Spring’s First Pour: Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon

At last, spring has sprung. Friday marked the first official day of the season and, surprisingly, it actually felt like it. The day began warm and sunny — accompanied, of course, by a healthy dose of pollen. I spent the morning spreading mulch around the beds, and I’ll admit, I enjoy stepping outside and catching that sweet, earthy aroma of fresh mulch in the air.

After a much-needed afternoon nap, I was refreshed and ready for an evening on the porch. As luck would have it, my bottle of Barrell Craft Spirits Cigar Blend Bourbon arrived that very afternoon, and I eagerly cracked it open for the evening’s sip and smoke.

Barrell Cigar Blend is a blend of whiskeys aged 7.5 to 18 years, finished in Madeira, Armagnac, rum, and Hungarian oak casks. The few early reviews I've seen were favorable and I was curious to see if the 111.2-proof whiskey would live up to the early hype.

Poured into a Glencairn, the nose offered aromas of dark fruit and baking spices, complemented by a deep copper hue in the glass. The first sip carried a hint of the proof, but it quickly gave way to rich notes of dark, sweet cherry. With subsequent sips came additional layers — dates, figs, and a gentle mix of cinnamon and spice on the finish. A subtle hint of sweet tobacco lingered in the background, while the mouthfeel proved creamy and pleasantly viscous.

The Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition I chose for the pairing is no stranger to these Musings. Featuring a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Honduran binder, and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua, it delivers notes of coffee, espresso, and a dark fruit sweetness that complements the bourbon beautifully.

Together, the pairing was thoroughly enjoyable. The Barrell Cigar Blend melded seamlessly with the cigar’s sweet undertones. I’ve long appreciated Barrell's blends, and this release only reinforces the brand’s reputation. It seems others agree — within days of placing my order, the Cigar Blend had already sold out on Barrell’s website.

The tranquility of the spring evening was interrupted — twice — by the roar of the generator as brief power outages rolled through. A passing rainstorm, with its gusty winds, was likely to blame. The main supply lines to our neighborhood run along the edge of National Park Service land, where tree trimming is minimal, so these occasional blips come with the territory.

Even so, the evening remained a delight. The soft breeze drifting through the screened porch added to the sense of calm after a day of yard chores. A good bourbon and a fine cigar only made it better.

Cheers!

Spice, Sweetness, and Smoke: Mizunara Meets Maestranza

Purely by happenstance, this alliterative pairing came together. “Mizunara and Maestranza” was simply the result of scanning my humidor and whiskey shelf and grabbing what caught my fancy. But it turned out to be more than a pleasing caption — the combination of Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Mizunara and the RoMa Craft Maestranza Caballeria Valencia cigar proved equally pleasing to the palate.

The Maestranza line from RoMa Craft debuted in fall 2024. I’ve smoked a few of the sizes and found them consistently flavorful and enjoyable. The 6 x 53 Caballeria Valencia I lit up on a recent afternoon had been resting in my humidor for about six weeks, and it did not disappoint.

The cigar wears a dark, reddish Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper over a Brazilian binder and a filler blend from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Neatly box-pressed with a mild oily sheen, the cigar is somewhat heavy in the hand.

From the first draw, the profile settles comfortably into the medium-to-full range. A core of dark chocolate, spice, citrus, and black pepper drives the flavor, with subtle transitions adding depth. Notes of cocoa, wood, and nuts drift in and out, rounded by a hint of creamy sweetness that keeps the smoke engaging from start to finish. 

On the pour side, I reached for Barrell Bourbon Mizunara Cask Finish. I’ve revisited this bottle often since picking it up in summer 2024, though I’ll admit my first impressions were mixed. The grassy, woody influence of the Japanese Mizunara oak struck me as unexpected. Yet, as the half-empty bottle now attests, it grew on me quickly.

Bottled at a cask strength of 116.42 proof, the bourbon makes a bold introduction. The nose opens with sweet butterscotch and fruit, leading into a palate rich with vanilla and butterscotch, accented by dark cherries, dry nuts, and honey. It’s almost reminiscent of a boozy Christmas cookie, with cinnamon and ginger trailing pleasantly into the long, warming finish.

