A Storm, A Smoke, and A Sip: Belgian Blue and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

As I prepped to enjoy a cigar on the porch Friday evening, my phone alerted me that we were under a Storm Warning and a Tornado Watch. Undaunted, I grabbed a Crowned Heads Belgium Blue LE 2024 from the humidor and headed out.

The Belgian Blue is a limited-edition cigar released in 2024 by Crowned Heads — only 2,000 boxes of 12 were produced. It’s a 6x54 box-pressed Toro, featuring a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder. The filler is comprised of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos, 75% of which are ligero leaves — the strongest part of the tobacco plant. Fittingly, the cigar is named after a breed of Belgian cattle known for their strength and sculpted muscularity. Coincidentally, we had recently watched an episode of Clarkson’s Farm where Jeremy was buying a Belgian Blue bull. That reminded me I still had a few of these cigars in the humidor, and it influenced the evening’s selection.

As I began to enjoy the smoke, I heard a roar in the distance, growing louder. It wasn’t a tornado approaching, nor a noisy truck as I first thought, but a wall of heavy rain moving swiftly through the trees. I quickly shifted my setup from the outer edge of the porch to the inner wall — just in time. The rain hit hard and loud. Colleen stepped out and said she’d heard the roar inside and wondered what it was.

At that point, I turned off the music I’d been listening to, as it was impossible to hear. In a twist of fate, the last song that played was “Storm Warning” by Charlie Musselwhite, from his new Look Out Highway album released just a couple of weeks ago.

With only a light mist reaching me now, I was able to continue my smoke. The Belgian Blue opens with bold pepper and sweet mocha notes. As it progresses, it evolves into a full-bodied experience featuring a medley of caramel, roasted nuts, and oak. The smoke is copious, rich, and creamy.

I paired the nearly hour and 45-minute cigar with a pour of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (Batch A124). Elijah Craig releases three barrel-proof editions each year, and A124 is the first of 2024. It clocks in at 119 proof, with a 10-year, 9-month age statement — one of the lower-proof and younger releases in the series.

This bourbon brings a robust profile of brown sugar, caramel, and charred oak, with a distinct cinnamon spice kick. The sweet and spicy finish is long and satisfying. I typically enjoy bourbon neat, and I’ve had this one that way. But for this pairing, I opted for a large ice cube. The slight chill and dilution smoothed some of the proof’s bite and opened up more sweetness. It paired nicely with the cigar, though eventually the bourbon became too diluted, muting the flavor.

Surprisingly, the sky turned blue as the storm front moved on. I restarted the music and enjoyed the rest of the cigar in unexpectedly pleasant, spring-like weather.

Cheers!

Retirement: One Year In

It’s now been a year since I retired. Though much of the past year has been marked by pain and limited activity, it has also been filled with joy and countless blessings.

It took a couple of months for the reality of retirement to truly sink in. At first, my thoughts were mostly centered around one simple truth: I no longer had to deal with the stress. The joy came from repeatedly thinking, “It's not my problem anymore.”

There is no peace of mind quite like walking away from an environment that left you drained, burned out, and exhausted. But that initial relief was only a distraction from the deeper, truer joy of retirement — knowing that my wife and I can now enjoy the life we spent so many years working for. I spent fifty years chasing a paycheck. No more.

Now, with healing well underway after back surgery — along with the relief it has brought — we are beginning to embrace this new chapter. It finally feels like the culmination of a successful career. And then there are the little things — like not having to spend Saturdays on chores, and enjoying our favorite lunch spots and avoiding the weekend crowds.

These days, I look forward to waking up in the morning. Interestingly, I rarely set an alarm, yet I still rise around the same time I did during my working years. Sometimes even earlier — probably because I can finally look forward to the day ahead. And sometimes, I just smile, roll over, and go back to sleep.

I like the AI-bot impression!

Cheers!

Five O'Clock Friday: Incoming Call

Excuse me, I have to get this.

Cheers!

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A Toast to John B. Keane

Irish playwright, poet, and pub owner John Brendan Keane (21 July 1928 – 30 May 2002) expressed his love for drink with a wit and passion few could match. On the anniversary of his passing, let’s lend an ear to his words once more — then promptly raise a glass, as he surely would’ve insisted.

 

Cheers!

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It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again — With Smoke

Yogi Berra is reported to have quipped, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” That’s exactly how I felt when I stopped into Hogshead Cigar Lounge for a smoke on Wednesday afternoon. Just like last Wednesday, it was raining again — or perhaps more accurately, it was still raining. It’s been a wet week, punctuated only by the occasional dry spell.

 

This time, I selected a Black Works Studio NBK to enjoy. Different cigar. Same seat. Same beverage. And, as always, great conversation.

Cheers!

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H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill Cigar Review – A Bold & Elegant Smoke

I’ve had several H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Limited Edition Churchill cigars resting in my humidor since last November. Released in July 2024, these cigars commemorate the 180-year legacy of the H. Upmann brand, founded in 1844 by German banker Herman Upmann in Havana, Cuba. I’ve been waiting for warmer weather to light one up — I didn’t want to risk a somewhat pricey cigar to cold temperatures or a rushed smoke.

