such a strong showing in flavors.  

Conclusion 

This is a frustrating conclusion to write. The rosado wrapper creates a uniquely flavorful experience, with lots of red pepper and spice on the tip of the tongue, while cream and chocolate occupy the palate. But the issues with construction put a real damper on the experience as a whole, making it impossible for this cigar to achieve the score it would otherwise deserve. 

Final Rating: 84

The Tabernacle Robusto Review

3 0 5.2k

The Tabernacle Robusto Cigar Review

Up for review today is the Tabernacle robusto from Foundation Cigar Company. It’s a cigar that quickly earned praise from consumers and bloggers alike, and for good reason as you’ll read below.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: The Tabernacle Robusto
  • Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Binder: Mexican San Andrés
  • Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua

Appearance & Construction

The Tabernacle Robusto is undoubtedly a beautiful cigar. The gold and black band is adorned with beautiful artwork. The Foundation website describes the ornate band, saying “The artwork features an image of none other than Hailie Selassie, 225th King of Abyssinia, whose lineage traces directly to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The reference to “Tabernacle” is as a container for the Ark of the Covenant.”

The outer Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is a deep, dark brown, with one major vein running nearly the entire length of the cigar. The cigar has a nice weight in the hand, and is packed consistently its entire length.

Off of the foot are aromas of barnyard, coffee, leather and a bit of tingly spice.

The Tabernacle Robusto Cigar Review

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Tabernacle Robusto kicks off with loads of rich smoke that has a definitively dark, but remarkably light, flavor profile. Flavor notes include roasted nuts, concentrated bitter espresso, milk, and some dark fruit notes in the aroma. The retrohale is smooth and clean, adding some finely ground black pepper. The texture of the smoke alternates between silky smooth and just a touch textured. Construction is spot on. The draw is a perfect 7/10 in terms of restrictiveness, and the cigar produces ample amounts of cool smoke.

By about an inch in to the Tabernacle Robusto, that black pepper on the retrohale is starting to creep onto the palate along with some nice toasty baking spices.

In the second third, the smoke is still just below medium in terms of body and strength. The core of the flavor profile is woody, with some nice complementary flavors of salted milk chocolate, cream, and some toasted bread. Spice is minimal. I’m very impressed with the construction. The smoke production is excellent, the temperature of the smoke is cool, and the burn is consistently straight.

The final third of the Tabernacle progresses exactly as I hoped it would. The body and strength build consistently, landing up past medium. At the same time, a spice develops on the tip of the tongue along with a predominantly sweet profile of milk chocolate, charred oak, and toasted bread. The heat of the smoke finally starts to increase in about the final inch and a half, adding a bit of harshness with it.

Conclusion

There’s a reason the Tabernacle is widely recognized as an excellent cigar. Excellent construction, cool smoke, and great smoke production lay the foundation (no pun intended) for a great combination of creamy chocolate, espresso, charred wood, and spice. It’s an easy cigar to recommend and it earns an excellent score.

Final Rating: 92

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