Afternoon Cocktails and Smokes

One of our regular weekend pleasures during the warmer months is spending a few hours on the deck enjoying the sun and just being outdoors. Our property is wooded so we enjoy an abundance of birds and other wildlife. Sunday is generally a day of relaxation, perhaps after some light yard work. On a recent Sunday afternoon the time included Rye Old Fashioneds while we nibbled some snacks. I also smoked an Oliva Serie V Lancero. 

The Old Fashioned was made with Sazerac 6 Year Rye and some Backstrap syrup from J.H. Bards Spirit Company. The flavoring syrup is great for a really quick preparation while the cigar is waiting. The Rye add a little extra spice to the sweet drink.

There is no shortage of Oliva Serie V reports in these Musings. It's a ubiquitous cigar in my humidor due to being a consistently well-made and flavorful smoke. I enjoy smoking the occasional Lancero, and the frequency of that pleasure seems to be increasing of late.

The lancero vitola add a touch of elegance, and generally notches up the flavor profile a bit over the more common vitolas. The narrow, long shape does often add some peculiarities to the smoking process, requiring a bit more attention. Often the cost is slightly more than the same cigar in another vitola due to the extra skill and time required to handcraft a well made product.

The Oliva Series V Lancero had none of those added quirks. The burn remained strong and consistent throughout. I was a bit concerned as I had only acquired the cigars the past week. I normally give new additions at least a month in my humidor before lighting up. There were no issues. It's also a quite reasonably priced stick. 

On all fronts, a most enjoyable afternoon.

Cheers!