Maple, Smoke, and an Old Favorite

It was a cool, rainy afternoon as we prepared for an afternoon of snacks and drinks on the screened porch. We decided that the fall weather called for a maple-influenced Old Fashioned. Once that decision was made, my mind turned immediately to the Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition.

The A.L.R. is one of my long-time favorite smokes. It’s a cigar that is rarely absent, in one form or another, from my humidor. Interestingly, though, I don’t think I’ve lit one up in more than a year. So many cigars, so little time…

The Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition I selected is a 5½ x 52 box-pressed Robusto. The cigar, wearing three gold and white bands, is wrapped with a Mexican San Andrés Maduro leaf over unspecified Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The A.L.R. initials stand for Aged, Limited, and Rare, and aging is certainly part of the story with this cigar. Rocky Patel ages the cigars for two years after rolling, and this particular example had spent another 24 months resting in my humidor.

The cigar opens with espresso and cocoa, accompanied by the sweet earthiness of the San Andrés wrapper. That sweetness softens the bitterness of the darker coffee notes and adds balance rather than simply more intensity. Roasted nuts and a touch of spice emerge along the way, with the flavors remaining rich and satisfying without becoming overpowering. Medium-bodied rather than a powerhouse, the A.L.R. emphasizes balance and depth, with a slow, even burn that made for a very pleasant afternoon smoke.

The Maple Old Fashioned replaces the usual simple syrup with maple syrup. An extra dash or two of Angostura bitters helps balance the sweetness. I used ½ ounce of maple syrup with 2 ounces of bourbon to bring the maple aspect a bit more to the forefront without turning the cocktail into a sweet dessert.

The Maple Old Fashioned complemented the cigar very nicely. The maple seemed to pull forward the dark caramel, cocoa, coffee, and roasted characteristics of the A.L.R. At the same time, the cocktail had enough bitter spice from the Angostura and the Luxardo cherry to keep its character from being overwhelmed by the cigar.

Our aperitif plate included mixed nuts, Honeycrisp apple slices, and Kerrygold Dubliner cheese. As it turned out, the cheese and apple were very well matched to both the cocktail and the cigar. I found myself continually alternating the cheese-and-apple combination with sips of the Maple Old Fashioned.

As we slowly transition into fall, the porch was a most pleasant spot for a cool afternoon. The Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition and Maple Old Fashioned made for a flavorful pairing — and a fitting way to enjoy the changing season.

Cheers!

Casa Carrillo Ascend for a Warm Autumn Evening

The recent spate of cooler evenings had me thinking more and more about coffee-influenced cocktails to pair with my evening smoke. And then, as is often the case in Virginia, the temperature reversed direction. After a string of cool 60° evenings, we went right back to temperatures above 80° as the sun was setting.

That switch caused me to set aside my plans for an after-dinner Revolver, replacing it with a classic Bourbon Old Fashioned. I didn’t change my cigar plan, however. For the cool after-dinner smoke, I grabbed a Montecristo Espada Conquistador Ricasso. The cigar is part of the Espada family from the company formerly known as E.P. Carrillo, which was rebranded as Casa Carrillo in 2025. This particular addition to the Espada line was introduced in June 2026. I added some to the humidor only about six weeks ago, but figured that was enough rest time to light one up.

The box-pressed 5 x 50 Ascend Saddle features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The cigar is made at the Casa Carrillo factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The Ascend lineup was introduced in mid-2026, and my cigars have had about six weeks of rest in the humidor.

The cigar opens with notes of cedar, roasted nuts, earth, and soft spice. There’s already a creamy sweetness to the smoke. As the cigar progresses, lightly roasted coffee notes join in. A bit of black pepper and cedar remain in the background, but neither is a major part of the profile. The cigar eventually moves into the medium-full-bodied realm, remaining well-balanced with good depth of flavor.

The Old Fashioned turned out to be an excellent accompaniment to the Ascend. The drink doesn’t overwhelm the cigar’s softer coffee notes, allowing the cedar, nuts, baking spice, and sweetness to stand out. The bourbon cocktail adds its own caramel and vanilla notes, but the pairing never strays into overly sweet territory. The bourbon’s oak and vanilla also seem to reinforce some of the cigar’s own woody and sweet notes, while the expressed orange provides a bit of brightness that keeps the combination from becoming too heavy.

