What is it about a great cigar and a nice glass of Scotch that pair so well together??
Let me break them down separately first for context.
I find great pleasure in having a good smoke with great friends, gathered around a fire pit. When playing a round of golf with the boys, the conversations just seem to have a little more substance and the double bogeys don’t sting quite as much.
Celebrating a personal success or even at the end of a long day when I just need to unplug. Staring out at the sun setting over the water with that old trusted friend in my Right hand. Traveling the globe finding hidden gems and looking forward to sharing with other cigar enthusiast when I return home. Much like finding a great bottle of wine you can’t find locally and having an amazing story to share.
What intrigues me about cigars
The variety of shapes and sizes, the mild, medium and bold strengths (depending on my mood), the draw of the smoke, the smell, the flavor complexity changing the longer it smokes.
The great detail in making a finely rapped cigar that went though a painstaking process simply for my enjoyment. I guess it is a culmination of all these things. For me a cigar is a conversation.
The exact topic (flavor) may vary slightly over the course of the conversation, but the only way to get the most out of the experience is to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to learn something new.
And now for the Scotch
As for Scotch, my go to bottle is a 18-year-old Macallan Single Malt. Don’t get me wrong, I will not turn down a 10-year bottle, but I can honestly say, there is a substantial difference in the taste.
I don’t recommend starting out with an extremely mature bottle, as it is hard to go back. Much like a great cigar, I am always looking to share a great bottle with my friends. For people who genuinely appreciate a fine spirit there is nothing better than gathering around indulging.
No, if you aren’t in the “Circle of Trust” do not even look at the 25 year old. Sorry, something’s are off limits.
Scotch truly hits all my senses, the natural color imparted from casks used in the aging process. The distinct smell. Sherry, spiced plums, mixed berry preserves, warm cinnamon toast, butter. The slight warmness as it glides down… Sometimes when sipping on a great glass of Scotch, I once again, am brought back to the pain staking process that took place 18+plus years ago for me to uncork in that exact moment.
It truly gives me an appreciation I can’t have with any other spirit.
So what makes the two pair so well together?
It’s like being in a book club. You’re speaking with the cigar about your favorite lines of the Scotch to discover new and exciting details.
Now image all that, at KelMar Escape.
Cheers.. Puff Puff