Fire & Flavor: A Chilly Evening with Bourbon and a Fine Cigar

This weekend, I'm trying to squeeze in a couple more bourbon and cigar pairings before my post-surgery break, which means embracing the cold.

After an early dinner on Friday, with the sun still lingering above the horizon for another hour or so, I poured a glass of Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon and lit a Noble Cigars Act Two to enjoy alongside it.

The Noble Act Two had been resting in my humidor since June 2024. I last smoked one in July and found it quite enjoyable. Why I hadn’t had another since then, I don’t know — so many cigars, so little time.

This 6 x 52 Toro features an exceptionally smooth, dark brown Mexican San Andrés wrapper, with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. The Noble website describes it as a full-bodied Doble Ligero. Right from the start, warm black and chili pepper dominate the profile. Soon, a slightly sweet medley of dark fruit, caramel, and chocolate joins the party. These flavors remain constant throughout the two-hour smoke, with the spice notes settling into the background as a complementary seasoning to the rich, dark flavors.

Just like the one I enjoyed last summer, the construction of the Noble Act Two was flawless. The wrapper was tight and smooth, the cigar burned slowly and evenly, and it produced plenty of flavorful smoke. The ash held strong — so much so that when it passed two inches, paranoia of it falling into my lap set in, and I carefully tapped it into the ashtray. It resisted at first. I smoked it down to a finger-and-lip-warming nub, leaving behind just three solid pieces of ash.

The Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon gets its name from the whiskey the distillery was permitted to produce “for medicinal purposes” during Prohibition, bottled at 115 proof — just like today’s version.

Aromas of sweet maple, chocolate, and dark fruit rise from the glass. On the nose, there’s little indication of its high proof. Sipping reveals flavors of cinnamon, black pepper, dark chocolate, and a hint of oak char. At 115 proof, it delivers warmth but remains smooth — never harsh or overwhelming.

The combination of Old Forester 1920 and Noble Act Two was a powerhouse of complementary flavors. As the sun set and the temperature dropped, the combined warmth of propane, whiskey, and a fine cigar made the chill easy to ignore.

Cheers!

Rocky Patel Disciple and Old Forester 1910

The days are getting longer. Ever so slowly, but it's beginning to be noticeable. It's nice to start the evening smoke with a bit of sunlight still available. I kicked off the weekend with a Rocky Patel Disciple paired with some Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky. (Old Forester uses the Old World spelling without the 'e'.)

Old Forester is "double oaked" bourbon. The whiskey undergoes a second barreling in a heavily charred barrel. The technique is said to have originated after a warehouse fire in 1910 when bourbon was moved into charred barrels from the fire. The 93 proof bourbon has rich, caramel and vanilla aroma. There's a hint of smoke but it's surprisingly faint. The aroma is easily noticeable from the side table even as I light my cigar.

Sipping the bourbon it's apparent why the fairly new bottle is nearly empty. This was indeed a bottle kill evening. My palate is treated to more rich flavors of caramel and vanilla. A touch of tobacco and cocoa make it into the mix. The finish is mildly spicy and sweet. Oh, I do wish there was more to be poured.

The Rocky Patel Disciple is a cigar I've enjoyed on many occasions since its 2021 release, in both Robusto and Toro vitolas. This 6 x 50 Toro has been resting for about four months in the humidor. In what seems like a break from the usual Rocky Patel release, the cigar is not box-pressed, a switch I appreciate.

The cigar initially sports a large superfluous band that covers much of the length, in addition to the usual cigar band nearer to the cap. Fortunately the large covering slides right off, and makes a handy prop for the cigar.

The cigar is wrapped in a dark San Andrés wrapper leaf.  The wrapper encases binder and fillers tobaccos from Nicaragua. The Disciple is a medium to full bodied, richly flavored smoke. Notes of espresso and cocoa come first. Black pepper and raisons follow. The burn line was sharp and smoke production was plentiful for the entire 90 minute smoke. Unfortunately the second band suffered from excessive glue and was removed in pieces. A small bit of wrapper leaf tore away but it did not affect performance. Oddly, I've experienced this issue with each of the Disciples I've smoked.

By the time the cigar, and the bourbon, was finished the temperature had only dropped to 58°. The evening was extremely pleasant, especially with the added pleasure of not having to run the propane heater. 

Cheers!