Arturo Fuente Don Carlos
It all begins with an idea.
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos
The Cigar:
The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos line of cigars is a testament to excellence. Carlos Fuente Jr. blended the cigar to honor his father, Fuente patriarch Carlos Fuente Sr., for whom the cigar is named. The cigar has long been prized for its flavor and consistency. The cigars are wrapped in toothy Cameroon harvested from Western Africa. The filler and binder leaves include some of the oldest tobaccos in Fuente's extensive and massive tobacco inventory. The No. 2, which first hit the market in 1997, is a considerably fat pyramid, with a portly 55 ring gauge.
A rich, African Cameroon wrapper over vintage Dominican filler give way to flavors both complex and refined. The slightly sweet flavor produced by the select African Cameroon wrapper is in perfect balance with the savory aroma. Flawless construction, a hallmark of Tabacalera A. Fuente, ensures an even burn and smooth draw, unquestionably among the world’s most elite cigars.
The Bottle:
Double Rye is a blend of two different rye whiskeys. It is also crafted to be twice as spicy (think cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) as your average rye whiskey. The younger rye is produced on a column still and tastes of cinnamon, clove, anise, eucalyptus buttons, and evergreen “gin-like” flavors. The older rye made using a pot still adds a richer, bolder character and just enough caramel sweetness and woody vanilla richness to calm the “bite” of the younger rye. The resulting combination is bold, balanced, complex and perfect for mixing.
The Brand:
High West is Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870 and the world’s only ski-in gastro-distillery. If you find yourself in Old Town Park City, please stop (or ski) by to visit us. We’d love to share our passions with you: the American West, our contemporary western victuals, American roots music, and of course, pairing all the above with our greatest passion – superb whiskey. Better yet, you ought to come out to our distillery in the mountains of Wanship, Utah. It’s a celebration of cowboys and the American West.
The Story:
Named in honor of its legendary creator and Fuente family patriarch Carlos Fuente, Sr., Arturo Fuente Don Carlos cigars are one of the world's finest smokes. To create this masterpiece, Carlos Fuente, Sr. blended together rare, vintage tobaccos that were hand selected and aged as much as 10 years. These cigars are rich and flavorful, with flawless African Cameroon wrappers, making them as appealing to the eye as they are to the palette. Because of the select tobacco required, these cigars are released in limited quantities and are among the finest cigars rolled at Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic. In every way possible, Carlos Fuente, Sr. strives to attain the ultimate in rich flavor, flawless wrapper color and superior construction in every cigar that bears his name. "My dream wasn't to be the biggest," says Don Carlos, "just the best."
Sans Pareil Blue Lonsdale
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Sans Pareil Blue Lonsdale
The Cigar:
The wrapper is a Dominican Criollo ’98 Elite Selection. The other main component that all Sans Pareil cigars must have is Dominican Piloto Elite Selection. This is a filler tobacco that is incredibly challenging and costly to grow. It requires daily watering and more expensive fertilizers. The labor force to care for these plants is also much larger than what is required for other types of tobacco. A farm needs to be in a very special microclimate to expect reasonable quality and yield from growing this type of tobacco. The tobacco used by Sans Pareil is set aside for exclusive use by Sans Pareil. It has no market value as it has never been sold on the market. Whether it is the selection or the farm, it is all Elite Selection.
Sans Pareil blends are distinguished by their perfect balance of vivid and complex flavors. Like a meal crafted by the best chefs in the world, our fastidious master blenders have ensured that every ingredient in each blend purposely and perfectly complements the next. Perfection is not a choice it is the mission.
The Cocktail:
A classic Dry Gin Martini with Aviation Gin | The classic dry gin martini is iconic and the world's most famous cocktail. Though many "martinis" have been created, there is only one true martini, and few drinks can beat this simple recipe. The flavor is a botanical bouquet with a dry profile that you can customize to your taste.
The Pairing:
This cigars is light and breezy, I alway say it has the same mindset as a bottle of champagne to start a meal. It contains incredible balance and depth but is very subtle on that palate at the same time. This martini simple wakes up the notes of the cigar and brighten the over all experience with more floral and botanical flavor profile.
