A Perfect Match: Le Carême and Eagle Rare on a Fall Evening

When I unboxed the July Cigar of the Month package from Cigar and Pipes and saw the Crowned Heads Le Carême, I smiled. The Le Carême is one of my all-time favorite smokes. Then I noticed the enclosed cigar was the 6 ½ x 48 Hermoso No. 1 vitola, and I realized it was one of only two Le Carême releases I had never tried, the other being the 2018 Belicosos Finos Limited Edition. After letting it rest in my humidor for eight weeks, I decided it was time to light it up this weekend.

The Hermoso No. 1 features the familiar Le Carême blend: a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. The box-pressed stick sported an oily wrapper and was quite firm — especially toward the cap end. The draw was tight at first, limiting smoke production.

By the halfway point, the draw became even more restrictive. I spent some time gently massaging the cigar until it lost most of its box-pressed shape and began to resemble a traditional round cigar. The effort paid off, as the draw loosened and flavorful smoke began to flow more freely. It’s a constant source of wonder to me why so many manufacturers are so enamored with box-pressing their cigars these days. Interestingly, the Limited Edition Le Carême releases are not box-pressed, though the core line is.

To pair with the creamy cocoa, sweet chocolate, caramel, and espresso notes of the Le Carême, I poured a glass of Eagle Rare Bourbon. The 90-proof bourbon complemented the cigar beautifully. Vanilla, honey, and dark fruit led the flavor profile, with a pleasing spice emerging toward the finish. A long, sweet aftertaste lingered just long enough to meet the next puff of the Le Carême in perfect harmony.

The crickets in the woods were especially vocal on this cool fall evening, and I soon drowned them out with a little blues playing from the porch speaker. The seventy-minute smoke was entirely satisfying, though it reminded me that it’s nearly time to bring out the porch heater for the season. But, as they say, needs must.

Cheers!

Sunset, Smoke, and a Sip: Le Carême Pastelitos & Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel

Mother nature is teasing with brief interludes of pleasant weather — between reminders that it is still winter. During a recent afternoon that hinted at spring, I reached for a Crowned Heads Le Carême Pastelitos LE 2023 for a quick smoke. Seeking a milder bourbon to accompany it this afternoon, I selected a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select.

I picked up this bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select a couple of years ago, more out of curiosity than anything else. The 375ml bottle is attractive and takes up little space on my crowded shelves. Jack Daniel’s is classified as a “Tennessee Whiskey.” It meets all the legal requirements of bourbon before undergoing an additional filtering process through sugar maple charcoal—known as the Lincoln County Process — to enhance its smoothness. No additional flavoring components are added. In my opinion, it still falls into the bourbon category, though enthusiasts on both sides of the debate have strong opinions.

Bottled at 94 proof, a step up from the classic Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, this whiskey offers mild aromas of freshly baked bread and caramel. The charcoal filtering results in an exceptionally smooth mouthfeel and a soft flavor profile. Even at its moderate proof, it drinks quite mildly. Sweet caramel, oak, and butter cookie impressions coat the palate, making for an easy sip.

The Crowned Heads Le Carême Pastelitos LE 2023 is a special format of one of my favorite cigars. I’ve enjoyed the Le Carême in various vitolas and with a range of beverage pairings. This limited-edition Pastelitos, released in 2023, is a compact 4 x 54 Robusto-sized stick. Despite my fondness for the cigar, I still have a couple left from my April 2023 purchase, now well-aged in my humidor.

The dark chocolate-colored USA Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper encases an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and Nicaraguan filler. The Pastelitos is adorned with a small pigtail twist on the cap. Given its small size, a large portion of the cigar is covered by bands, so I removed the first two before lighting up.

The Le Carême Pastelitos delivers a well-balanced smoke, rich with creamy, sweet chocolate and nutty notes. A mild cedar spice emerges later in the session. The cigar burned evenly, providing about 45 minutes of smoking enjoyment.

Always a pleasure, the Le Carême line pairs well with milder bourbons and even coffee. While the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select is certainly a mild whiskey, I found it perhaps too mild — even for this creamy cigar. Despite multiple tastings, whether on its own or alongside a cigar, it has yet to leave a memorable impression.