I particularly liked the way the two worked together without either one dominating. The Ascend has enough flavor and body to stand up to the bourbon, while the Old Fashioned provides just enough sweetness and contrast to complement the cigar’s richer notes. It was a fairly straightforward pairing, but sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

The Casa Carrillo Ascend Saddle was a fairly quick smoke, just around 45 minutes. The short-and-sweet pairing was rich but not heavy. Just the thing for a warm autumn evening repast.

The return of 80° evenings was a reminder that Virginia wasn’t quite ready to let go of summer yet. But that’s OK. There’s a good cigar and drink pairing for just about any weather.

Cheers!

Nineteen Years: Still Here, Still Musing

Today, October 6, marks the nineteenth anniversary of these Musings. When I reflect on that number, it hardly seems possible.

This blog has always been a hobby, not something done for money or fame. As I approached this point, I found myself asking a few questions. What happens to a personal blog after 19 years? Does anyone still read? Does it matter? Why keep doing it?

When I started Musings Over a Barrel, then called Musings Over a Pint, in 2007, blogging was a very different world. Blogs were conversations. Readers commented, bloggers linked to one another, and a small community could form around shared interests. Here in Fredericksburg, a group of local bloggers got together regularly to share a pint or even make a visit to the range for some shooting fun.

Today, much of that conversation has moved elsewhere. Comments are fewer, social media moves faster, and many of the blogs that once filled my reading list have gone quiet. Video reviews and reels are all the rage. Personally, I rarely watch video cigar reviews, but clearly short-form video has become a big part of how people consume content.

I write in a specialized niche — premium cigars, bourbon, beer, cocktails, travel, and occasional faith and personal reflections. Originally, the focus was on the burgeoning craft beer scene, especially here in the local area. Basic reviews were the core of the content.

Over the years, however, my focus has shifted. I’ve sought to move away from simply “reviewing products” and more toward documenting experiences. The details that once served primarily as the substance of a review have become more about how those things contribute to the experience.

The writing itself has become part of the experience. Researching a cigar, selecting a bourbon, recalling a trip, or capturing an evening with friends transforms a fleeting moment into something preserved. Especially since retiring, I’ve found that I enjoy the process of reflecting on an evening, a cigar, a bourbon, or a trip, and crafting those experiences into something worth sharing. After nearly two decades, I think I'm enjoying the process more than ever.

Sometimes I light a cigar and pour a bourbon with the intent of documenting the experience. Other times, the experience itself creates the inspiration to write.

As I pen these thoughts, the blog has accumulated over 14 million lifetime hits. There are still blogs out there with far more traffic. Few people comment any longer, but I can tell from the basic tracking tools that people are still reading these thoughts and reviews.

After all these years, I find myself going back to read old posts frequently. I might be my own most regular consumer of the Musings.

I often look at old reflections to remember what I thought, what I enjoyed, and what surrounded a particular bottle or cigar — or simply to relive a memorable trip. I take plenty of photos of my travels, drinks, cigars, and other life experiences, but putting those experiences here preserves the memories in a way that a photo album often doesn’t.

After nineteen years, and 3,876 posts later, I no longer measure Musings Over a Barrel only by page views or comments. Those numbers are interesting, but they are not the reason it continues.

The real reward is the opportunity to pause, reflect, and share a small piece of life — one cigar, one glass, and one story at a time. If someone else also gets enjoyment from all this, that's all the better.

Cheers!

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A Taste of Fall: Montecristo Espada Conquistador Ricasso

It’s beginning to feel a bit like fall. The screened porch is cool, but the heaters aren’t needed yet. Evening smoking sessions are enjoyable, as long as I don’t think too much about the winter that will follow this pleasant period.

For a cooler weather after-dinner smoke, I grabbed a Montecristo Espada Conquistador Ricasso. This addition to the Espada line was introduced in June 2026. I added some to the humidor only about six weeks ago, but figured that was enough rest time to light one up.

Expecting a sweeter, medium-bodied profile from the Nicaraguan puro, I poured some Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon for its oaky flavor and easy-sipping profile.

The Montecristo Espada Conquistador Ricasso is a 5 x 54 Robusto with a deep brown Jalapa leaf wrapper. The binder hails from Ometepe, while the filler tobaccos come from Condega and Estelí. The cigars are manufactured by Plasencia Cigars.

The cigar is decorated with three bands, which frankly look quite nice but essentially hide the cigar. Once the paper coverings are removed, the glossy, smooth wrapper is revealed.