Together, the cigar and whiskey played beautifully — the Maestranza’s chocolate and spice dovetailing with the Mizunara bourbon’s sweet and woody complexity. Add in a cool, low-humidity evening on the deck, a good conversation with my wife, and it was about as fine a way to close the day as one could hope for.

Cheers!

Weekend Escape: Family, Football, and Bourbon

We escaped for a weekend in Blacksburg, VA, to catch another Virginia Tech football game. It was also a chance to spend time with our son and daughter in-law who also came to town for the weekend. The weather in southwest Virginia was unexpectedly pleasant, and after a filling dinner of pizza and beer, I settled on one of the hotel’s patios to savor my evening repast. Although the prominent signs announced, “This is a Non-Smoking Hotel,” I’ve noticed that the same single ashtray drifts between the outdoor seating areas, typically bearing the remnants of a cigar.

Knowing that the lobby bar’s selection of distilled beverages and beer tends to be disappointing, I typically bring along a flask with something to enjoy. This time, I paired Barrel Mizunara Cask Finish Bourbon with a Bishops Blend cigar by Black Label Trading Company.

The Barrel Mizunara Cask Finish Bourbon opens with a warm oak and butterscotch aroma. The golden liquid glistens under the lights in the parking lot. With the first sip, rich notes of vanilla and butterscotch unfold, balanced by hints of dark cherries, dry nuts, and a touch of oak. There’s a brief cinnamon heat on the palate, but it quickly mellows, blending seamlessly into a smooth, lingering finish. The flavors of the finished bourbon meld very nicely with the roasted coffer boldness of the Bishops Blend cigar.

The evening was cool, but the nearby lights and parking lot offered enough warmth—no jacket required. The parking lot bustled with people arriving for the weekend, but otherwise I was alone with my thoughts. My only gripe? The driver who pulled into a nearby spot, with his headlights glaring right into my face, cutting through my peaceful setting briefly, but I was too relaxed to let it spoil the moment. A strategically propped seat cushion on the railing helped block most of the annoyance. After 20 minutes, he eventually backed out and left, never even stepping out of his car. If I were a bit more paranoid…

After a restful evening unwinding on the patio, Saturday brought a different pace as we geared up for the noon kickoff against Georgia Tech. The early start meant the tailgating activities were limited to some morning sandwiches before heading into the stadium. Alas there was no time for a cigar.

The game ended in our favor, with the Hokies pulling off a solid win. Afterward, we celebrated over dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, savoring the food and enjoying sightings of some of the players. When we got back to the hotel, my family, tired from the long day, headed straight to their rooms. I wasn’t quite ready to call it a night, so I took the opportunity to unwind on the patio and finally enjoy that smoke.

For this evening’s cigar, I chose an AJ Fernandez Dias de Gloria Brazil, a 5 1/2 x 54 box-pressed Robusto. This cigar has a Brazilian Mata Fina maduro wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The wrapper feels slightly dry and rough to the touch, likely from having been in my humidor for just four weeks. I’d tried one recently while in Italy, and it felt a little dry then too, though the draw and burn were still excellent. This one burned quickly but evenly, giving just enough smoking time to relax into the evening.

The flavor profile started with earthy notes and a subtle sweetness of coffee, which deepened into layers of milk chocolate and caramel. As the cigar progressed, the flavors shifted toward darker, roasted coffee with a hint of spice, adding complexity to the smoke. Paired with Barrel Mizunara Finished Bourbon, it wasn’t quite as spot-on as the previous night’s selection, but I still savored every sip—until the flask ran dry, that is.

All in all, it was a weekend to remember — perfect weather, an exciting win, plenty of good food, and, best of all, time spent with family. A tiring weekend with just the right balance of relaxation and celebration. 

Cheers!