Nonetheless, the experience on the deck was enjoyable. The timing of my smoke coincided with sunset, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, the shifting colors in the sky and fading light added to the peaceful ambiance of the evening.

Cheers!

An Evening of Flavor: Skipper’s Select Bourbon and Crowned Heads Le Carême

I picked up a bottle of J. H. Bards Skipper's Select Toasted Barrel Bourbon while visiting the tasting room a couple months ago. I had nearly forgotten about it until now but on a very pleasant Halloween evening, I decided to open it. Trick or Treating is a non-event the last few years in our neighborhood, so I knew I wouldn't be interrupted. I looked forward to a relaxing evening on the deck.

Named after Skipper, the cannon that fires with every VA Tech Hokies football score in Lane Stadium, this release supports a great cause, the Triumph NIL fund for VT athletes. I was hopeful the whiskey would live up to the occasion.

The aroma brings the classic caramel and vanilla notes that bourbon lovers expect, but the toasted barrel aging adds a mild, satisfying char that deepens each sip. Overall the flavor is smooth, sweet caramel and fruit. The wood char finish is quite pleasant. The finish is smooth and short lived. It's a very pleasant and enjoyable sipper at a mild 93 proof.

For the cigar, I selected my last Crowned Heads Le Carême 2021 Limited Edition Belicosos Finos. It had been aging in my humidor for over three years, making this final smoke bittersweet. 

The well-aged cigar was exceptionally enjoyable. The cigar burned beautifully, releasing rich, flavorful smoke. The creamy chocolate and cedar flavors of the Le Carême paired wonderfully with the bourbon’s caramel and char notes. Beside the Crowned Head La Carême being one of my favorite cigars, I believe the Skipper's Select Toast Barrel Finish just might be my favorite J. H. Bards spirit yet.

While enjoying the Le Carême Limited Edition I had a flashback to the very first one of these I smoked from the box I had purchased on preorder. We were on a getaway to a cabin in southwest Virginia and enjoyed it around the fire. I thought it was interesting how that memory popped into mind, and how distinct it was. It’s amazing how a well-aged cigar and a good bourbon can bring back the best memories. 

Here’s to more evenings like this one.

Cheers!

Jim Beam Repeal Batch & Le Carême Pairing

I've experimented with a lot of cigar and beverage pairings over the past few years. Be it whiskey, beer, coffee, soda, tea, etc., many work, some do not. Surprising as it may seem, I find coffee to be one of the hardest things to pair with cigars, especially black coffee. (Which, face it, is the only proper way to drink coffee.) Plain water is way down on my list when it comes to cigar accompaniment. To me it rarely enhances, and sometimes detracts from the cigar's flavor.

Most enjoyable are those times when a pairing works exceptionally well. That was the case recently when I poured some Jim Beam Repeal Batch bourbon with the Crowned Heads Le Carême Belicosos Finos 2021.

Jim Beam Repeal Batch is a bottle I picked up when it was first released in 2019. I enjoyed it, and emptied most of the bottle, before being distracted by other things. Repeal Batch is said to have been inspired by the Jim Beam bourbon of the 1930's. The bourbon is aged four years, is non-chill filtered, and bottled at 43%ABV. The flavor profile features oak, butter, and vanilla. It's a very smooth sipper with a clean finish. It sells locally (when you can find it) for $16.99 for a 750 ml bottle. It's a fine whiskey at a bargain price.

Recently I had to urge to dig out the Repeal Batch again. When I had the chance to do so on a recent Friday evening, I thought hard about what cigar to enjoy with it. I settled on the limited edition Le Carême Belicosos Finos 2021. Le Carême from Crowned Heads is one of my "keep on hand" cigars and the belicosos format is one I really enjoy in many cigars.

This turned out to be a great pairing, surpassing even my expectations. The cigar is medium bodied with creamy, sweet notes. There's a touch of cedar spice to add some complexity. The sweet oak and vanilla of the bourbon complimented it to perfection.

When I picked up this bourbon a couple years ago, the guy at the ABC store remarked, "At that price, you should buy more." In retrospect, he was right, and I'll probably grab more when I see it on the shelves. After a long period of unavailability, the regular production Le Carême is back in the stores. The limited release series is probably gone until another year, but I'll be watching for it too.

Cheers!

