Spring Sunshine, a Spritz, and a Cigar

After a record-breaking streak of rainy days, the sun finally shone brightly this weekend. We spent a good part of it attending our 45th (!) college reunion. It was a blast seeing old classmates and even meeting a few people I hadn’t known back then. When Sunday rolled around, we recovered by enjoying the spring weather and an afternoon aperitivo on the back deck.

While Colleen prepared a selection of snacks, I mixed up a couple of Aperol Spritzes. A trip to the humidor yielded a Crowned Heads Blood Medicine Limited Edition 2026 B Positive Toro to complete the afternoon’s indulgences.

The Blood Medicine Limited Edition 2026 B Positive is a reimagining of the popular 2025 Blood Medicine release. It features a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, an Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. The 6 x 54 Toro’s reddish-brown hue glistened in the afternoon sunlight.

The Blood Medicine B Positive had been resting in my humidor for just seven weeks. It probably could have benefited from a bit more time to acclimate after shipping. I’ve often found that newly released cigars, especially those shipped quickly from retailers, improve with additional humidor rest. Still, I was eager to give this one a try, and I have several more waiting.

The burn was somewhat wavy, requiring a few touch-ups, and the ash was a bit flaky. Those minor annoyances aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the cigar’s flavor profile. Starting out medium bodied, the Blood Medicine B Positive delivered a balanced array of notes, including dark cocoa, espresso, cedar, and black pepper. In the second half, the profile picked up in strength, pushing firmly into full-bodied territory.

The bright, bittersweet notes of the Aperol Spritz were somewhat overshadowed by the darker notes of the cigar, which took center stage on the palate. While the deeper vegetal bitterness of a Cynar Spritz might have made a more complementary pairing, the warm spring afternoon seemed to call for a lighter drink.

I found myself alternating slowly between smoking, sipping, and enjoying bites of food. That approach allowed me to better appreciate each element on its own rather than forcing the pairing to compete for attention.

An amazing chorus of birdsong filled the air throughout the afternoon, occasionally interrupted by the distant din of leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and pressure washers. Though the thick woods surrounding our home hide the neighbors from view, the sounds still detracted somewhat from the otherwise peaceful atmosphere. I’ve long believed that Sundays are meant for rest and relaxation, though that apparently isn’t a universally shared philosophy.

Our table was decorated with floral arrangements brought home from Friday evening’s reunion gathering. A visiting Swallowtail butterfly seemed to enjoy the flowers as much as we did, adding another touch to the bright spring ambiance.

Cheers!