Drink pairing Experiment #2

Cigar: Joya de Nicaragua cabinetta

Vitola / Wrapper / Binder: lancero; dual wrapper

Drink / Food: Drink pairing experiment with: Cherry Dr. Pepper; Landshark pilsner; and Patron reposado tequila, neat


Outside Factors: In shop after long hot day at work with no air conditioning; chillin with the wife.

Construction: Same as first cigar except a little firmness at band

Prelight : same as cigar #1
First Third:
Cherry Dr. Pepper: Lights easily with no early bite. The Dr. Pepper brings some creamy leather with a hint of cedar on finish. Cedar leaves a dry tart tinge on front of tongue.
Landshark beer: I’m going to try this sans lime and salt. Nope. Can’t do it. Okay, salt made the beer palateable. Flavor here is woodsy and deep, hitting the middle of tongue.
Patron tequila: Thought the peppery bite of the Patron might bring out the pepper I had with the first cigar; not so much. Leather taste is creamy and clean on finish.

Draw: firmer than the first cigar, but still very good
Burn: No relights. Burned fast through first two thirds, then slow and easy for finish. Very straight for humidity.
Ash/Smoke: Holds extremely well for the vitola; 1”+. Smoke is good, but not to level of cigar #1.

Second Third:
Cherry Dr. Pepper: repeat of first third.
Landshark beer: Some mushroom with the woodsy taste of the first third.
Patron tequila: Leather with some cedar. My first time having Patron. I am enjoying the tequila, but not impressed with how it is pairing.

Final third:
Cherry Dr. Pepper: Still the same flavors throughout. Dr.Pepper has been a go to as far as pop for reviewing, but the lack of complexity with this drink is a hit to the scoring.
Landshark beer: As I hit the maduro portion, the flavor gets more rich with better body. Thick deep wood comes in.
Patron tequila: If I pair this tequila with a cigar again, it will be a maduro. The drink is finally hitting a good note. Much more flavorful maduro portion than cigar #1. The Patron’s pepperiness blends well with the rich wood and mushroom.
Cherry Dr. Pepper retry: Wondered if the maduro would help this as well. Not really.

Strength: mild Flavor: mild (front) mild medium (maduro)

Overall Impression: Okay, as a lancero playa hata, I am impressed as they went two for two on great constructed cigars! This cigar flavor wise, didn’t match up with the first on the front wrapper, but the maduro was good enough I want to try this cigar as all maduro. The humidity we have been dealing with here in Ohio this week may have played a part in this stick not being as flavorful or complexed as the first. But still, a very enjoyable cigar I would recommend to smokers who enjoy milder offerings. I would suggest waiting for a good day, especially if smoked outdoors.

Cherry Dr. Pepper pairing score
Construction: 8 10
Prelight: 4 5
First Third: 11 15
Draw: 9 10
Burn: 9 10
Ash / Smoke: 9 10
Second Third: 7 10
Final Third: 6 10
Overall impression: 16 20
Total Score: 81 100

Landshark pairing score
Construction: 8 10
Prelight: 4 5
First Third: 12 15
Draw: 9 10
Burn: 9 10
Ash / Smoke: 9 10
Second Third: 8 10
Final Third: 9 10
Overall impression: 17 20
Total Score: 85 100

Patron tequila pairing score
Construction: 8 10
Prelight: 4 5
First Third: 12 15
Draw: 9 10
Burn: 9 10
Ash / Smoke: 9 10
Second Third: 6 10
Final Third: 9 10
Overall impression: 17 20
Total Score: 87 100
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[hscmit]

great job lou

[dwoodward]

It's like 3 reviews in 1... But I can't help but think that drinking 3 things at once with the same cigar is a little inaccurate. Next time you should stick to the same drink for a whole cigar, do a review, then do the same with the next drink.

Flavors mix, that's my 2 cents.

Interesting idea tho, I like it.

[big a]

Great idea and great review. that stick looks mighty tasty I always seem to enjoy the cigars more when I am able to drink pop with them. Smoke what you like and drink what you like

[kaisersozei]

Great job on the review, creative idea

I like these cigars with a root beer or a brown ale. Very tasty both ways!

Originally Posted by dwoodward

It's like 3 reviews in 1... But I can't help but think that drinking 3 things at once with the same cigar is a little inaccurate. Next time you should stick to the same drink for a whole cigar, do a review, then do the same with the next drink.

Flavors mix, that's my 2 cents.

Interesting idea tho, I like it.

I made a point to smoke without drinking for a couple minutes to help clear the previous drink. Then would take a couple drinks of next beverage to cleanse before next puff. I don't think this would be possible with a robusto or other shorter vitola. The one thing I think I screwed up was to have one drink be a control from cigar #1 to #2. Then I could see if flavor profiles change from cigar to cigar. These two cigars did seem a little different; possibly due to heat and humidity during smoking of this one. Both were smoked in Air conditioning, but I can only get it so coll in my mancave.
Thanks for the constructive comments dwood. I have a couple other ideas I may try, and may need a devil's advocate to make sure I thought them out clearly.

[SteveH]

Fantastic work. Keep it up !

[smokin5]

In my experience, tequila is a very difficult drink to pair with cigars, much as I enjoy it. I've found only 2 cigars that really work well - Punch Gran Puro & San Luis Rey, both Hondurans. The oakey/molasses/pepper of the smokes complement the sweet/spicy taste of the tequila quite nicely.
Nothing else I've had really pairs as well.
Interesting experiment using the different drinks on a single smoke.