The H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Limited Edition Churchill is an elegant 7 x 50 cigar. It features a chocolate-hued wrapper leaf, identified as rare Nicaraguan medio tiempo — a small, potent leaf that occasionally grows at the top of the tobacco plant. Harvested from only about two percent of plants, medio tiempo is prized for its rich flavor and concentrated strength, and is rarely used as a wrapper. The binder and fillers are also Nicaraguan, which adds to the cigar’s depth and character.

The cigar sports a striking primary band marking H. Upmann’s 180th year and an unusual, cap-like foot band covering the foot. While attempting to remove the foot band without tearing it, I accidentally cracked the wrapper at the foot. Thankfully, a quick touch-up with PerfecRepair resolved the issue. A straight cut at the cap delivered a smooth, open draw.

From the first puff, I knew this was going to be a flavorful and complex smoke. Even before it had a chance to fully warm up, it delivered rich notes of chocolate and dark raisins. Black coffee, pepper, and cinnamon soon followed. The bold, flavorful smoke was complex and full-bodied, yet never harsh. A layer of spiciness sat beneath the dark coffee and sweet, dark fruit flavors, adding complexity without overwhelming the palate.

I paired the cigar with a classic Negroni, as I often do when not drinking bourbon. The bitter, botanical drink pairs well with full-flavored cigars, especially robust Nicaraguan blends like this one.

The H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Limited Edition Churchill provided an hour and 50 minutes of rich, satisfying smoking pleasure. It’s likely as bold and complex as a cigar can get while remaining smooth and enjoyable. To say I enjoyed it would be an understatement. I held onto the tiny nub with my fingertips, trying to draw out the experience as long as possible. I’m already looking forward to lighting another from my stock — though it will definitely be saved for a special occasion.

Cheers!

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Memorial Day: Gratitude and Vigilance

As we mark the unofficial beginning of summer, let us take a moment to reflect on and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. While many of us gather with family and friends to enjoy the holiday with food and celebration, we do so with gratitude and remembrance for the true meaning behind it.

The courage and selflessness of our fallen heroes have played a vital role in securing the liberties we cherish today. As we pause to honor their memory this Memorial Day, may we also reaffirm our commitment to upholding the values they fought to protect and remain vigilant in preserving the freedoms they so bravely defended.

“The purpose of all war is ultimately peace.”

--Saint Augustine

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Porch Reflections: With Rocky Patel A.L.R. 2 and Green River Bourbon

Memorial Day weekend, despite marking the traditional start of summer, so often arrives cloaked in cool and rainy weather. At least, that seems to be the pattern around here. When our son was in high school, he worked as a lifeguard at the local pool and eagerly anticipated the start of swim season — mainly for the money-making opportunities. Yet, more often than not, it was too cold or stormy for the pool to open, much to his disappointment.

This year’s holiday brought another drop in temperature, with the thermometer dipping into the 60s. At least the rain held off. To kick off the weekend, I settled onto the porch to relax and enjoy a few of my favorite pastimes — cigars, bourbon, and music.

For the evening, I chose my last Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition Bala. The A.L.R. Second Edition is one of my all-time favorite smokes. This particular cigar, an approximately 5 3/4 x 58 Perfecto, was the last of the stash I picked up at the Rocky Patel event held at Hogshead Cigar Lounge in November 2022 — where I was thrilled to meet both Rocky and Nish Patel.

The Bala vitola features a mostly closed foot and narrows towards the cap. After removing the slightly yellowed cello, I used my PerfecPunch to open the cap. Even after the foot burned open, the draw remained a bit tight, so I followed up with a straight cut. That did the trick — smoke production became copious and flavorful.

The blend is the signature A.L.R. Second Edition combination: a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Honduran binder, and filler tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. The cigar delivers well-integrated notes of coffee and espresso, with pepper and cedar spice, all underpinned by a dark fruit sweetness. The A.L.R. Second Edition consistently provides a flavorful and satisfying experience. Although this was my last Bala, I typically keep Robusto or Toro sizes in my humidor.

To complement the cigar, I poured the last bit from my bottle of Green River Kentucky Bourbon. Well, truth be told, it made for two good pours.

Green River offers a classic, easy-sipping bourbon profile: caramel, oak, and a touch of brown sugar, all well-balanced. There’s a hint of spice on the palate that fades quickly. At under $40, it’s a great value for a 90-proof bourbon aged over five years. With this bottle now empty, I’ll likely be picking up a replacement soon.

Despite a constant cool breeze drifting through the porch, the 90-minute session was quite pleasant. I had a Joe Bonamassa blues album blaring through the outdoor speaker, adding to the evening’s atmosphere. I spent much of the time reflecting on this time last year — when I was approaching my final week of work. It doesn’t feel like that long ago, and yet so much has happened since — adjusting to retirement and recovering from back issues.

With the bulk of that now behind me, I have a good feeling about the summer ahead.

Cheers!

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