Crowned Heads Le Carême Pastelitos 2023 Limited Edition

The Le Carême from by Crowned Heads is one of my favorite smokes. I always have it in the humidor, and currently I've got three different vitolas on hand. The Le Carême Pastelitos 2023 Limited Edition 2023 is the latest addition to that lineup.

This is a unique shape for the blend. Not only is it a short 4" x 54 robusto, the cigar is round, rather than the box press most usually seen. There is an also a decorative pigtail end cap. The limited Belicosos Finos is a somewhat annual round torpedo I've mused on previously. Like all the Le Carême, Pastelitos features a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper with an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and fillers from Nicaragua. 

The pre-release marketing noted the Pastelitos has a short smoke suitable for those cold winter smoking sessions. The cigars did not ship to retailers until April. I've smoked two since they arrived, but I will surely have plenty left come next winter. I placed an online order pre-release last February for a five pack, and then at the end of March placed the same order, forgetting I had an order already waiting. It was a nice surprise when I received two shipping notices on the same day in April!

The Pastelitos flavor profile is similar to the other in the line. It's that medium body and creamy, sweet notes, with a touch of cedar that makes it pair so with bourbon or coffee. The smoking time was around 40 minutes.

For the aforementioned bourbon pairing, I grabbed the bottle of Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch. This is a  tame five year bourbon that comes in at 88 proof. There's a mild balanced flavor profile with raisins, brown sugar, and charred wood. The finish as a touch of heat and lingers, more so than expected in the low proof. 

I'll try to resist, and leave the remaining Pastelitos to rest in my humidor until next winter when I am desiring of a quick 30-45 minute smoke. Should I fail, you'll read about it here. 

Cheers!

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!

Long Weekend Getaway

We recently escaped the daily routine around the house for an extended weekend in the southern reaches of Virginia. We found a small cabin rental near Galax, Virginia, located next to a charming stream. The cabin sat at the end of a long, gravel single lane road. Peaceful seclusion at its finest.

One of the first things we noticed upon arrival was that the fire pit by the stream was already stacked with kindling with a pile of firewood left nearby. It was the perfect place to relax after a long day of driving. The Crowned Heads La Coalición provided the perfect accompaniment to a cool glass of Legend Brown Ale. 

On the second afternoon of the trip we made an extended visit to a local craft brewery, Creek Bottom Brewing Company. We had a great time enjoying great food and beer, so expect a review of this brewery in a future post. Returning to the cabin, we once again retreated to the stream side fire pit. This time I lit a cigar I have been looking forward to with much excitement.

Crowned Heads Le Carême Belicosos Finos LE 2021 is a limited edition of the wonderful La Carême. La Carême is one of my "keep on hand" stick, if possible. I say "if possible" because the cigar has been unavailable for a while, in any vitola. The Belicosos Finos Limited Edition was last released in 2019. After seeing an availability announcement, I was fortunate enough to get in a pre-order for a box of the 2021 release. The cigars arrived a few weeks ago and I brought one along to enjoy on the trip. It's a great stick and I look forward to enjoying the rest of the box, over time.

We did a little sightseeing during the trip but spent most of our days hanging out at the cabin. The view and the sounds of the water, and the many birds flitting about were quite enjoyable. We even spied a mature bald eagle sitting over the stream. The early morning dew added to the mystique and beauty. 

It wasn't all time by the fire. The deck on the house offered a nice view, which at one point included a point of Guinness Stout and an Oliva NUb Maduro on a sunny afternoon. 

The Shot Tower State Park provided a brief respite from the drive on the trip home. The 75 foot tower was visible from the highway and we saw it on the drive down, so vowed to check it out. There appeared to be a nice walk along the New River adjacent to the park, which was noted for further exploration on a future visit.

The five day getaway was a most welcome break. While much of the time was spent reading or just sitting around, it was devoid of chores, and despite reasonable internet connectivity, no work-related interruptions. It wasn't until we started planning possible excursions for 2021 that I realized how little time off I'd taken in 2020. Hopefully, we'll make up for that in the coming year.

Italy: Negronis and Cigars

Bourbon was not a beverage we saw much during our stay in Italy, though in truth I was not expecting it either. Obviously we drank a lot of wine with our meals. When I went looking for a cocktail to enjoy with an evening cigar, the Negroni was a commonly available option. At our hotel in Assisi, the Negroni was the 7 Euro "special" available each evening, so an obvious choice. During the afternoons, the clerk on duty had mixology knowledge limited to Aperol Spritz, hence that beverage during a previous smoking break.

