What a way to start 2009!

Originally Posted by Volt

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.

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.