Saturday Morning. Saturday Night.

I was left to my own devices this past weekend; Colleen was spending time with her sisters, and the yard was too wet to get any chores done there. My Saturday started out with driving around town running errands, but by mid-morning I was able to finally sit and relax after a busy week. 

I ground some of the house coffee from my local tobacconist and grabbed a smoke out of the Tatuaje Monster Mash box. 

The coffee is slightly less bold than my usual preference, but it's got a great flavor with a low acid level and we enjoy it here frequently. The chosen cigar was the Tatuaje Monster Mash Face. The 4 7/8 x 56 stick has a San Andres wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers.

I've now smoked three from the Monster Mash box and this is my favorite of the varieties so far. The cigar has a sweet leather flavor that adds a touch of spice as it progresses. I find it very hard to match back coffee with cigars, and often get tired of the combination early in a smoke. Not so with this pairing, it was very complimentary pairing. Fortunately the french press brewed two full cups for my enjoyment.

Earlier in the week I made a run to the ABC store to pick a few more bottles of whiskey for the cabinet. On a whim, I grabbed a bottle from the local A. Smith Bowman distillery. As with our local tourist attractions, it's easy to overlook the stuff right in your own town. I looked forward to revisiting this John J. Bowman Single Barrel.

With no plans for Saturday evening either, I fired up the propane heater on the screen porch, poured a wee bit of the Bowman, and lit a Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour. 

The bourbon gave off strong, pleasant aromas of honey, vanilla, and fruit. It was tempting me even as I staged the picture. Succumbing to a sip or two before heading outside, I detected oak, vanilla, and dark fruit flavors, with a hint of citrus. There was a significant but not overpowering spice note to the finish. 
 

I can't explain why I chose the Davidoff when perusing my humidor. Despite being ranked as one of the bolder sticks in the Davidoff lineup, it still seems a moderately mild cigar to me, especially when smoked with whiskey. The notes of almond, milky coffee, cocoa given off are pleasant but somewhat muted by the bolder flavors in the drink. Still it was an enjoyable smoke, and the two hour burn time offered ample opportunity to enjoy the whiskey.

Good beverage and good cigars were fitting bookends to a pleasant and relaxing Saturday. 

Cheers!