Whisky Review: The Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2010

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The Bruichladdich Distillery has won numerous awards, which is particularly impressive given its comparatively young age (at least, in its current iteration). This time, we’re reviewing their Islay Barley 2010. This unique single malt is aged for a surprisingly short 6 years and primarily features the flavors of the barley and water that go into it.

We learned a lot from this whisky, most particularly that age isn’t everything when it comes to single malts. Check it out and, if you’re so inclined, pick up a bottle yourself and let us know what you think.

Michter’s Bourbon: First Time Sippin’ in the “Texas Fall”

We’re starting to get into a little fall weather in sunny ATX (just kidding, it’s still blazing hot but there are some leaves on the ground so there’s that). Regardless, even if based on strength of theme alone, this time of year we love to kick back on a porch and sip our drinks while people-watching or otherwise whiling away the hours. It’s a good time of year to reflect, and I’ll be damned if I wasn’t reflecting on how little we’ve been reviewing lately.

So, I decided to end my moment of quiet reflection and hit the liquor store for something new to try.

I was initially looking for a seasonal release. I love those because I feel like reviewing them can get exposure to those hard to find items that people may be a little iffy on. However, I kept coming back to a bottle that I had never tried but I know serves as a benchmark for many others, and that I’d been hearing about for years as a “must try item”. I speak, of course, about the Michter’s Bourbon.

It was time to give it a try even if everyone and their mother already knew about this bad boy.

Now, I’m something of a novelty snob. So when I try something that is always available, I expect it to taste very standard. Decent, approachable and boring. I will tell you right now that wasn’t the case with the Michter’s.

I enjoyed it in my preferred way: one very large ice cube, generous pour. That way I get to really taste the evolution of the bourbon from neat to slightly more opened up as the cube slowly dilutes the beverage.

The Michter’s has a great flavor right up front that commands your attention. It is sharp and bright, however it backs off its bite just before the sting would hit, leaving only warmth. The flavor is honey syrup and pears.

The finish of this drink is a really nice, roasted oats kind of flavor. The toasty warmth sticks around.

There’s also some good spice here. I got, at different intervals, allspice and cinnamon and a little clove. All very enjoyable stuff, and perfect for the Autumnal illusion I was trying to surround myself in.

Overall, the Michter’s is something truly special. I will absolutely be picking this up again, and it has become an instant favorite. I’m also of the opinion that this is a highly versatile liquor, and can’t wait to try it out in a cocktail (spoiler alert, stay tuned…). To sum up, you’re going to want this in your rotation. If you’ve never tried it, now’s the time. And if you have then get to the nearest patio or pub and enjoy another glass. It’s real good.

Poolside with the La Flor Dominicana Ligero

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What’s the best kind of weather for smoking a cigar? My ideal factors would involve the following: a crisp 45 degrees outside, reclining by a large fire, and winding down with a Weller’s after a sustaining, wintery meal. It’s reaching triple digits on regular basis in the Texas summer, though, so we lived out the next best ideal: in a shaded pool with a glass of rum.

I’d bought four La Flor Dominicana Ligeros for a trip to Houston, where I’d planned to grill out and relax. It is a particular kind of blessing when everyone else shows up with enough cigars for your crew, and then some. So I saved the Ligeros for a good day, like this one. Steven poured out some Ron Zacapa 23 (review to come) into glasses for me, him and our friend TJ. It was the middle of the day and the sun was beating the ever-living hell out of us. We found some refuge under a cabana that overhung the pool and lit up with a regular red Bic (sacrilege, I know).

The power of this cigar, combined with the scorching heat and cold rum, put me in an ideal state of lower consciousness. You feel the hit immediately with a LFD Ligero. The flavor is robust but even. It’s an unassuming, straightforward smoke. Binder and filler leaves are, as you might surmise, Dominican, but the wrapper is an Ecuadorian Sumatra Maduro.

Easy to light, and easy to stay lit – TJ got up to get something from the apartment for about 15 minutes and left his cigar there, smoldering. When he came back he was able to puff it again easily. When you’re at the pool, you need ease of use when smoking – you might be grilling, splashing, or otherwise being a summer degenerate. The LFD Ligero is that perfect kind of smoke. Out of the three of us, there were no lighting or construction issues whatsoever, making it easy to philosophize and screw around in the pool. I recommend the LFD for an outdoors smoke for this reason – its hardiness would do you well on a walk through the woods, at a windy beach, or on a saltlicked boat somewhere.