The Negroni is a classic Italian cocktail, that is very simple to make. It consists of equal parts gin, vermouth rosso, and Campari, stirred over ice and garnished with an orange slice typically.  As a side note, cocktails are about the only time one sees ice in drinks in Italy.

Despite being considered an apéritif, we usually enjoyed the negronis after dinner. (Especially at the hotel in Assisi where there was no one with the knowledge to prepare the drink until after 7:00PM.) One evening pairing was with a Rocky Patel The Edge 20th Anniversary Robusto. The cigar features a 10 year aged Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, a Honduran Broadleaf binder, with filler tobaccos from Honduras and Panama. The 5 1/2 x 50 Robusto is is a medium bodied smoke with rich notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and nuts.

Later in the trip, another evening and another Negroni, this time with the Plasencia Reserva Original Toro. The richly flavored 6 x 50 Toro has notes of espresso, cedar, pepper, and dark cherry, with some sweet bread in the background.

Did I mention I enjoyed a lot of Negronis in Ireland? Here's another pairing, this time properly consumed before dinner. This one was served in a water glass, with both an orange slice and a lemon peel. It was paired with the last of my cigars brought from home, a Crowned Heads Le Carême in the Canonazo (5 7/8 x 52) vitola. The Le Carême is one of my favorite smokes. This 5 7/8 x 52 box pressed stick has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a Sumatra binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. Though is has a creamy, sweet chocolate and nutty flavor profile it made another enjoyable pairing. (From this point on, smoking would be be limited to Italian Toscanos.

The Negroni is a more bitter cocktail than the sweeter profile of my usual straight bourbon, or Old Fashioned cocktail choices. However, all the cigar pairings were enjoyable. It was Italy after all.

And then...

When a friend who was also on the Italy trip came by for dinner recently, we decided to recreate the memory with more Negroni and cigars!

Cheers!

Thanksgiving "Digestive": Blanton's and Crowned Heads

We ate our first Thanksgiving dinner early, around 1:00pm. This allowed a break before dessert, and then a second dinner later in the day. The Thanksgiving feast is too good to eat just once. (And of course, we enjoy turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce sandwiches the next day.) In between dinners, I retired to the back deck to enjoy a "digestive" while the family watched football inside. I was blessed with sun and a 60° temperature, making for a most pleasant time.

I didn't have any of the customary Wild Turkey on hand, so opted for what seems to be another popular Thanksgiving bourbon, Blanton's Single Barrel. Blanton's is an allocated bourbon under the government-comtrolled system of manipulated supply in Virginia, so I only break this one out occasionally.

Blanton's Single Barrel checks in at 93 proof, and has a mild, but pleasant aroma of sweet honey, vanilla, with a hint of spice. A moderately bold flavor profile with of caramel, honey, and vanilla as the major players. The finish lingers, adding a satisfying pepper hint to the game. I am surprised that I read so much cynicism online about this classic bourbon, as I find it a quite pleasant libation.

Given the balanced and nuanced flavor profile, I paired one of my favorite medium-bodied smokes, the Crowned Heads Le Carême Canonazo. The Le Carême sticks feature a shiny Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a Sumatra binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. This 5 ⅞ x 52 box pressed stick is medium bodied with creamy, sweet chocolate and nutty notes.  It is a favorite to pair with milder, sweet bourbons. 

As I finished the smoke, a received a text from Colleen asking if I was ready for dessert. Feeling refreshed and reenergized after the filling (first) dinner, I acquiesced and returned to the feasting inside.

Afternoon Coffee and Cigar

Ah, the Winter Solstice. My reminder that the days will now start getting longer, even if the average temperature remains miserably low. At least we've turned the corner on short days. This week, after errands and lunch out with Colleen, I relaxed on the deck with a cappuccino and a smoke. 

The smoke selection this afternoon was the Crowned Heads Le Carême Belicosos Finos LE 2021. I've mentioned this limited edition version of Le Carême in the past since the brand is a favorite. The medium bodied blend of sweetness with spice made an excellent pairing with the creamy espresso drink.

