A Sunset Smoke: Tatuaje Cojonu 2018 and Amaretto

Sunday marked the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. We moved the clocks forward, taking an hour of light from the morning and adding it to the evening. Of course, the length of the day itself isn’t affected and nothing is truly “saved,” but it’s a welcome change in my book. I don’t mind drinking my morning coffee in the dim light of early day, and I certainly appreciate enjoying my evening smoke before and during sunset — or at least getting a good start before darkness settles in.

With temperatures in the low 70s after the Sunday evening meal, I grabbed a Tatuaje Cojonu 2018 Broadleaf from the humidor, poured myself an Amaretto digestif, and stepped outside to enjoy the fading day.

The Cojonu 2018 had been resting in the humidor for the past three months. I’m a fan of Tatuaje cigars, and frankly I’m a bit surprised it sat that long. The 5 5/8 x 54 stick features a rounded box press and is cloaked in an oily, USA-grown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Nicaraguan tobaccos make up the binder and filler. The blend reportedly contains a generous amount of ligero and higher-priming wrapper leaves, adding both body and strength.

The smoke begins with a robust mix of cedar, espresso, and dark cocoa. As the cigar settles in, an undercurrent of sweetness emerges to balance the profile. By the end of the roughly 75-minute smoke, the pepper note moves back to the forefront. The cigar delivers full body, yet remains balanced and flavorful throughout.

The almond sweetness of the Disaronno Amaretto contrasted with the opening notes of the Cojonu 2018 — though not unpleasantly. As the smoke progressed, I found the sweet liqueur softened the cigar’s peppery edge somewhat, making for an enjoyable and flavorful pairing.

As I savored the drink and cigar, the sun slowly slipped below the horizon and the low-angled light warmed the porch in its final moments. While enjoying the spring-like weather, I couldn’t help but notice the grass around the house beginning to green. At the same time, our local deer herd strolled in to nibble on the fresh shoots.

Such is the cycle of spring.

 

Cheers!

Daffodils, Negronis, and a Sunday on the Porch

The signs of Spring continue to reveal themselves in small but welcome ways. I was delighted last week to see the first daffodils sprouting from the ground.

Even more welcome was the return of our Sunday Aperitivo on the porch.

It has been some four months since we moved our Sunday tradition indoors for the winter. While the drinks and pre-dinner snacks remain the same, enjoying them outside allows me to enjoy a cigar at the same time. For the new season’s opening salvo, I paired a Negroni with the My Father Le Bijou 1922 Petit Robusto. The shorter smoking time was a concession to the remaining chill in the air.

Soon those daffodils will bloom and outdoor dining will resume in earnest. It can’t happen too soon.

Cheers!

The First Long Smoke of Spring: Liga Privada H99 & Bulleit Bottled in Bond

Spring — at least the meteorological version — arrived in force late this week, bringing with it temperatures warm enough to lure me into the yard for needed chores. It was actually refreshing to begin the winter cleanup, which includes pruning a good deal of shrub damage from the extreme cold weather a month ago. It’s an ongoing project, but one I’m thankful the weather, and my health, allow me to undertake.

By evening, it was time for a sip and smoke on the porch. With plenty of free time and a cooperative thermometer, I opted for a long smoke. The Liga Privada H99 in Corona Doble is a cigar I enjoy infrequently — the 7” x 54 vitola is a two-hour-plus commitment. Some Bulleit Bottled in Bond Bourbon was poured to accompany the cigar.

The H99 Corona Doble comes from a box purchased in May 2024 as a retirement gift to me, from me. At the time it was promoted as an event-only vitola, and I picked up plenty of extra swag with the purchase. I now see the cigar listed for sale by some online retailers.

The cigar gets its name from the H99 Connecticut Corojo hybrid wrapper. The leaf is a cross between Stalk-Cut Habano and Corojo ’99 tobacco seeds grown in the Connecticut River Valley by a single farm specifically for Drew Estate. A Mexican San Andrés Negro binder encases filler tobaccos grown in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Pennsylvania. The long cigar is smooth and solidly rolled.

Despite a somewhat loose draw, the plentiful smoke opened with hints of pepper and lightly toasted bread. A brown sugar sweetness gradually builds and joins a core of dark chocolate, coffee, and graham cracker. The cigar exhibits a medium body, building to near full in the second half.

Knowing I was in for a long smoking session, the 100-proof Bulleit Bottled in Bond Bourbon made a suitable companion. This first bottled-in-bond release from Bulleit debuted in early 2024. The whiskey was aged for seven years — well beyond the four years mandated by the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897.

The bourbon leans toward rye spice rather than classic bourbon sweetness, both on the nose and the palate. However, that spice is moderate and well balanced with the rest of the profile. Rye, vanilla, and sweet chocolate greet the nose upon pouring. On the sip, vibrant rye spice is layered with balancing vanilla and maple sweetness on the tongue. A hint of dried fruit adds further complexity.

As expected, the Bulleit and H99 proved to be an exemplary pairing. The cigar treated me to an amazing two hours and forty-five minutes of smoking pleasure. Even with a bit of breeze wafting through the now-opened windows on the porch, the spring-like balm contributed to the enjoyable evening. For a while, I even forgot about the remaining winter yard cleanup waiting to be done — a problem for another day

Cheers!