This LFD experience lasted a good 45 minutes with the robusto size. At a price point of about $7/each, you’d be remiss not to end a summer with a pack of these to enjoy with friends. Find a body of water, get in it, have a cool drink to accompany, and light up. Let us know what you think!

Bobalu Cigar Company 20th Anniversary Tribute

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We’ve mentioned before but it’s worth reiterating: Bobalu cigars will always remain near and dear to my heart. That’s because they were the first cigars that I ever really loved, and they really opened my eyes to the flavor possibilities that premium cigars could hold.

To commemorate years of handmaking cigars, they recently released a special edition 20th Anniversary Tribute cigar. It is a dark-wrapped stick with smooth seams and a very slightly toothy texture. It’s band features the city of Austin skyline, referencing the downtown location that has served as home base for Bobalu and its core of dedicated fans. After I’d admired my hometown depiction long enough, I gave it a cut and started toasting.

I’ol admit, I was a little nervous on this one. I have sometimes encountered construction issues with Bobalu cigars (in the distant past, and infrequently), and I really did not want that to be the case here. I am pleased to report that it was not. The initial draws offered the perfect amount of resistance, and it burned evenly throughout the entire smoke. Flavor-wise, the first third offered nutty pecan flavors and toast. Very subtle sweetness from the pecan meant that the smoke was not at all cloying, nor was it particularly rich. However, it was deep and very enjoyable.

The second third saw a subtle shift in the flavor, with the pecan and toast becoming more woodsy, almost oaky, though never quite touching that kind of campfire smoke taste. There was a touch of cinnamon here as well, along with a hint of paprika. Regardless, none of these flavor popped, but maintained that very gradual shift into focus.

The final third maintained the theme of “smooth transitions”, though this time even more subtle, and nothing lingered long. For a few moments I’d detect some significant dark caramel flavors, almost burnt. Then they would dissappear and return to the woodsy flavors I’d been enjoying. It was an interesting experience, just as the cigar would shift into the background of conversation then it would smoothly pull focus again.

This cigar is worth seeking out, certainly if (as I’d imagine is the case for most of my readers) you haven’t tried a Bobalu cigar before. However, if you are already a Bobalu fan, this is a must try and a worthy tribute to the brand. A very interesting cigar that, for me, reminded me why I fell in love with stories in the first place.

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve

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It’s no secret that Arturo Fuente makes some damned fine cigars. Many of his lines, including the famed Añejo and Opus X, rank among my personal favorites. So, when I discovered the Don Carlos personal reserve I knew I’d be in for a real treat.

The packaging on this cigar is handsome, very classic Fuente styling with just enough gold to exude class without being gauche. The cigar is also beautifully wrapped, with flawless construction aesthetically speaking. I gave it a classic cut and toasted it slowly with a soft flame lighter. This was a stick worth paying extra attention to.

The first few puffs gave me a combination of leather and black pepper. The pepper pops waned and (excuse the metaphor) it began to feel as though I was sinking into a well worn recliner. The strength was perfectly balanced and highly conducive to lounging. Call this a stress relief cigar. The smoke production was also impressive, nothing too strong but enough to feel substantial and give a very creamy mouthfeel.

The second third saw the leather flavor deepen into a slightly caramelized simple syrup. Rich and deep. The cigar was burning razor straight and was cool to the touch at this point. The value of construction is definitely not just aesthetic here.

The final third brought an even deeper syrupy flavor and an increase in strength. Each puff felt and tasted like molasses dripping off the tongue. However, it never became too cloying. This was a CIGAR, and a very subtle woodsy note did begin to permeate the smoke during the final third.

If I had to describe this cigar in a word, it would be “balance”. Each puff feels complete, and though its not quite as attention grabbing as some of the smokes I’ve tried, it’s one that commands your respect. In the same way that your mind begins to wander to wondrous places even while you enjoy the sensation of a good massage, this cigar is conducive to whiling away an hour or so in near complete relaxation.

 

Bernheim Original Wheat Bourbon

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51% winter wheat, 39% corn, 10% barley malt. 45% ABV.

It’s cold outside now in Austin and we’re back at it with the whiskey reviews. Last week, I wanted to try a new wheat bourbon. I’m only really familiar with WL Weller, a staple over at C&W, and it’s such a reliable bottle that I’ve rarely ventured out to see what else is out there. The Weller, which we’ve reviewed here a while back, features a chewy, satisfying flavor and stays away from oversweet qualities or astringency that might be endemic to a wheat whiskey. It was against the Weller standard that I rolled the dice on the Bernheim Original.