The coffee in the cup didn't last as long as the smoke, but I was enjoying the cigar immensely, so didn't feel compelled to venture inside to prepare another cup. And the temperature on the deck, supplemented by propane and electric heat, was made quite pleasant. With enough good beverage and cigars, we'll get through the winter yet.

Opening the 'My Cigar Pack' May Package

A few years ago, I subscribed to the My Cigar Pack monthly shipment. I opted for the full bodied profile selection offered at the time. The subscription makeup was later simplified from three options to two, offering a Mild - Medium choice and a Medium - Full choice for the five cigars sent each month. Initially that was fine as as I enjoy a range from medium to full, depending on the circumstances. After a few months I decided to pause the subscription for a bit and pick it up later. This was for several reasons -- I had an abundance of cigars on hand from many sources, winter was approaching when opportunities for smoking would decrease, and a few of the selections I received had ventured into the mild flavor spectrum, which generally I do not enjoy. After a short time, the subscription faded from my mind.

Fast forward to May of this year. My Cigar Club sent out a reminder that I had a paused subscription, and alerting me that they were changing their backend systems. I would need to resume or cancel the subscription. Now reminded, I opted to resume for a bit to see what new cigars would come. It's always fun to try something new out of the blue.

The May package finally arrived this week and it was opened with much anticipation. The five cigars are sealed in a humidified bag with a Boveda pack, packed in a well cushioned box. The package also included a six page booklet describing the cigars, as well as the selections that were included in other subscription offerings.

The shipment elicited excitement yet some let down. The selection is great and I look forward to enjoying all of them. Sadly three of the five are not new to me, even though they are all cigars I do enjoy. The first one out of the pack was the Crowned Heads Le Carême, a cigar I smoke frequently in a variety of vitolas. Then there's the Crown Heads Las Calaveras LE 2022. I've enjoyed the Las Calaveras series each year when they are released, the 2022 release included. Also included was the Black Works Studio NBK, another one I pick up often. The final two selections, Black Trading Company Santa Muerta and a My Cigar Pack exclusive Quantum Habano are indeed new to my humidor. 

As far as the quality of the cigars included, there is nothing to be disappointed about whatsoever. I can attest from experience that at least three of the smokes are excellent. The value of cigars received exceeds the cost of the subscription easily. My anticipation was in the adventure of something new that I might not pick to try. Of course, that's perhaps not a fair metric on my part given the variety of smokes I regularly seek out. No worries, these will definitely be enjoyed. Now I'll eagerly look forward to what shows up in my mailbox next month.

Cheers!

Warming Up On A Cool Fall Evening

One a recent cool fall evening I broke out the only A. Smith Bowman whiskey I’ve not previously tried, at least to my memory, the Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Bourbon. This lapse despite living local and even working next door to the distillery for many years. The bourbon has been hard to find for most of this year due to a bottle shortage. During a recent tour of the distillery I asked what was happening with all the Isaac Bowman sitting in port barrels and was told they had stock ready and it had been transferred to stainless steel tanks to hold. The bottle supply issue seems to have been resolved as all the Bowman bourbons have appeared in quantity at the ABC stores the last couple weeks.

The bourbon has some sweet fruit on the nose. The flavor profile is less sweet with dark fruit and a refined port influence. At 92 Proof, it's easy on the palate and has a clean, short finish with a faint lingering fruitiness. I’ve not always enjoyed port finished bourbons but this is a winner IMO. For $40 this could be a staple on the shelf. 

I chose one of my favorite cigar blends to enjoy with the bourbon, the Crowned Heads La Carême. I enjoy this cigar in all it's variations, but the 2021 Limited Edition Belicosos Finos is especially nice. (And now only three left in the box.)

The cigar is medium bodied with creamy, sweet notes. There's a touch of cedar spice to add some complexity and it's one that seems to go especially well with bourbons of all sorts.

 

Warm days followed by cool nights . . . that's Fall in Virginia. It takes me a while to adapt to smoking in the cold, using the propane and electric heaters. At first, I'll just forgo the pleasure, but as the cool evenings become more regular, the choice must be made. I've finally broken out one of the heaters. After burning off the dust, it provided just the touch to ward off the chill. And the bourbon didn't hurt either.