Five O'Clock Friday: Survival of the Caffeinated

The food pyramid is just a suggestion.

Cheers!

Too Hot for the Porch: AVO Syncro Nicaragua in the Lounge

I generally don’t mind the summer heat and can usually tolerate it well enough to enjoy a cigar most evenings. But this week was especially brutal, and an afternoon smoke meant a trip to Hogshead Cigar Lounge. I wasn’t surprised to see a few more folks inside than usual for a weekday afternoon.

I picked up a few extra cigars for my humidor and chose an AVO Syncro Nicaragua Special Toro to enjoy during my stay.

This version of the Syncro Nicaragua is an impressive 6 x 60 box-pressed treat. I don’t often reach for large ring gauge cigars, but the box-press shape made it feel more manageable in the hand. The cap was quite flat, and I didn’t want to risk over-cutting it with a straight cut. Fortunately, I carry a small cigar punch on my keyring, which worked well to open it up. Even through the small punch, the draw was very open — almost too much so. I’ve often found that large ring gauge cigars tend to be loosely packed and have exceedingly open draws.

The cigar features a reddish-brown Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over a Dominican binder, with a filler blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos.

From the first few puffs, the AVO Syncro Nicaragua Special produced copious amounts of flavorful smoke. Initial notes included cedar, cocoa, and a sweet raisin-like note, later joined by hints of dark chocolate and roasted coffee.

Unfortunately, the burn was persistently uneven, with large peaks of unburned wrapper. I had to touch it up multiple times — really the only frustrating aspect of an otherwise enjoyable smoke. Despite the burn issues, the cigar lasted a solid 95 minutes.

Each time someone entered or exited the lounge, a blast of scorching air followed them in, a stark reminder of the 100°+ temperatures outside. It also reminded me to use the remote start on my car a few minutes before leaving.

Thankfully, the forecast calls for temperatures to drop into the mid-90s over the next few days, which means I’ll likely be able to return to the screened porch for a proper smoke and beverage pairing.

Cheers!

Port, Spice, and Smoke: Isaac Bowman Meets the Oliva Melanio

For a recent cigar and bourbon pairing, I reached for a couple of familiar old friends: Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Bourbon and the Oliva Serie V Melanio.

The Isaac Bowman is produced by A. Smith Bowman Distillery, located right here in Fredericksburg, VA. Despite the distillery’s proximity, their core expressions can be surprisingly hard to come by — even here in Virginia. The Isaac Bowman Port Finish, fortunately, is generally found on store shelves, but that doesn’t make it any less desirable.

I’ve long been a fan of port-finished bourbons as companions to full-flavored cigars, and the Isaac Bowman is no exception. The bottle bears no age statement but is believed to be aged in oak for 4 to 5.5 years, followed by a 3 to 6 month finish in port barrels sourced from both Virginia and Portugal (using a mix of American and French Limousin oak). It’s bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV).

The port influence is immediately evident on the nose, offering notes of dark cherry, sweet apple, and vanilla. The palate carries those same port-aged qualities forward — delectable hints of sweet fruit, brown sugar, creamy vanilla, and a touch of mild spice. The finish is long, warm, and very satisfying.

The Oliva Serie V Melanio has made more than a few appearances in these Musings and on my Instagram feed. I can’t recall a time when I didn’t have either the Serie V or Serie V Melanio — usually in several vitolas — resting in my humidor. It’s a versatile, well-rounded cigar that pairs just as well with whiskey as it does with beer or coffee.

This cigar features an Ecuadorian-grown Sumatra wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, including Jalapa-grown ligero. Medium to full in body, it delivers a beautifully balanced profile of peppery spice, caramel, coffee, sweet nuts, and chocolate. The lingering mouthfeel is creamy and smooth.

This particular stick was from a box of Robustos I purchased in April 2024. It was brimming with the expected rich flavors and maintained an excellent, cool burn from start to finish.

The combination of the cigar and the port-finished bourbon was an absolute delight — perhaps one of the best pairings I’ve enjoyed in recent memory.

Cheers!

Five O'Clock Friday: The Hazy Craze

Sadly, this is reflective of the options at so many pubs and breweries these days.

Here's hoping your weekend beer options are numerous.

Cheers!

