What a way to start 2009!
 

Ok, I rang in 2009 with a good friend, great bourbon, and a great cigar.

1. Pappy Van Winkle 20 year bourbon. WOW! Supossedly the number 1 rated bourbon, no argument here. My friend is retiring from active duty so I bought a bottle and we tapped it a bit tonight. Neat in the shot glass - very woodsy flavors and major vanilla undertones. Some very small amout of bite and at the same time a buttery smooth texture to it. Over a bit of ice and the bite disappeared. We both agreed that this is a one drink at a time bottle so as not to get too used to it and not to have it loose it's uniquenes. Plus at $111 a bottle, it's a special ocasion drink. The bottle now sits in the cabinet awaiting for the next special occasion.

2. I paired the drink with a 2006 Partagas Presidente Shawn hit me with last month. Again - WOW, what a great smoke. Slightly tighter draw than I like, but managable. I suck bad at cigar flavors, but very smooth and almost no nic in it. It turned out they were excellant with each other. Sometimes I get lucky.

So tonight I fell in love with a bourbon I can't afford and a cigar I can't get. I'm not real smart...... I may have to go on a mission to find out more about what Shawn hit me with and see what can be done. On the bourbon, I need a rich, long lost Uncle to die.

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

I took notes on the presidente Mike, remember, the Dutch are building a nuke for you.

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

oh snap. In all the New Year cheer Volt let out some information that could hurt in the end. GOOD LUCK DUTCHMEN!

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

Crap - I forgot about you guys.. Thanks, but no need for the smoke, but if you know more about it I wouldn't mind a bit of info.

The others have a names like Perdomo Habano Corojo, Olivia G Maduro etc. The CCs just seem to go by manufacturer and size. Makes it hard to figure out which one I smoked. Or does Partagas for example only make 1 line of cigars but different sizes?

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

don't worry, I remind you


Partagas works in series, serie P, serie D, but this figurado isn't part of either series.

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

I might have a couple more of those presidente hanging around. I will see what I can do.

as for info on the smoke here is a little

One of the lesser known Figurados coming out of Havana, due to its rather uncontrollable nature. Presidentes is wild, rather like a rodeo horse, or it can be subtle and soft like a new born kitten. Overall flavour of earthiness is interrupted, sporadically, by vague notions of wood, sometimes a soft creaminess with a hit of coffee.

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

very nice indeed

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

guess Volt signed his own death sentence :r :r

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

Thanks, but you really don't have to Shawn, you were more than generous with your hit on me. I'll just put a little work into tracking some down. The woodsyness of it then really worked with the Pappy's. The bourbon had tons of oak, some charcoal, vanilla, and very creamy like the cigar. It was just a rare pairing of smoke and drink. Really started out the new year well!

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

More or less that's true, but each size is a different blend. Punch, for example; Punch Robusto, Punch Corona, Punch Ninfa, Punch Churchill and Punch Double Corona are all very different cigars. There are lines though. Hoyo de Monterrey has a Le Hoyo line, Partagas has the Serie P and D lines, Romeo y Julieta has the Exhibition and Cedros de Luxe lines (among others) and there are more. So there will be more than one of some cigar size under a brand and they are just named by "size" (No. 2, Monarca, Corona Extra, etc.) and use a different "size" name between them to differentiate - for example, H. Upmann produces the Monarca and the Sir Winston, two different churchills. It's also because Cuba doesn't produce different kinds of wrappers to "nickname" with, save for the odd maduro here and there.

Hope that helps clear things up a bit :tu

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

Only wish I coulda been there!!

Glad it was an unforgettable night Michael!! :D

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

I think I will stay a noob. And to think I thought learning about the NCs was hard when I first started sliding down the slope... Sure would help if they were named similiar to the others. Thanks for the info.

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

Me too, as he doesn't smoke, I had no one but me to enjoy the Party. Except for time which cannot be replaced, nothing beats time spent with a loved family member/friend etc.

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

Sounds like a good time Michael. Wish I could have been there to enjoy a smoke with you brother.

Re: What a way to start 2009!
 

I score 2 more - I'll set them aside till we can herf again. How's that for a plan?