Three of us settled on the porch, each with different cigars but splitting the Bernheim, a few splashes each and neat. By itself, the Bernheim is astringent. If you’re unfamiliar with this taste, do you know how you’ve choked down Robitussin as a little kid, at the direction of a parent or a school nurse? The first part of Robitussin, out of those little plastic caps, is not that bad. It tastes a little bit rich, round, like licorice. But the end – what we call the backsip – is the rough part. It makes you pucker your lips and grimace unrecognizably. The Bernheim, without any water or ice to open itself up, has the same effect. So, because we like to enjoy ourselves and not feel like we are taking medicine, we added some water.

Room-temperature water opened up this bottle very well. The Bernheim only needed a splash, and we could taste some vanilla, cedar and of course the wheat. Grant, who had joined us on the back porch for the night, mentioned that a couple of big ice cubes were his favorite way to water down a nice whiskey. I agree with this. You may taste something different in the drink when the ice is at various melted levels; we were fresh out of cubes, so water had to do. Either way, we were drinking a wheat bourbon on the back porch – hard to complain otherwise.

Even though some water saved the night, it’s difficult to justify the Bernheim Original for the price. The 750 ml bottle ran for about $28, the same price point as WL Weller. It’s a thinner, less developed wheat bourbon, and Weller is just the superior product in this field. If you happen to need a wheat bourbon for a particular sort of cocktail, the Bernheim is excellent – a couple of days later I used it for a hot toddy kind of drink with a cider, and the sharpness complemented some of the sweetness. But if you’re hoping to sip something straight, neat or with an ice cube, spring for a different wheat bourbon. I’m continuing the hunt for something to beat WL Weller.

The Third Annual Pumpkin Beer Tasting

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Although we are Cigar and Whiskey, we pride ourselves on trying a world of delicious things in the world of smoke and drink. So it was three years ago that we decided that we’d try some pumpkin beers and let everyone know what we thought. Last year we tried even MORE pumpkin beers, then promptly got too drunk and forgot to write down everything (this shall henceforth be referred to as “the lost year”). However, this year we decided we wouldn’t be doing this project justice if we didn’t taste ALL of the pumpkin beers we could find in the central Texas area!

We also decided to base this round on data more than remembering specific taste, because frankly its hard to keep great notes when you’re 40+ beers deep. So, we gave all of our tasters scorecards (there were eleven tasters total) and had them rate each beer on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being “not fit for human consumption” and 5 being “give me the rest of the bomber”. We then combined and averaged the scores to bring you our official ratings for this year!

We’ll include in the list below the name, brewery, and style of the beers in addition to the average rating. If you’ve got any questions or opinions on the beers themselves then sound off in the comments and we’ll do our best to try to remember them…(seriously, next year we’re going to include a better notes section because relying on memory for specific tasting notes is, shall we say, impossible).

Anyway, without further ado, here’s the list!

Name Brewery Type Score
Black’O’Lantern Wasatch Stout 4.27
20 Pounds of Pumpkin Samuel Adams Ale 3.82
Pumpkin Ale Whole Hog Ale 3.82
Pumpkin Ale Upslope Ale 3.82
Pumpkinator St. Arnold Imperial Stout 3.73
Pumpkick New Belgium Ale 3.45
Imperial Pumpkin Smash Crown Valley Stout 3.45
Krunkin Pumpkin Karbach Ale 3.27
Nightmare on 1st Street Off Label Imperial Ale 3.00
Leinenkugel Harvest Patch Shandy Leinenkugel Shandy 2.86
Harvest Pumpkin Ale Blue Moon Ale 2.82
Imperial Pumpkin Harpoon Imperial Stout 2.82
Pumpkinhead Shipyard Ale 2.64
Pumking Southern Tier Imperial Ale 2.64
Imperial Pumpkin Porter 26 Epic Imperial Porter 2.55
Pumpkin Massacre Infamous Porter 2.55
Pumpkin Seasonal Wasatch Ale 2.45
Punk’n Uinta Ale 2.45
Funkier Pumpkin Boulevard Brewing Company Spiced Sour Ale 2.45
Headless Gentleman Imperial Bourbon Porter Strangeland Brewery 2.45
Pumpkin Spice Latte Buffalo Bayou Ale 2.45
Imperial Pumpkin Porter 15 Epic Imperial Porter 2.36
Wick For Brains Nebraska Ale 2.32
Pumpkin Spice Latte Breckenridge Brewery Stout 2.27
Punkin Ale Dogfish Head Brown Ale 2.27
Sleepy Hollow Five Stones Ale 2.27
Pumpkin Patch Rogue Ale 2.27
Funk’N’Patch Uinta Ale 2.18
Punkel Lakewood Brewing Company Dunkel 2.09
Smashed Pumpkin Shipyard Ale 2.09
Pumpkin Ale Kennebunkport Ale 2.00
Pumpkin UFO Harpoon Unfiltered Ale 2.00
Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat Shock Top 2.00
Fall Hornin’ Anderson Valley Ale 1.73
La Parcela Jolly Pumpkins Sour Ale 1.55
Rumpkin Avery Brewing Ale Aged in Rum Barrels 1.45
Post Road Pumpkin Ale Brooklyn Ale 1.36
Hooligan North Peak Ale 1.27
Pump(KY)n Avery Brewing Porter Aged in Bourbon Barrels 1.18
Pumpkin Lambicus Timmermans Lambic 0.91
Pinchy Jeek Barl Anderson Valley Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Ale 0.91
Warlock Imperial Stout Southern Tier 0.91
Pumpkin Latte Martin House Stout 0.73