The initial flavors are more muted than expected. Dry earth and woody notes are accompanied by just a touch of pepper on the finish. As the smoke progresses toward the midsection, toasted bread and some dark cocoa come into play, with a bit more spice added to the mix.

The Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon is a bottle I’ve been sipping slowly for a couple of years. At a reasonable 100 proof, the bourbon has a substantial dry oak and roasted character. Vanilla, caramel, and baking spice provide some balance.

The oak-forward character of the bourbon worked well with the dry, woody character of the cigar. The profiles of both remained well balanced. While the cigar stayed generally in the dry-earth realm, the bourbon’s oak lifted the pairing. As the cigar’s toasted flavors gained prominence, the bourbon’s mild spice finish helped maintain that balance.

Only toward the end of the smoke did the cigar seem to lose its character. The finish became flat, reminding me of dry leaves. The cigar exhibited a lopsided burn along the same side throughout, which I touched up frequently in an attempt to maintain an even burn. I did not do this as the cigar got shorter, which may have contributed to the more muted finish. Perhaps with more time in the humidor, the remaining sticks will offer a different experience.

Despite the lackluster ending, I found the combination of Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon and the Montecristo Espada Conquistador Ricasso enjoyable. The two exhibited similar profiles, with a pleasing woody character throughout. Inducing thoughts of earth, wood, and fallen leaves, it made for a fitting fall pairing.

Cheers!

Coffee, Campari & the Knuckle Sandwich

For our Sunday afternoon cocktails last weekend, I decided to make some Coffee Negronis. The coffee-flavored cocktail seemed particularly fitting for the cool afternoon.

The Coffee Negroni is based on a recipe from Anders Erickson.

Coffee Negroni

1 oz Dry Gin 

¾ oz Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur

¾ oz Campari

¼ oz Sweet Vermouth

Stir the ingredients with ice and serve up or over a large rock.

Express orange oil over the cocktail and discard the peel.

The cocktail has a darker, more roasted dimension than a classic Negroni. The Campari’s orange bitterness remains prominent, while the coffee adds espresso-like notes of roasted beans, dark chocolate, and a slight char. The roasted bitterness is nicely offset by the dark sweetness of the sweet vermouth, with everything accented by a bright citrus note. I took a small sip before expressing the orange oil, and that seemingly small addition made a noticeable difference, adding a fresh citrus note that brightened the entire drink.

I was also planning to enjoy an Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2025 Toro, which seemed like it would be a natural accompaniment. The cigar came from a box I purchased in June 2025. It’s been a while since I’ve grabbed a stick from that box, and I’d been thinking about lighting another one for some time.

The Knuckle Sandwich line is the result of a collaboration between chef Guy Fieri and Erik Espinosa. The Chef’s Special edition is released annually. The 2025 version features a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers, presented as a 6 x 55 box-pressed Toro. The wrapper feels dry in the hand, but every one I’ve smoked has performed flawlessly.

The cigar is full-bodied, with earthy spice and espresso predominating. Layers of dark chocolate and dark fruit sweetness provide some balance to the bitter coffee notes.

The pairing offered a nice overlap of espresso and dark chocolate, along with some welcome contrast. The bitterness of the Campari stood up to the cigar’s richness, while the sweet vermouth and coffee notes seemed to amplify the chocolate and espresso flavors coming from the cigar. The flavors were familiar without being repetitive. The Knuckle Sandwich and Coffee Negroni didn’t simply duplicate each other, but instead seemed to lift and complement one another.

I’ve enjoyed cigars from the Knuckle Sandwich lineup with various bourbons, ryes, and ales. This Coffee Negroni and Knuckle Sandwich pairing has me excited to trying similar cocktails with other cigars as we move into the cooler — and eventually cold — weather of the coming months. 

Cheers!

Year of the Horse and a Barrel-Proof Evening

I picked up this Rocky Patel Year of the Horse when visiting a cigar lounge back in June. I’ve been looking forward to smoking it, and after more than three months of rest in the humidor, the time had finally come. We were experiencing some early fall cool weather, with the thermometer reading 60° and a “feels like” temperature of just 53°. A bold cigar and drink seemed like just the ticket.

The Year of the Horse is a limited-edition, box-pressed 7 x 48 Churchill made for the Chinese Zodiac’s Year of the Horse. It features a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler leaves. The black, gold, and red sleeve and band give the cigar an impressive appearance. Sliding off the large sleeve reveals a chocolatey brown San Andrés wrapper that’s a bit rustic in appearance. The roll is neat and even, although the tobacco has some visible veins.