Celebrate Freedom, Defend Liberty

Today — and indeed this entire weekend — patriotic Americans celebrate the foresight, wisdom, and bravery of our Founding Fathers in declaring independence from an oppressive government. Independence Day is a truly American holiday, made possible by a well-armed, determined, and freedom-loving citizenry. The Fourth of July, our original “No Kings Day,” serves as both a celebration of liberty and a solemn reminder that freedom must be vigilantly protected.

Our forefathers were explicit in their intent: our rights are granted by our Creator, not by government. Power is legitimate only when it is derived from the consent of the governed. These timeless truths laid the foundation of a nation built on freedom. But today, those principles face constant threats — not only from foreign powers, but from within our borders, from citizens and non-citizens alike.

Enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution, America was built on the idea that all people are endowed with unalienable rights — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These founding principles still exist today — for all.

Yet a vocal and aggressive minority — enabled by pandering politicians and a compliant media — seeks to erode the very fabric of American liberty. Under a distorted vision of “freedom,” they work to silence dissent, erase history, redefine language, and shame anyone who dares to disagree. Their actions reveal not a love of justice, but a deep hostility toward the foundational principles of our republic.

Yet, hope abounds. Today, millions of patriotic Americans are growing weary of the lies, the violence, and the constant smears on their character and beliefs. We are tired of being labeled as extremists simply for standing by the values enshrined in our founding documents — freedom, faith, personal responsibility, and equal rights for all.

Even amidst chaos and division, the light of liberty has not been extinguished. A growing movement seeks to return to the values of 1776, reaffirmed by the Constitution. This movement is not driven by hate, but by love — love for country, for liberty, and for future generations who deserve to inherit a free and united nation.

Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Roger C. Weightman on June 24, 1826, reflected on the significance of this day:

“For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.”

I, for one, am proud of my country. And I will not quietly accept efforts to dismantle it — whether by restricting my worship, infringing on my right to self-defense, or attempting to replace freedom with the tyrannical ideologies that history has already condemned.

So this Independence Day, don’t just wave a flag or light a firework. Reflect on what this nation stands for. Remember what was risked to create it. Celebrate America. Celebrate freedom. And above all — prepare to defend and preserve it for those who will inherit the nation we leave behind.

Happy Independence Day!

Bold Flavor in a Small Package: Dunbarton Polpetta Petit Puros

I typically drink my coffee hot and black, even on warm days. But on this particular afternoon, the heat had me craving something cooler — so I brewed up iced coffees for my wife and myself. Then I reached into the humidor for a quick smoke.

The Dunbarton Polpetta Petit Puros is a cigar I hadn’t tried before. It recently showed up in two different cigar-of-the-month subscriptions, so it had definitely caught my attention.

Originally introduced by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust as an event-only cigar, the Polpetta became a regular production line in 2023. The 4 x 48 petit robusto features a dark Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper over a Mexican San Andrés binder. The filler is a unique mix of long-leaf tobaccos and table scrapings from the production of Dunbarton’s popular Mi Querida, Mi Querida Triqui Traca, and Umbagog cigars. (Fun fact: Polpetta is the Italian word for “meatball.”)

The cigar opens boldly, with rich notes of espresso, black pepper, and dark chocolate. A thick, flavorful smoke delivers a noticeable black pepper tingle that lingers on the lips and tongue. It burns evenly, though the ash is a bit flaky.

The Dunbarton Polpetta Petit Puros delivered about 45 minutes of bold, satisfying flavor — just right for the near 100° heat on the shaded screen porch. It paired beautifully with the iced coffee and made for a relaxing afternoon. I’m looking forward to enjoying the second one I’ve got tucked away, and I’ve already added it to my list of cigars to keep on hand for when time is short but the craving strikes.

Cheers!

Smoke and Spirit: La Madonna Negra and the Legacy of Uncle Nearest

I’ve enjoyed the Black Label Trading Co. La Madonna Negra numerous times over the past couple of years, and recently revisited one that had been resting in my humidor for nearly two years — left from my original pre-release order.

Cloaked in a rich U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, the cigar features an Ecuadorian Habano binder and fillers from Nicaragua and Pennsylvania. It boasts a soft box press and is dressed with striking black, white, and gold-accented bands that contrast beautifully against the reddish-chocolate hue of the wrapper.