We’d also like to give a special shout out to WhichCraft Beer Store in Austin Texas for helping us curate our selection this year and offering us a few hard to find selections they were aging. Thanks guys!

 

Tatuaje The Kreuger Halloween Series #9

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I am an enormous fan of horror. I am so, so glad that there is a cigar maker out there who is as well, allowing me to combine two of my great passions. This year I was particularly excited, because the Kruger is inspired by perhaps my favorite classic slasher, Freddy Kruger from the Nightmare on Elm Street series. In the past, I have been impressed by the quality of these cigars (because it would be incredibly easy to make them purely as a gimmick and still get sales). I’d have to see if the streak continued.

To start, this vitola is really unique. It’s a box-pressed torpedo that has length similar to that of a Churchill. I have not done any additional research to confirm this, but my theory is that it is supposed to be reminiscent of one of Freddy’s finger-knives. I’ll choose to believe this, because it’s just too cool to think otherwise. The wrapper is slightly rough and mottled, with a slightly slanted cap. It gives off a smell of damp earth and pepper even before the light.

The first third was frankly kind of shocking (in a good way). There were rapid transitions and pops of flavor that made every puff a unique experience. I got pink peppercorn, maple syrup, and little bits of crystalline sugar flavors. There was also a slightly tannin quality to the taste as it lingered. This was overlaid over a bright cedar flavor with a touch of brassiness. This absolutely commanded attention and made it a really interactive smoke.

The second third really saw the cedar deepen. I also got a sweet hay flavor. The pepper took a backseat at this point but the strength of the cigar also gradually ramped up. A rich fruit taste also appeared, something like apple or apricot.

The final third brought really deep leather flavors, a resurgence of black pepper, and some more maple sweetness. The flavors remained fairly constant during this third, but the strength was definitely up there.

This cigar was incredibly fun to smoke. I made the comment as I got into the final third that this length was perfect because I fell in love with it and still had plenty to go. Freddy Kreuger may be a horrifying nightmare, but his cigar is an absolute dream to smoke. They’re out now, so pick one up while you can!

La Palma Dominican Maduro Corona


If you visit Denver Colorado, you will be very tempted to drive everywhere particularly if you are near the outskirts where several of the craft breweries call home. It’s wide open, with plenty of industrial warehouses, body shops, and shipping businesses. However, resist the temptation. You will stumble upon many absolutely hidden gems. Although they are not located in an obviously close area, in about half an hour I ran across an urban winery, chocolate tasting room, several breweries I’d never heard of, and finally a tucked away cigar lounge with a serious focus on rum. That’s where this current tale was written.

Being out of town, I’m usually interested in the novelty of a new store. I try to see the new blends that may have come out that are yet unavailable in my area or simply difficult to find. In this case I asked the proprietor for a recommendation for “something new and/or particularly interesting” in his humidor. He mentioned some Tatuajes and Illusiones (excellent choices to be sure), but then said “I actually have my own blend that I sell here”. Bingo.

