Celebrating Recovery: Liga Privada H99 and Basil Hayden's Dark Rye

Friday morning, I went in for my three-month check-in with the back surgeon. Good news: I’ve been cleared to start bending and doing light lifting again — slowly and carefully over the next six weeks as I ease back into a more normal routine, realizing that full recovery could take an entire year. (The surgeon also reminded me that I’m not 20 anymore. Harsh, but fair.) He also gave me a referral for physical therapy, which I’m genuinely excited about. I’m more than ready to start rebuilding strength.

I celebrated that evening with a special — and large — cigar. The Liga Privada H99 line from Drew Estate was introduced last year. I picked up a box of the event-only 7 x 54 Corona Doble vitola  a year ago as a retirement gift to myself.

A hybrid Connecticut-grown Corojo wrapper encases a Mexican San Andrés Otapan Negro binder. The filler is a blend of tobaccos from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Pennsylvania. The minimalist band leaves plenty of the beautiful wrapper on display, and the lengthy cigar makes a bold statement.

I used my PerfecPunch to open up the end of the cigar. The draw was somewhat loose at first but developed into perfect resistance as the cigar warmed up. Smoke production was plentiful throughout the long session.

Flavors opened with hints of pepper and toasted bread. Brown sugar sweetness gradually built alongside notes of dark chocolate, and graham cracker. It stayed consistently in the medium-bodied range, with occasional dips into full-bodied territory. The flavors remained balanced, smooth, and consistent throughout. Even toward the end, the Liga Privada H99 never exhibited any harshness — a flavorful and thoroughly enjoyable smoke.

I’ve only smoked a few from this box over the past year. The two-and-a-half-hour (or longer) smoking time requires some commitment. I did have to relight the cigar a couple of times when I briefly stepped away.

I paired the Liga Privada H99 with Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye — a bottle that’s been on my shelf for several years, as evidenced by the “Basil Hayden’s” label. Around 2020, the brand dropped the possessive “’s” and now goes by “Basil Hayden.”

Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye is a unique expression blending Kentucky straight rye, Canadian rye, and California port wine. The result is a dark red rye with a wine-like, fruit-forward flavor — more sweet than spicy, and at just 80 proof, very approachable.

The sweet fruit, caramel, and mild rye spice notes of the Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye made for an exceptional companion to the Liga Privada H99. While it’s never been a favorite sipper on its own, I especially enjoyed it with this cigar.

The small amount left in the old bottle wasn’t enough to last through the entire long smoke, so I eventually poured some Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon — coincidentally another bottle with just one pour remaining.

Four Roses Single Barrel is a go-to for both cocktails and sipping. Its profile — dark fruit, brown sugar, and spice — is more intense than the sweeter initial rye pairing. For this particular experience, the Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye was the better match for the H99. That said, I’ll still likely be restocking the Four Roses before replacing the Basil Hayden Rye.

Cheers!

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A Winter Evening Pairing: Bold Cigar Meets Mild Bourbon

As winter approaches, the opportunities to enjoy a cigar grow fewer. This week brought slightly warmer temperatures, but they were accompanied by rain and wind. Still, after a hearty chicken chili dinner, I decided to brave the elements for a cigar on the screened porch. With fresh propane canisters installed on the heater emptied last week, and joked to my wife that the other heater would probably run out as soon as I got settled.

As I was making room my my shelves for the bottles picked up over the weekend, I spotted the Basil Hayden Toast, a bottle I had not explored in some time, so decided to make it one half of the evening's pairing.

For a shorter session, I chose the Black Label Trading Company Coffin Nails Petit Corona. This 5x40 cigar is wrapped in an Ecuadorian Habano Maduro leaf, with a Honduran binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. It’s a striking little cigar, its dark, oily wrapper hinting at bold flavors to come. The dense construction made for a tight draw at first, but a quick adjustment with my PerfecDraw tool solved the issue.

The name “Coffin Nails” is intriguing. To me, it feels like a cheeky nod to those who might seek to curb our smoking freedoms. More likely, it’s simply a play on the cigar’s compact size and shape. Regardless, this cigar is unapologetically full-bodied. Bold spiciness dominates, layered over dark fruit notes. Yet, for all its strength, the smoke remains balanced, with a sweet, creamy undertone that ties everything together beautifully.

On the other hand, Basil Hayden Toast offers a stark contrast. At just 80 proof, it’s lighter than my usual preference of 90 or even 100 proof. The nose is subtle, with faint notes of caramel and oak. On the palate, delicate flavors of toffee and caramel blend with cinnamon and brown sugar. Despite the pairing’s contrasting intensities, I found the combination surprisingly harmonious.

