Jefferson's Aged At Sea and Le Carême Pastelitos

I finally gave in and finished off the last pour of the Jeffferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon bottle. I had been nursing this release, Voyage 13, as some of the more recent editions, or voyages, appear to have undergone shorter excursions. 

Whether that impression is true or not, the flavors of this one have grown on me. I wasn't as keen on the bottle when I picked it up a few years ago, but after time, it was quite enjoyable. A 90 proof bourbon with notes of brown sugar, caramel, and espresso. Those flavors linger in a long finish, which seems less briny than it did originally. Alas, it's gone now. That not all bad, as a new bottle of something will soon fill it's space on the shelf.

I also succumbed to another of my Le Carême Pastelitos 2023 Limited Edition 2023. I tell myself I am going to save these short smokes for the winter. So far, unsuccessfully. They are also perfect for a quick break, and a small sip of whiskey.

The short 4 x 54 robusto has a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper with an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and fillers from Nicaragua. The Le Carême, in many vitolas and special releases, is one of my favorite smokes. It works with a wide variety of beverages, and there's a size for every smoking situation. There's not much to say that hasn't been said in these Musings already.

The small pour of bourbon and a quick smoke mad a perfect interlude between dinner and late dessert on a warm summer evening.

Cheers!

Jefferson's Aged at Sea and Rocky Patel The Edge 20th Anniversary

I decided to revisit a bottle I have not pulled off the shelf in a long time. I noticed it was on getting low and was a good candidate for emptying to make room for (too many) new additions. Jeffferson's Aged at Sea Bourbon presents an interesting spin on the aging process. The Aged at Sea bourbons spend six to eight years in oak barrels which are then placed on a ship to travel the ocean for another six months or more. According to the distillery website, the series is up to 24 "voyages" currently. This particular voyage is #13, leaving Baltimore, traveling both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans with stops in the Galapagos, Singapore, Tahiti, Singapore, the UK, Belgium, and France, among others, having crossed the equator four times.

The profile of the 90 proof bourbon includes brown sugar, caramel, and faint espresso notes. Those flavors linger in a long finish. I've had this bottle for several years and noticed that the brine aspect in both the aroma and flavor I detected previously has diminished somewhat.

The Rocky Patel 20th Anniversary is a line introduced last year to mark the 20th anniversary of The Edge line of cigars. The line has grown to a number of blends and sizes and is marketed as a budget line. The celebratory 20th Anniversary is a new blend featuring a 10 year aged Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, a Honduran Broadleaf binder, with filler tobaccos from Honduras and Panama. This one is a 5 1/2" X 50 Robusto. It is a medium bodied smoke with rich notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and nuts. I've smoked a number of these in both the Robusto and Toro sizes, since the release and have always enjoyed them. Even more so than the various "standard" Edge versions I've had.

In the end, I opted not to completely empty the Jefferson's Ocean, saving one more taste for another day.

Cheers!

Jefferson's Ocean and CAO Flathead

Another weekend gone by, and more memories of cigars smoked and beverages sipped. One of the winning pairings from the past rainy weekend was this tasty combo.

Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea bourbon is one I picked up a couple years ago, but eventually found itself slipping further back on the shelf. It wasn't because it was lacking in any way, I enjoyed it quite a bit, other bourbons simply took focus. (That's probably a sign of buying too many whiskies, rather than drinking too much.) Recently I dug it out and have been pairing it with different cigars. The bourbon spends six to eight years in oak barrels which are then placed on a ship to travel the ocean for another six months. The voyage is said to cross the equator 4 times with stops in 30 ports. Unsurprisingly, the turbulent ocean voyage affects the flavor of the whiskey. The resulting 90 proof bourbon is smooth and mild, with a hint of brine in the flavor.

CAO Flathead Carb 660 is a cigar that I haven't smoked in a couple years. Again, simply because there are so many other cigars to explore. The nearly black, Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper covers an Ecuadorian Connecticut binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The smoke produces rich, semi-sweet chocolate, and espresso flavors. It's a full bodied smoke that packs a bit of strength too. The large cigar offers a good two hour smoke. The stick is very sharply box-pressed, with a very flat head. Box pressed cigars sometimes exhibit an uneven burn requiring touch ups along the way. The combination of the large ring gauge and extreme box shape of the Flathead 660 always, for me, produces a burn will require some maintenance along the way. It's also somewhat of an unnatural shape to dry to draw through. Despite the drawbacks, and it's a very enjoyable smoke and one that consistently gets high reviews.

I recently picked up a 10 pack of the Flathead, and although there's very little of the Jefferson's left, there are plenty of other bottles hiding in my cabinet with which to pair the bold cigar.

Liga Undercrown and a Bourbon

At the end of another long work day (aren't they all?) I settled down for a quick dessert after dinner. I grabbed a Liga Privada Undercrown Maduro from the humidor, and pondered an accompaniment. Spying a bottle of Jefferson's Ocean Aged At Sea Bourbon, I opted to pour a wee bit of the whiskey to go with my cigar.

Jefferson's Ocean Aged Bourbon matures in oak barrels for six to eight years before being placed on a ship to travel the ocean for another six months. The voyage is said to cross the equator 4 times with stops in 30 ports. Unsurprisingly, the ocean voyage affects the flavor. I found the 90 proof bourbon to be smooth and mild, with a hint of brine in the flavor. Admittedly, that was a little off-putting the first time I sipped it, but it quickly grew on me. I now find it a most refreshing drink. 

The Liga Privada Undercrown Maduro from Drew Estate is one of my "keep on hand" cigars. This cigar was from the latest batch added to the humidor a couple months ago. The cigar features a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper (another of my "favorite things"), Habano Connecticut binder, with Brazil Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Habano leaves as fillers. The creamy smoke features rich espresso, some cocoa sweetness, and a hint of dark fruit. As a medium-bodied smoke, the cigar paired well with the mild bourbon, neither dominating the palate.

The Undercrown Maduro is one that always gets smoked down to the hot nub. And then still set down with a bit of disappointment when it's done.

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