Now, if you’ve been to some smaller cigar shops, you’ll know that many times this is an iffy proposition. To be honest, they are usually fairly amateur. However, I am one to judge a book by its cover for better or worse, and these were clearly thoughtfully packaged. I probed a bit further, and realized after some minor discussion that this was no throw-away blend. This was an enthusiast who put together something interesting that he personally wanted to smoke. When he mentioned his specific pairing preference (Cuban-style rums) that these were particularly blended for, I knew I had a winner in hand. So, I cheerfully purchased a corona (his preferred Vitolo, and usually mine) and bellied up to the bar with a nice glass of Viscaya 21 rum (another personal recommendation – normally I’m fairly confident in my drink selections, but I’ll never pass up a personally curated experience from the blender himself).


The cigar opens up with several big flavors, all vying for dominance in the first third of the stick. I got black pepper, cedar and cinnamon in equal measure, though the cedar began to soften into something more syrupy as the the third progressed, and the cinnamon melded beautifully as the black pepper gave way slowly until it added just a touch of heat on the retrohale. The flavors linger for a long time on the tongue, and here’s where the dedication shines through. This particular blend accentuates and mitigates the somewhat cloying sweetness of the rum, forming an elegant marriage that, though perhaps overwhelming on an invidual basis, morphs into a whole substantially more elegant than the sum of its parts.

 The second third really accentuates the smoothness while adding just a touch of caramel and sugar cane without losing that toasted cedar flavor in the first. Again, these tastes are powerful, yet they don’t overwhelm the rum and vice versa. I’ll also add that the venue is the perfect place to enjoy such an experience, plush with leather couches, a well-placed ventilation system, and electing hanging lamps. It is down to earth but luxurious. The conversation with Clay doesn’t hurt either, he’s a great conversationalist and worth the seat at the bar alone. 


The final third of the cigar is an extension of the second, the flavors continuing to meld with the occasional pop of pepper as if to remind you that you’re smoking something interesting and you oughtn’t to drift off in the clouds of perfumed smoke too much. No doubt that you need to pay attention to the rum as well, though they meld so beautifully that is honestly hard not to just sit back and drift off into introspection. 

I’ll say a word on the construction of the cigar as well. There are two kinds of excellent construction: those that perform well consistently, and those that recover without any real babying. This cigar falls into the second category. Several times I was sure it had gone out and would require a relight, but a few puffs brought it easily back to light. It kept a sharp burn throughout and never had any major issues.


If you ever find yourself in Denver and want a very chill cigar smoking experience, look up Palma Cigars and settle yourself in. The blender/proprietor, Clay Carlton, will treat you right. He’s also a fervent support of our troops and has sent cigars overseas for years. It’s a great place, a great cigar, and well worth your money and your visit.

The Patoro Churchill Serie P – Dominican Standby with Brazilian Kick

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Stephen lit up a Patoro Churchill the other night during a poker game. I have to admit that it stank. Stank like I’ve never smelled stank before from a cigar. Wet-dog-smell stank. Ol’ Steve had put in some new Boveda packs into his coolidor, and while the packs tend to even out over about a week’s time or so, it sometime takes a while for the humidity to level out. This was a new cigar, too, and it may have been wet from the store to begin with.

Either way, Stephen got me a Patoro Churchill for my birthday, as well, so I can’t wet-dog on him too much. Mine “felt” like it was at a good temperature – neither spongy and full of humidity nor dry and crisp like kindle. The Patoro Serie P is a relatively new line with Dominican fillings and bindings, but with a Brazilian wrapper. This turned out to be my first Brazilian-wrapped cigar since I smoked the CAO Brazilia Gol in 2011.

Immediately, I knew that I’d gotten a Patoro in better condition than Stephen’s. The cigar lit with ease, the smoke production was immediate, with an easy and graceful draw.

The first notes kicked off with chocolate, cream, and a little char. This lasted for about 20 minutes or so, and soon it turned into a mellow, low-key flavor profile. Many cigars don’t follow the rule of thirds, in which the flavor changes up over the course of the experience. While the smoke was tasty (and not reminiscent of an old, mossy children’s pool, as Stephen’s smelled), it was mellow and low-key to the point of blandness. The flavor never changed afterwards. I don’t want to down on this cigar – it required no maintenance at all and let me talk on the porch without having to pay too much attention to it. But the Patoro never really grabbed my attention in the first place. Still, a birthday cigar is a birthday cigar, and it was a perfect choice for an easy, relaxed, run-of-the-mill night.

At $12 a stick, the Patoro might be a little too pricey for an everyday or regular smoke. And I can’t recommend it on a special occasion, since there are plenty of other cigars at that price point that would offer a little more variety and excitement. Still, if the box was uneven, perhaps Stephen and I both missed a delicious one. Looking forward to trying it again.