I was a little apprehensive about the draw through the long, slender Churchill, but the airflow had just the right amount of resistance. Smoke production was good, and the burn remained even, requiring no touch-ups throughout the long 95-minute smoking time.

After some deliberation, I decided on an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (Batch A124) pairing. This particular pour is one of my favorite non-cigar-blend bourbons to sip with a full-flavored cigar. Eventually, I’ll have to look for another choice, as the level in the bottle is steadily dropping.

Batch A124 was the first of Elijah Craig’s three annual barrel-proof releases from 2024. Bottled at 119 proof and carrying a 10-year, 9-month age statement, it’s one of the younger and lower-proof releases in the series. It delivers a robust sipping experience of brown sugar, dark caramel, vanilla, and charred oak, with lively cinnamon and rye spice building toward the finish. Vanilla and a hint of tobacco linger alongside the oak and spice, resulting in a long, sweet finish that’s satisfying without becoming syrupy.

I figured the dark, rich combination would provide a nice counterpoint to the chilly, steady rain of an early fall evening.

The cigar kicked off with earth, espresso, and some sweet spice notes, jumping out of the gate solidly in the medium-bodied range. The initial sips of the bourbon, with its caramel, vanilla, and oak, were more pronounced, and the Elijah Craig took the lead despite the richness of the cigar.

The pairing became more balanced as the Year of the Horse progressed and the flavors continued to develop. The cigar moved into the full-bodied range as a more roasted and spicy character evolved. I started sipping the bourbon a bit more frequently as the cigar gained strength. The components were working in harmony now.

As the smoke neared its conclusion, the pairing took on even more intensity, with the Elijah Craig’s 119 proof providing a long, warming counterpoint to the espresso, cocoa, and toasted flavors of the Year of the Horse.

Indeed, this was a near-perfect combination for a dark and damp early fall evening. There’s warmer weather predicted for the upcoming week, but the evening was a reminder that more cool nights are on the way.

Cheers!

The White Noise of Cigar Smoking

I was enjoying a cigar at a local lounge recently when, for some reason, I became very aware of the hum of the air exchange system. Normally, that hum is simply part of the background — some white noise that I don’t really notice.

That got me thinking about the ubiquitous “white noise” of cigar smoking.

Naturally, any decent cigar lounge needs efficient air circulation and filtration. But most of my cigar enjoyment doesn’t happen in a cigar lounge. It happens at home, usually on the screened porch.

During the warmer months, I typically have several fans moving air around the porch. In addition to the ceiling fan, I usually run a couple of oscillating tower fans, and their hum is constant. This summer I added a box fan at one end of the porch to push even more air through the space. Together, all those fans create a surprisingly pleasant breeze, even in the middle of summer.

They also create a not-always-subtle layer of background noise.

When the weather turns cold, the oscillating fans get packed away and are replaced by a couple of Big Buddy portable propane heaters. Their little fans do a modest job of dispersing the warmth. With the porch windows closed, I also run a Jafanda room air purifier to help clear the smoke.

Different season, different equipment, same result: more background noise.

I usually have music playing while I enjoy a cigar on the porch, so the fans, heaters, and air purifier aren’t something I consciously listen to. After a few minutes, they’re just there. A low, steady hum woven into the rest of the cigar-smoking experience.

In fact, that hum has become enough of a part of the ritual that when I occasionally sit outside on the deck with everything turned off, the silence is almost more noticeable than the noise ever was.

The hum of the fans has become as much a part of “cigar time” as the smell of tobacco, the cut, the light, the sip of bourbon, or whatever music happens to be playing.

It’s funny how something you barely notice can become part of an experience.

Maybe that’s another part of enjoying a cigar. It’s not only the cigar, the drink, the weather, the music, or the company. It’s all those little things surrounding the moment — even the low hum of the machinery keeping the air moving.

The next time I’m sitting in a cigar lounge and hear that familiar hum of the ventilation system, I’ll probably notice it. And then, before long, I’ll stop noticing it again.

Cheers!

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Surprising Music History: Steely Dan and Schlitz

A jingle from the '70s to kick off the weekend.

Steely Dan, who knew? The jingle was recorded between the band’s 1972 debut album, Can’t Buy a Thrill, and their follow-up, Countdown to Ecstasy, from 1973. 

Cheers!