Bill Paley and the Goldie Laguito No.

When you think of luxury cigar brands, there are several that come to mind. Nat Sherman would certainly be one of them. In particular, one has been rising to the top for the past several years, La Palina Cigars. An old brand resurrected by Bill Paley and relaunched in 2010 at the annual IPCPR.

Resurrecting the La Palina brand was a journey for Bill. In an article that I published last summer, which can be found HERE written by Frank Seltzer, you can read about some of that journey. The brand had died out sometime in the 1960's as far as Bill can tell. That was the last time a box of La Palina Cigars could be found. At that time, they were being made in the Dominican. As noted in the article, Bill's strategy is simple, excellence and quality period. Like he says, If you go for excellence and real quality, people will appreciate it. You will grow sales and won't have to convince anybody.

 

The wrapper is an elegant Ecuadorian habano. A 6x38 Petit Lancero. Flawless in nature, the wrapper has no defects to be found. It is finished off with a pigtail cap and the elegant gold embossed La Palina label. While not an overly complex cigar, due to the smaller size, you can still find multiple different tones to it. Quite a few, I was pleasantly surprised.

Initial inspection of the cigar found a cedar smell to them. A pleasant aroma that beckons you to light it up. After toasting the foot of the cigar, I found black peppery notes along with almonds and fruit that dominated the first several inches into the smoke. The draw in is spot on and the same can be said for the burn. Construction is nothing short of perfection. Halfway in and sharp spice notes with a cinnamon aftertaste dominate.

I’ve been fortunate enough to now smoked my way through a box of these over the past year. I can say every one has been consistent and reliable. At a price point around fifteen dollars per stick, this is not your everyday smoke. But for those of you looking for that special cigar, I would recommend it highly.

The cigar finishes up with spice overtones with glimpses of a nutty nature and cinnamon.

There is not a more pleasant man you will find in the cigar industry, then Bill Paley. In fact, I have dubbed him, the most interesting man in the cigar industry. A bartender, Vietnam veteran, yacht captain and addiction counselor, are just some of the titles he has held. So, next time you walk by the humidor and see a La Palina cigar, don't hesitate to grab it, light up and enjoy this great thing we call The Cigar Lifestyle.

Memorial Day Drink Recipes

With the Memorial Day weekend upon us lets not forget those who gave all to protect us.  As we fire-up our grills and have family over for  cookouts lets remember that freedom isn't free and somewhere a family sacrificed a love one for our freedom.

That being said, as we celebrate them I thought you mite enjoy a few drink recipes to serve with your BBQ this weekend.......

Uncle Buck

Ingredients:

1 1/4 ounces Tequila Don Julio Blanco

3/4 ounce Pineapple Juice

1/2 ounce Fresh Lime Juice

1/3 oz Ginger Syrup

1 tsp Green Chartreuse

Preparation:

1.     Combine Don Julio Blanco, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, ginger syrup and green chartreuse in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well.

2.     Strain contents into Collins cocktail glass over fresh ice.

Quiet Storm

Ingredients:

1 ounce Bulleit Bourbon

¾ ounce lemon juice

1 ounce extra dry vermouth

¼ ounce simple syurp

Top with ginger beer

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing tin
2. Strain contents into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.
3. Garnish with 1 mint sprig and lemon

One More Chance

Ingredients:

1 ¼ ounce George Dickel Rye

¼ ounce Gran Classico bitters

¼ ounce maple syrup

¾ ounce lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing tin
2. Strain contents into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.
3. Garnish with 1 orange half wheel                                                                                                                                 

Cigar & Beer Pairing One-On-One

NHC Skull Breaker Surrogates & Great Lakes Brewing Co. Eliot Ness 

If you've never had the pleasure of drinking anything from Great Lakes Brewing Co. you’re truly missing out. In my humble opinion, they are making some of the best beer on the market. Today I'm taking a look at an Amber Vienna Lager they make called Eliot Ness. While not all that common of a style, it is a great tasting beer. Being a native Clevelander I feel particularly at home drinking this beer. Whether I'm sitting in the brewery at the massive, carved wooden bar or at home in my overstuffed brown leather chair, drinking a Great Lakes beer is quit the experience.


Famed Cleveland safety director Eliot Ness often visited the bar now known as the Great Lakes Brewery. Deep in the heart of Ohio City, Great Lakes Brewery has found a home with beer enthusiasts near and far, winning a gold medal at the World Beer Championship for the E.N.


I've decided to pair it up with a newer cigar that’s on the market, made by New Hampshire Cigars. The Skull Breaker Surrogate is a bold cigar, full of flavor and a nice kick. I get questions all the time asking what I should pair with which drink. Like most of you, for me it’s all about the taste. If you’re just starting out and looking to pair your favorite cigar with a beer, keep it simple. Don’t overthink things. Your taste buds will tell you all you need to know. For myself, I prefer pairings that have different overtones but similar undertones. Let me explain.

If your beer has a bitter aftertaste, yet starts out smooth and crisp, I would look for a cigar that has a sweet or spicy start and has undertones that are smooth, nutty and has hints of coffee.


Case in point: The Skull Breaker Surrogate and GLB Eliot Ness.


My initial light indicated notes of leather, coffee and pepper. After spending several minutes savoring the notes from the cigar, I began the pairing process. The Eliot Ness has a slightly bitter tone with a finish that is delectably sweet and smooth. The bold flavors of the Skull Breaker pair nicely with the sweet, smooth notes found in the E.N. A further delve into the beer and you will find a hop nose and hints of caramel. I typically prefer dark, rich coffee, and the caramel notes in the beer decidedly pair quite nicely, even for a guy who only drinks black coffee.


Halfway through the cigar you will get spicy peppery overtones with several nutty features. A full-bodied cigar that has a nice kick to it on the back end leaving a rich, peppery aftertaste on your palette. The E.N remains consistent with smooth, crisp, sweet and slightly bitter notes. The color on the beer is reddish and dark amber. To this point it’s a great pairing for my particular palette. The spicy pepper tones and the smooth, sweet tones of the beer gel nicely, leaving a somewhat sticky and tan head.

On the back half of the cigar, expect things to kick up a notch. Rich, dark coffee bean and earthy notes become front and center. The orange peel, herbal malts and earthy features of the beer make this a cigar pairing delight and worthy of the price for a premium cigar and beer. My parting advice for anyone looking to pair a cigar and your favorite beer would be: Sit back, relax and start exploring. The journey is half the fun.