VICES
FEATURED PAIRINGS PERFECTO PAIRINGS TO EXPAND YOUR PALATE by Greg Mays
EL ARTISTA CIMARRON IRON FISH MICHIGAN WOODLAND GIN Launching the Cimarron line at IPCPR this past summer, El Artista has previously been known for their Pulita, Puro Ambar and Big Papi lines (the last of which we covered a few months ago in this column). The Cimarron got its name from the beautiful countryside in the U.S. Rocky Mountains. On the outside of the cigar, there’s a pretty straightforward set of familiar growing regions: Ecuador’s Connecticut wrapper and a Dominican binder, but inside the cigar is a bit of a mystery. Dubbed the “T-13 Hybrid,” the filler is a combination of tobaccos that are a bit of a mystery, though Mexico and the U.S. are rumored to be 2 of the contributors. The Cimarron lights with a hot spice on the tongue that’s like a cinnamon/Connecticut paper flavor. The spice continues throughout the cigar, along with some banana and clove notes as well. Strength is mild-to-strong. I paired the Cimarron with a gin that’s bold enough for the task: Iron Fish Michigan Woodland Gin. Sipped on the rocks with a splash of club soda and a lemon wedge, this is a bold gin that starts with a floral nose (especially daisies), and tastes like bold black licorice candy, finishing sweet. Together with the Cimarron, Iron Fish made for a smooth yet bold flavor pairing with intermingling flavors of cinnamon, clove and licorice. SIZE: Robusto 5”x54 | WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade | BINDER: Dominican | FILLER: “T-13 Hybrid” MSRP (cigar): $7.50 | MSRP (gin): $35
FUENTE OPUS X ANGELS SHARE AXE & THE OAK COLORADO MOUNTAIN INCLINE RYE WHISKEY Fuente’s Opus X series of cigars have certainly set the bar high for premium cigar smokers. Known for quality build and impeccable flavors, many pick them up as a celebratory smoking experience. It’s no surprise that an Opus X smoking experience lives up to its reputation: the flavor of aged tobacco, a perfect burn line all the way to the nub. The flavor is spicy. It hits your fore-palate and fades as you exhale, there’s also a touch of earthiness with sweet potato notes followed by tastes of books in an ancient library. The smoke output is wonderful and the pack is medium. I grabbed an equally spicy whiskey to pair with the Opus X: Axe & Oak’s Colorado Mountain Incline Rye Whiskey. A blend of rye, corn and malted barley, Incline Rye has a nose of caramel and black pepper with tasting notes of caramel ice cream. There’s the occasional note of chocolate as well, with a spicy finish in the end. Pairings are often best in one of two camps: when the cigar and spirit complement each other with matching flavors, or when the cigar and spirit fill the gaps for each other, and this pairing is a bit of both. The spice of the cigar matches the spice of the whiskey, but the sweeter notes of the whiskey (caramel and chocolate) serve as a parallel complement to the aged tobacco in the cigar. The interplay of flavors enhances both the cigar and whiskey, and the two pair together perfectly. SIZE: Fuente Fuente 6”x48 | WRAPPER: Dominican | BINDER: Dominican | FILLER: Dominican MSRP (cigar): $35 | MSRP (whiskey): $45
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/ CIGAR & SPIRITS
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018