A Fratello Morning by the Ocean

When my schedule allows, one of my favorite ways to kick off the day is with a cigar and coffee in the morning. During a week at the Outer Banks, I was able to have that pleasure on a number of occasions. The first few days of the trip, the winds were high which made sitting on the beach or even the ocean side of the rental house unsuitable for smoking. Fortunately, we had a porch around back too. 

Lighting a Fratello D.M.V. Virginia to enjoy with my coffee, I was able to avoid the heaviest of the winds, but still spy the ocean around the side of the house. My Stinky cup holder ashtray, dropped into an empty mug, secured my cigar easily when I went inside to refill my coffee. 

The D.M.V. series is an annual release from Fratello created as a tribute to the D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware region where the brand got its start. The cigars are available in limited numbers only in this region. The original Virginia and District of Columbia 2018 vitolas are some of my favorites. I stocked up when they were available and have been slowly smoking through my stash.

The Virginia 2018 sports an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, an Ecuadorian binder and a blend of filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and the USA. The 5 ½ x 52 stick is medium to full bodied with notes of roasted coffee, earth and some spice. It's also a medium to full strength stick, one that gave me a small bit of a buzz when enjoyed early in the morning. The strong, sporadic winds coming around the house created the need for a few burn touchups, but otherwise the stick weathered the storm, so to speak.

A good cigar, enjoyed with a beautiful view, is a pleasure that's hard to beat.