So a few pairings in the last couple of weeks. So something mentioned to me by friend of the show Candice Heigh, is that it apprears that it is no longer apt to call this #cigarSunday, more like #cigarEveryday. *Sigh* if only that were true, but sadly I cant afford that. But there is something to the fact that I have been having more then one cigar a week, and most of the time not on Sunday. I guess I have no rebuttal to that save that the further I get into this cigar smoking hobby the more I want to try. I will also say that regardless of weather, it provides me with a moment ( 40-70 min) to sit outside and enjoy the quiet, or a couple of tunes and through technology share the experience with other cigar smokers through the cigarnoise app or the Instagram. So holding myself to one cigar a week is most likely not going to happen anymore.
Can I justify this change, probably not, but trying to keep it to a mid week smoke and a weekend smoke. Weekday smoke is only available if a 10km run has been accomplished - so could be more then one midweek if I am giving er or none if I am off, weekend smoke is available if target km's have been run for the whole week. Happy to say things are looking good this week!
The pairings the last couple of weeks include:
EP Carrillo Limited Edition 2015 with a Propeller Revolution Stout
So this was a mighty fine pairing. I am getting tired of saying new to me, it will be easier from this point forward I will say if I have had it before, prettly much every cigar is new to me haha. This EP Carrillo came in the November CigarSaveur box. I picked the stout because I thought given the research on the cigar, the stout would not over power the chocolate notes of the cigar and would work well together. Happy to say that was the case. The cigar was very full bodied, and had those great grassy notes of the foot and moved through that to leather and chocolate once lit. It burned really well and the draw was that great middle line of having to pull, but not forcing the smoke through the cigar. Hints of pepper hit in the second third really giving the stout a chance to shine. Very enjoyable outing for these two.
Comacho Conneticut with a Propeller Coffee Porter
As much as the last cigar was great with the stout, the porter on this one stole the show. I should have know better to pair a porter with a great hit of coffee flavor with a conneticut wrapped cigar, but that is why this is fun, the trial and error. I have had this cigar before, and enjoyed it, but I paired it with a very hoppy ale and that worked much better then the porter on this occasion. The porter will be a continued buy for me, I really liked the flavor, and complexity it provided, and I think i may have a better smoking companion for it in the wings, so there may be a take two for this beer pairing. The cigar was okay and just okay. I found this one had a very weezy draw, burned very fast on the first third and really didnt offer up much in comparitive flavor for the porter. Again on its own or with an IPA might be a more successful match. But then I tried to take the band off, ugh not impressed. The wrapper pretty much disintegrated in my hand and could only get a puff or two out of it after that. Really disappointed in the construction, and have not seen that before with any of the Comacho products I have smoked. Curious to know if this has happened to anyone taking a cigar out of a humidified environment fairing quickly into a below zero celcius environment?
Diamond Crown Julius Caesar with 16yr old Lagavulin
So this pairing was the bombdotcom! I dont know if I have hit a pairing this on the money in a while. The JC was so amazing start to finish and Lagavulin, well you really cant go wrong with this dram.
I would call this cigar just over the medium line on its way to full bodied, and was an incredibly smooth smoke throughout. It had a great smoke, draw, and was constructed extremely well. Had it lit for over an hour for sure. Little coffee, some balanced sweet and spice notes, cant say enough about this cigar. In terms of the lagavulin, if you havent had some before, try it, now, run, faster! It has received a lot of noteriety and hype over the last number of years, and as much as you want discount that, it is deserved, I am not a overly smokey scotch lover, but this has just the right amount to add to any cigar experience without overpowering a medium to full cigar. Happy to continue to have this in my cabinet, and at its price point, you better have done something really remarkable for me to share it haha.
Arturo Fuente Grand Reserva with Hibiki Suntory
Have had both of these before, and you really cant ask for a smoother pairing. The blend on the Suntory and the mid bodied flavor of the AFGR was incredible. I wanted to just keep this party going for a while, this is becoming one of my goto pairings for sure. If you havent tried either, get after it, really really good.
Shorty Corojo #3 Gran Habano with a Cappacino from McD's
This was a flyer. I think I got this when my aunt and uncle went to the US a month or so ago, it was not on my list to get, but arrived back just the same. I wanted a quick smoke the other day so when I found this, I thought it was just the right size for what I was looking for and took it out to the cigar nook for a try. For knowing nothing about it, and usually not going for cigars in the shorty or petite sizes I was pleasently suprised. It lit incredibly well, had nice construction great flavor off the hop. A little coffee and leather and a light spice featured throughout. I dont know I would be in a rush to find more, but if they were brought out at a party I would be pretty happy also.
CigarSaveur December Box
OMG!! The box this month is all money. Not only was there a bonus cigar from Alpha Cigar Co. ( almost impossible to find in Canada) there were two other cigars I have really wanted to try, one from Caldwell and one from Drew Estates, plus an Aging Room and a Casa Magna. So pumped to get these lit, but waiting for my brother to get his first ever box/first ever purchased cigars. Its so nice to know my bad habbits are now inspiring others muhuhahahaha!
CigarNoise Coins and App
Okay so this online cigar community that i participte in called Cigar Noise is now producing swag. They have had a notification about this swag for weeks. I have relentlessly been checking the app for the notification to see when the coins and other items would be available. They teased me with 'check back soon' for about two weeks and they finally went live on Wednesday while I was on the radio for our weekly radio show. Panic!!!! After many failed attempts because of my Canadianess, a few emails, I successfully got one purchased. So be prepared in the coming months to see this coin prominately featured in my pairing photos. If you want to join the CigarNoise network - google the website and download the app. Lots of great folks just looking to share thier hobby experiences and a little chirping from time to time. But this has really helped me understand more about cigars, types, vitols, how to keep them fresh, and everything inbetween. There are videos, online cigar smoking video herfs and meet and greets with cigar makers and companies. Very cool. Check it out.