Smoke, Bourbon, and a Season About to Change

Spring continues to tease us here in Virginia. Winter is far from finished, yet hints of the new season are unmistakable. Bluebirds sing from the trees, daffodils push through the mulch, and cigars are occasionally enjoyed without the need for heavy coats or supplemental heat. And still, stubborn piles of snow linger from the storm four weeks ago.

Saturday evening, I ventured out to the porch to relax with a cigar and was pleasantly surprised to find the propane heater unnecessary. In fact, I left my jacket inside and settled in wearing only a light sweatshirt — a small but welcome concession to the changing season.

The cigar for this mild evening was the E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Confidant, the last remaining from a June 2024 purchase. The Confidant vitola is a 6” x 52, slightly rounded box-pressed toro, wrapped in an oily, smooth Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf. Nicaraguan tobaccos comprise the binder and fillers. The cigar was blemish-free and expertly rolled, with a firm but comfortable feel in hand.

The opening delivered a burst of cedar and pepper. As the cigar warmed, notes of roasted nuts and espresso emerged, complementing the persistent cedar. A gentle peppery spice lingered in the background — present but never dominant. Medium-bodied throughout, it proved an easy companion for the evening sip of bourbon.

My pairing drink was Blade and Bow Bourbon, bottled at 91 proof. Balanced and flavorful, it complemented the cigar without overshadowing it. Notes of caramel, light orchard fruit, and mild baking spice greeted the palate, with a relatively short finish that invited the next draw from the cigar.

Even after sunset, the temperature remained agreeable for porch sitting. The smoke lasted about 80 minutes — hardly lengthy, but a welcome respite from the recent cold. The forecast promises more of Virginia’s familiar temperature swings in the coming weeks, yet even that volatility signals that spring is drawing near.

Cheers!

A Celebrated Pairing: Rocky Patel Emerald & New Riff Bottled-in-Bond

The weather cooperated nicely for my observance of National Cigar Day last Friday, with daytime temperatures climbing into the low 60s. The thermometer dipped after sunset, but the mild afternoon led to the porch far more welcoming later in the day. With the heater set on low — and not positioned directly at my feet for a change— I settled into a comfortable evening. The respite was especially welcome, as it had been a full week since I’d last enjoyed a relaxing smoke.

To mark the occasion, I selected a Rocky Patel Emerald in the Robusto vitola. I had picked up a few Emeralds just weeks earlier and decided to light one up without the customary extended rest in the humidor. I’d smoked one last fall but failed to jot down any notes. With the cigar recently named one of Cigar Aficionado’s Top Cigars of 2025, I was curious to revisit it with a more attentive approach.

As with many offerings from Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, much of the stick is initially concealed beneath ornate bands and decorative wrapping. Once the glossy green sleeve is removed, a smooth Ecuadorian wrapper is revealed. Beneath that lies a complex construction: dual binders from Mexico and Nicaragua encasing a filler blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. The 5½ x 50 cigar is sharply box-pressed into a rectangular form, the narrow edge measuring closer to a 40 ring gauge in feel.

The cigar was densely packed and firm to the touch. The cold draw leaned tighter than I prefer, though I was hopeful it would open as it warmed. Described as on the “lighter side of medium,” the Emerald opened with a moderately robust burst of espresso and dark coffee. That initial intensity quickly settled into a pleasing balance. The coffee notes remained at the core, joined by leather and a gentle sweetness that rounded the profile.

The draw did loosen somewhat as the cigar progressed, though it remained slightly snug throughout. Smoke output was occasionally restrained, yet the flavor never felt lacking. Despite the extreme box-press, the burn line remained even and required no relights — even after a brief step away from the porch.

Top 25 lists are, of course, subjective — cigars are deeply personal experiences. Rankings aside, the Emerald proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable smoke.

To accompany the cigar, I reached for a bottle of New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. Coincidentally — or perhaps not — this bourbon has also garnered recent accolades. (Truth be told, the award-themed pairing was intentional.) At the 2026 World Whiskies Awards, it was named World’s Best Bourbon. Awards can be taken with a grain of salt, but they do have a way of tightening supply and nudging prices upward.

With that in mind, I secured a bottle at its still-reasonable sub-$40 price. The 100-proof bourbon is aged at least four years in new, charred and toasted 53-gallon American oak barrels, adhering to the Bottled-in-Bond Act. Its high-rye mash bill — approximately 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley — promises both sweetness and spice.

On the nose, rich vanilla and butterscotch rise readily, accompanied by a pronounced rye spice. The palate delivers caramel and vanilla sweetness layered with lively rye character. The finish lingers with notes of candied dark fruit and warming spice — long enough to satisfy, yet never overwhelming.

Together, these two award recipients formed a harmonious pairing. The well-packed cigar delivered an impressive 110 minutes of smoking time, allowing nearly two hours of unhurried sipping, reflection, and enjoyment of the mild evening air. After a week of cold weather and crowded obligations, the extended porch time felt less like indulgence and more like restoration.

Cheers!