A Sweet Pairing - Carrillo Pledge and Barrell Batch #33

For this pairing I pulled down a half empty bottle that's been untouched of late. It's been idle, somewhat because it's not readily available in Virginia, but mostly because I buy more bourbon than I drink. It's actually quite rare to finish off a bottle unless it's a regular mixer. Given the ever shrinking shelf space, I may have to make a concerted effort to reverse that trend.

Barrel Craft Spirits sources whiskeys from around the world, and expertly crafts new blends that are released as new batches, on a regular basis. Batch #33 was released in mid-2022. The bourbon was well-received by bourbon fans almost immediately. The 116.6 proof bourbon is a blend of  5, 6, 7, and 9 year old barrels from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. It carries a 5 year age statement based on the age of the youngest component.

The aroma warms the nose with notes of cinnamon and fruit pie. Sipping brings enhanced baking spices and fruit sweetness into the mix. There's a moderate warmth to the profile but it's balanced by a pleasing sweetness. The flavorful finish is long, coating the tongue with persistent sweet fruit and caramel notes.

I've been enjoying a few different cigars from E.P. Carrillo of late. This time I grabbed a E. P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel. This is a 5 x 50 Robusto wrapped in a US grown Cuban-seed tobacco called Connecticut Habano. The binder hails from Ecuador and the filler tobaccos are Nicaraguan. The soft box pressed stick is adorned with distinctive blue and gold labels. The wrapper leaf is dark chocolate in color and lightly mottled.

The flavor profile runs in the medium to full bodied range. There is some intitial spice and pepper. The main flavors are black coffee, oak and a sweet tobacco flavor. The burn throughout was even giving plenty of flavorful smoke. If we can put any stock in cigar of the year rankings, it should be noted that Cigar Aficionado ranked the Pledge Prequel the #1 cigar of 2020. Thanks to that, this one was very hard to find for a while, but seems to be widely available once again. Despite the popularity, it remains a reasonably priced cigar, with the consistent high quality one expects from E. P. Carrillo.

I enjoyed this pairing. The sweetness left on the palate from the bourbon and the sweet coffee flavors of the cigar were very complimentary. Either one is a delicious treat by itself, and together they are even more delightful.

Cheers!

Whiskey Wednesday: Barrel Vantage Bourbon and Black Label Bishops Blend

This week's Whiskey Wednesday is brought to us by the letter B. It was unintended but here we are. 

The Bishops Blend Robusto from Black Label Trading Company, was one of my top cigar picks for 2020. It so happens that I still had two from that year tucked away, though number that is now down to one. I've been itching to smoke another for some time and finally gave in to the temptation.

Bishops Blend is an annual limited release. This 2020 edition was created in two sizes, with only 450 boxes of 20 produced in each vitola. The blend is comprised of an Ecuadoran Maduro wrapper, an Ecuador Habano binder, and a mix of Nicaraguan, Connecticut broadleaf, and Pennsylvania broadleaf filler tobaccos. The smoke gives off rich flavors of coffee, cocoa, and some interesting dark fruit notes. There's a bit of pepper in there as well. Despite having rested in my humidor for three years, the flavor is still a flavorful medium to full bodied smoke.

Barrel Bourbon makes their mark on the bourbon market by sourcing, then blending and aging whiskies that have been initially aged in a wide variety of barrels. Vantage is a blend bourbons aged in Mizunara Oak, French Oak, and Toasted American Oak. The whiskies were sourced from distilleries in Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Further details are undisclosed. This bottle is marked at 114.62 proof.

The aroma is a mix of floral and fruit with light oak. There's little evidence of the proof in the nose. The fruit notes continue, along with some cinnamon and a toasted aspect come forward on the palate. The mouthfeel and finish is creamy and buttery with lingering spice. The match up with Bishops Blend is pleasant and well suited.

I've become a fan of the various Barrel blends. The lineup is quite extensive and of limited availability in Virginia. I try to seek them out whenever I can, especially the new annual releases.

Despite the extreme heat warning our area was facing, I still enjoyed the evening repast on the screen porch. The 5" x 48 robusto supplied a 60 minute smoking time which was just right for the outdoor temperature that lingered into the evening.

Cheers!