Woah that was long, happy smoking!
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
Can I justify this change, probably not, but trying to keep it to a mid week smoke and a weekend smoke. Weekday smoke is only available if a 10km run has been accomplished - so could be more then one midweek if I am giving er or none if I am off, weekend smoke is available if target km's have been run for the whole week. Happy to say things are looking good this week!
The pairings the last couple of weeks include:
EP Carrillo Limited Edition 2015 with a Propeller Revolution Stout
So this was a mighty fine pairing. I am getting tired of saying new to me, it will be easier from this point forward I will say if I have had it before, prettly much every cigar is new to me haha. This EP Carrillo came in the November CigarSaveur box. I picked the stout because I thought given the research on the cigar, the stout would not over power the chocolate notes of the cigar and would work well together. Happy to say that was the case. The cigar was very full bodied, and had those great grassy notes of the foot and moved through that to leather and chocolate once lit. It burned really well and the draw was that great middle line of having to pull, but not forcing the smoke through the cigar. Hints of pepper hit in the second third really giving the stout a chance to shine. Very enjoyable outing for these two.
Comacho Conneticut with a Propeller Coffee Porter
As much as the last cigar was great with the stout, the porter on this one stole the show. I should have know better to pair a porter with a great hit of coffee flavor with a conneticut wrapped cigar, but that is why this is fun, the trial and error. I have had this cigar before, and enjoyed it, but I paired it with a very hoppy ale and that worked much better then the porter on this occasion. The porter will be a continued buy for me, I really liked the flavor, and complexity it provided, and I think i may have a better smoking companion for it in the wings, so there may be a take two for this beer pairing. The cigar was okay and just okay. I found this one had a very weezy draw, burned very fast on the first third and really didnt offer up much in comparitive flavor for the porter. Again on its own or with an IPA might be a more successful match. But then I tried to take the band off, ugh not impressed. The wrapper pretty much disintegrated in my hand and could only get a puff or two out of it after that. Really disappointed in the construction, and have not seen that before with any of the Comacho products I have smoked. Curious to know if this has happened to anyone taking a cigar out of a humidified environment fairing quickly into a below zero celcius environment?
Diamond Crown Julius Caesar with 16yr old Lagavulin
So this pairing was the bombdotcom! I dont know if I have hit a pairing this on the money in a while. The JC was so amazing start to finish and Lagavulin, well you really cant go wrong with this dram.
I would call this cigar just over the medium line on its way to full bodied, and was an incredibly smooth smoke throughout. It had a great smoke, draw, and was constructed extremely well. Had it lit for over an hour for sure. Little coffee, some balanced sweet and spice notes, cant say enough about this cigar. In terms of the lagavulin, if you havent had some before, try it, now, run, faster! It has received a lot of noteriety and hype over the last number of years, and as much as you want discount that, it is deserved, I am not a overly smokey scotch lover, but this has just the right amount to add to any cigar experience without overpowering a medium to full cigar. Happy to continue to have this in my cabinet, and at its price point, you better have done something really remarkable for me to share it haha.
Arturo Fuente Grand Reserva with Hibiki Suntory
Have had both of these before, and you really cant ask for a smoother pairing. The blend on the Suntory and the mid bodied flavor of the AFGR was incredible. I wanted to just keep this party going for a while, this is becoming one of my goto pairings for sure. If you havent tried either, get after it, really really good.
Shorty Corojo #3 Gran Habano with a Cappacino from McD's
This was a flyer. I think I got this when my aunt and uncle went to the US a month or so ago, it was not on my list to get, but arrived back just the same. I wanted a quick smoke the other day so when I found this, I thought it was just the right size for what I was looking for and took it out to the cigar nook for a try. For knowing nothing about it, and usually not going for cigars in the shorty or petite sizes I was pleasently suprised. It lit incredibly well, had nice construction great flavor off the hop. A little coffee and leather and a light spice featured throughout. I dont know I would be in a rush to find more, but if they were brought out at a party I would be pretty happy also.
CigarSaveur December Box
OMG!! The box this month is all money. Not only was there a bonus cigar from Alpha Cigar Co. ( almost impossible to find in Canada) there were two other cigars I have really wanted to try, one from Caldwell and one from Drew Estates, plus an Aging Room and a Casa Magna. So pumped to get these lit, but waiting for my brother to get his first ever box/first ever purchased cigars. Its so nice to know my bad habbits are now inspiring others muhuhahahaha!
CigarNoise Coins and App
Okay so this online cigar community that i participte in called Cigar Noise is now producing swag. They have had a notification about this swag for weeks. I have relentlessly been checking the app for the notification to see when the coins and other items would be available. They teased me with 'check back soon' for about two weeks and they finally went live on Wednesday while I was on the radio for our weekly radio show. Panic!!!! After many failed attempts because of my Canadianess, a few emails, I successfully got one purchased. So be prepared in the coming months to see this coin prominately featured in my pairing photos. If you want to join the CigarNoise network - google the website and download the app. Lots of great folks just looking to share thier hobby experiences and a little chirping from time to time. But this has really helped me understand more about cigars, types, vitols, how to keep them fresh, and everything inbetween. There are videos, online cigar smoking video herfs and meet and greets with cigar makers and companies. Very cool. Check it out.
Woah that was long, happy smoking!
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
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