This well-aged stick burned evenly and delivered a medium- to full-bodied experience. Dark chocolate, espresso, and dark cherry took center stage, while subtle notes of black pepper and cedar added depth and complexity in the background.

That said, this particular cigar did present a tight draw initially. After a few minutes of struggling, I reached for the PerfecDraw tool and extracted a sizable stem that had clearly been restricting airflow. Once cleared, the draw opened up nicely, producing copious smoke and allowing the cigar’s full flavor profile to shine through.

As I enjoyed the La Madonna Negra, I reached for a nearly depleted bottle of Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey — a bottle I realized I’ve somehow never written about in these Musings.

Uncle Nearest is a Tennessee distillery named in honor of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel the craft of distillation. The “1856” marks the earliest documented involvement of Nearest Green as the master distiller for the operation that would eventually become the Jack Daniel's Distillery

While technically not a bourbon due to Tennessee whiskey's legal classification requirements, Uncle Nearest 1856 is extremely close in profile. It undergoes the Lincoln County Process, which involves filtering the spirit through sugar maple charcoal before aging — an essential characteristic of Tennessee whiskey. In every other respect, it meets the legal standards of a bourbon. Whether Tennessee whiskey is bourbon remains a long-running (and mostly semantic) debate — one I’ll leave to others.

On the nose, the 1856 offers notes of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak. The palate brings brown sugar, maple syrup, charred oak, and a touch of spice, all carried with a gentle heat from its 100-proof strength.

Compared to the Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, the “classic” example of Tennessee whiskey, Uncle Nearest is richer, bolder, and more layered — closer to a classic bourbon than its softer Tennessee sibling. One reason my bottle’s nearly empty: I've found it makes a fine Old Fashioned and has often been in my rotation for that cocktail.

As for the pairing, La Madonna Negra was an ideal companion to the whiskey. The cigar’s dark chocolate and espresso notes harmonized with the whiskey’s vanilla and caramel, while the 100-proof backbone of the Uncle Nearest stood up well to the cigar’s bold character.

Cheers!

A Summer Sobremesa: Wine, Smoke, and Setting Sun

After a hearty steak dinner accompanied by a good bottle of wine, we moved out to the deck to continue the evening under the open sky. As I perused the humidor in search of a fitting cigar to round out the experience, I selected the Sobremesa Solita Toro — a standout offering from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. It had been resting in the humidor for two months so was well-primed for lighting up.

The name Sobremesa — Spanish for “upon the table” — refers to the cherished Latin tradition of lingering at the table after a meal, enjoying conversation and company. Though we’d shifted from the dining room to the deck, the sentiment carried through.

The Solita Toro is a well-constructed 6 x 52 cigar, dressed in a smooth Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that takes on a reddish hue in the evening sun. Beneath the surface lies a binder of Mexican San Andrés Negro and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania Broadleaf ligero. The presentation is understated, adorned only with two simple gold bands.

My cigar had a slightly snug draw — tighter than I usually prefer — but not enough to warrant any correction. The burn was slow and even, delivering an ample, satisfying volume of smoke.

Medium-bodied in profile, the Solita offered a rich mix of cedar, cocoa, and coffee as core flavors. A gentle hint of pepper emerged on the retrohale, and the finish settled into a creamy sweetness. The cigar’s balance and nuance encouraged slow, thoughtful draws and a lingering exhale to fully savor its complexity. 

It burned evenly and cool for a long, relaxing 1 hour and 40 minutes — an ideal companion to an unhurried evening.

The wine of the night was Videre from Wilderness Run Vineyards — a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Malbec. Both varietals are personal favorites when pairing wine with food, and this blend hit a pleasing middle ground. Medium-bodied, it brought the bold, dark fruit notes characteristic of Malbec, while Merlot softened the tannins and softened the finish. The wine’s fruit-forward profile paired beautifully with the cigar’s creamy finish, creating a complementary interplay of flavors.

As the sun dipped below the trees and the temperature cooled ever so slightly, birdsong filled the air — an idyllic soundtrack to our “sobremesa.” It was a perfect way to end a meal and enjoyed the shared relaxation.

Cheers!