Year of the Horse and a Barrel-Proof Evening

I picked up this Rocky Patel Year of the Horse when visiting a cigar lounge back in June. I’ve been looking forward to smoking it, and after more than three months of rest in the humidor, the time had finally come. We were experiencing some early fall cool weather, with the thermometer reading 60° and a “feels like” temperature of just 53°. A bold cigar and drink seemed like just the ticket.

The Year of the Horse is a limited-edition, box-pressed 7 x 48 Churchill made for the Chinese Zodiac’s Year of the Horse. It features a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler leaves. The black, gold, and red sleeve and band give the cigar an impressive appearance. Sliding off the large sleeve reveals a chocolatey brown San Andrés wrapper that’s a bit rustic in appearance. The roll is neat and even, although the tobacco has some visible veins.

I was a little apprehensive about the draw through the long, slender Churchill, but the airflow had just the right amount of resistance. Smoke production was good, and the burn remained even, requiring no touch-ups throughout the long 95-minute smoking time.

After some deliberation, I decided on an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (Batch A124) pairing. This particular pour is one of my favorite non-cigar-blend bourbons to sip with a full-flavored cigar. Eventually, I’ll have to look for another choice, as the level in the bottle is steadily dropping.

Batch A124 was the first of Elijah Craig’s three annual barrel-proof releases from 2024. Bottled at 119 proof and carrying a 10-year, 9-month age statement, it’s one of the younger and lower-proof releases in the series. It delivers a robust sipping experience of brown sugar, dark caramel, vanilla, and charred oak, with lively cinnamon and rye spice building toward the finish. Vanilla and a hint of tobacco linger alongside the oak and spice, resulting in a long, sweet finish that’s satisfying without becoming syrupy.

I figured the dark, rich combination would provide a nice counterpoint to the chilly, steady rain of an early fall evening.

The cigar kicked off with earth, espresso, and some sweet spice notes, jumping out of the gate solidly in the medium-bodied range. The initial sips of the bourbon, with its caramel, vanilla, and oak, were more pronounced, and the Elijah Craig took the lead despite the richness of the cigar.

The pairing became more balanced as the Year of the Horse progressed and the flavors continued to develop. The cigar moved into the full-bodied range as a more roasted and spicy character evolved. I started sipping the bourbon a bit more frequently as the cigar gained strength. The components were working in harmony now.

As the smoke neared its conclusion, the pairing took on even more intensity, with the Elijah Craig’s 119 proof providing a long, warming counterpoint to the espresso, cocoa, and toasted flavors of the Year of the Horse.

Indeed, this was a near-perfect combination for a dark and damp early fall evening. There’s warmer weather predicted for the upcoming week, but the evening was a reminder that more cool nights are on the way.

Cheers!