The Story:
Sans Pareil means “without peer,” and that name testifies to the mission of providing elite cigars for those discerning consumers seeking the perfect cigar smoking experience. Sans Pareil has partnered with master Dominican tobacco grower and procurer of elite tobaccos worldwide, Jose “Jochy” Blanco. This partnership provides Sans Pareil access to his library of elite tobaccos that have been meticulously processed to the most exacting standards. Most companies never think or talk about these levels of tobacco because the amounts are too tiny to make the larger runs they prefer and far too costly for the cigar markets they tend to serve. The vision is not to be the biggest cigar company, but rather to be the company that produces only the best cigars.
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Sans Pareil Blue Lonsdale
The Cigar:
The wrapper is a Dominican Criollo ’98 Elite Selection. The other main component that all Sans Pareil cigars must have is Dominican Piloto Elite Selection. This is a filler tobacco that is incredibly challenging and costly to grow. It requires daily watering and more expensive fertilizers. The labor force to care for these plants is also much larger than what is required for other types of tobacco. A farm needs to be in a very special microclimate to expect reasonable quality and yield from growing this type of tobacco. The tobacco used by Sans Pareil is set aside for exclusive use by Sans Pareil. It has no market value as it has never been sold on the market. Whether it is the selection or the farm, it is all Elite Selection.
Sans Pareil blends are distinguished by their perfect balance of vivid and complex flavors. Like a meal crafted by the best chefs in the world, our fastidious master blenders have ensured that every ingredient in each blend purposely and perfectly complements the next. Perfection is not a choice it is the mission.
The Cocktail:
A classic Dry Gin Martini with Aviation Gin | The classic dry gin martini is iconic and the world's most famous cocktail. Though many "martinis" have been created, there is only one true martini, and few drinks can beat this simple recipe. The flavor is a botanical bouquet with a dry profile that you can customize to your taste.
The Pairing:
This cigars is light and breezy, I alway say it has the same mindset as a bottle of champagne to start a meal. It contains incredible balance and depth but is very subtle on that palate at the same time. This martini simple wakes up the notes of the cigar and brighten the over all experience with more floral and botanical flavor profile.
The Story:
Sans Pareil means “without peer,” and that name testifies to the mission of providing elite cigars for those discerning consumers seeking the perfect cigar smoking experience. Sans Pareil has partnered with master Dominican tobacco grower and procurer of elite tobaccos worldwide, Jose “Jochy” Blanco. This partnership provides Sans Pareil access to his library of elite tobaccos that have been meticulously processed to the most exacting standards. Most companies never think or talk about these levels of tobacco because the amounts are too tiny to make the larger runs they prefer and far too costly for the cigar markets they tend to serve. The vision is not to be the biggest cigar company, but rather to be the company that produces only the best cigars.
Byron 21st Century Elegantes
It all begins with an idea.
Byron 21st Century Elegantes
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The Cigar:
The Byron Elegantes is part of their 21st Century cigar series. It has an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, and while we do know the binder is Dominican, the filler contains Peruvian as well as other undisclosed tobaccos. This 6 1/8 by 55 Toro Gordo vitola is rolled in Costa Rica at Tabacos de Costa Rica, and distributed by United Cigars.
The Flavors:
Refined is the word that comes to mind when describing the smoking experience of the Elegantes. Cedar, honey, and creamy smoke cover the palate before leaving a clean earthy finish. The strength is between mild and medium, and overall this cigar is reminiscent of an expertly rolled, finely aged Cuban.
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The Bottle:
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
“Johnnie Blue” is blended from hand-selected rare Scotch Whiskies. Only one in 10,000 casks make the cut. Aromas of vanilla and honey precede the caramel and hazelnut flavors finishing with an exceptionally smooth warm, silky, smoky finish.
The Pairing:
This combination is a marriage of two ultra premium long-aged products that aren’t found just anywhere. Both the cigar and the scotch share a honey-like sweetness, while the earthiness from the cigar sits nicely with the subtle smoke of the scotch. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the experience is that one does not overpower the other.
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The Story:
Byron Cigars are brought to us by the legendary Havana native, Nelson Alfonso, the man behind the branding of the top cigars in the Cuban market. This “21st Century” series, or Siglo XXI, celebrates the third century of the Byron cigar company that originated in Cuba, and now produced in Costa Rica. The Elegantes’ tobaccos are aged four years before rolling, and an additional four years after rolled in a special room with specific types of cedar.