The short 40-minute smoke ended just as predicted: with the propane tank on the second heater running dry. The steady wind made the temperature drop more noticeable, but fortunately, the cigar was nearly done, and I didn’t have to cut it short. At least now I know both heaters will be fully prepped for the next outing.

Cheers!

Late Night With Basil Hayden Toast and Oliva Serie V

This was the pairing on a rare late night smoke recently. We're typically an "early to bed, early to rise" household. While perusing my whiskey shelf I spied the Basil Hayden Toast bottle sitting in the bottom corner. Its placement was reflective of how long it's been on hand -- the prime spots tend to hold more recent acquisitions. 

Basil Hayden Toast also gets overlooked most weekends due to its low proof, just 80 proof. This time I gravitated to it for that very reason. The aroma is very light, almost nonexistent. With concentration I get hints of caramel and oak. The flavor profile is also mild, but pleasant. Toffee and caramel predominate. There are cinnamon spice and brown sugar notes arriving in the finish, which lingers for a short while.

I went with an old standby for the accompanying cigar. Oliva Serie V is a smoke that I generally have on hand in several vitolas. It works well with both coffee and bourbon. It stands up to higher proof whiskeys, and at the same time doesn't overwhelm the milder ones either. The 6 x 56 Torpedo has an attractive Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan tobaccos making up the binder and filler. Clipping the sharply pointed cap reveals a firm but open draw. The cigar gives flavors of coffee, creamy chocolate, nuts, and cedar. It's robust but medium bodied. 

The late night pairing was a fine end to the evening. The cigar gave nearly two hours of pleasure. The easy sipping bourbon provided the perfect nightcap. 

Cheers!

STILL No Range Time But Cigars Are Still A Go

The last time I was able to enjoy some range time was the Sanner's Lake IDPA match at the beginning of the month. Subsequent plans to shoot Cavalier IDPA and the next Sanner's Lake matches have been cancelled indefinitely. The upcoming MD State and VA State IDPA matches are in doubt as well. Despite the fact that the DHS has ruled that shooting ranges are "essential services," our leftist Governor has ordered them be closed, thus also quashing any practice indoor practice opportunity.

At least the government can't control the weather (yet) so the back deck was a fitting place for social distancing this weekend. Chores, cigars and a few good beverages, would once again provide a pleasant distraction. Spending so much time isolated on the deck led to me being tired of looking at the rusty fan housing, so I resolved to clean and repaint it. The first round of paint done Saturday morning, I settled in with a Camacho Connecticut, paired with a Bold Rock cider. Both the smoke and the drink are on the lighter side of my usual preferences. However, for mid-afternoon relaxation, they proved more than satisfactory. I may revisit both in the near future.

Saturday evening, while Colleen was enjoying a virtual gathering with a group of her friends, I again escaped outside. This time, my pairing choice was Basil Hayden's Dark Rye and a Rocky Patel Tavicusa. This hiatus from the worldly chaos offered more kick than the afternoon pairing. I hope my neighbors enjoyed the loud Joe Bonamassa music blaring from my speakers. Coincidently, the bottle of rye was picked up during our traditional beverage run after the last IDPA match I was able to shoot. The rich, full of flavor of the smoke was an exceptional match for the unique taste of the whiskey.

Our governor has also made it illegal for the faithful to attend religious services, so we started Sunday morning watching a live-stream of Holy Mass in our living room. (Like guns, religion has long topped the left's hit list.) The virtual substitute for the real thing absorbed, it was time to finish the fan painting project. That was followed by a bit of yard work, which was a welcome reminder that spring is upon us.

Once again, I shortly found myself on the deck for a relaxing and distracting afternoon smoke. The warm sun on my back, the first cigar of the day was Crowned Heads Four Kicks 2019 Limited Edition while sipping on some iced tea. The full bodied smoke was enjoyed while listening to a bevy of birds singing in the woods, including some very vocal Pileated Woodpeckers and a distant Bard Owl.

The restful interlude was followed by a few more quick chores around the yard. Later, after dinner I retired to my spot on the deck, basking in the warmth and admiring that newly refreshed fan. (Simple pleasures for simple people.) Colleen joined me in enjoying the sunshine, while we listened to the neighborhood owl who was still being quite vocal. Hopefully we'll enjoy the sight of him soon.

For a quick "dessert" I grabbed an Oliva Serie G Maduro to enjoy with my after dinner coffee. The small cigar was good for a quick 40 minute smoke.

And then the weekend was over. Good drink, cigars, and a few spring-cleaning chores were good distractions over the two days. I'd really like to share the news of a trip to the range or a brewery, but I suspect this will be the extent of our adventures for some time to come.