Maker's Mark BRT-01 and My Father El Centurion H-2K-CT Pairing

I saw a meme recently that stated "The night before a day off is better than the actual day off." I am not sure about that, but that doesn't mean I don't look forward to Friday evening as much as I do the weekend. Leading up to Friday, my anticipation level was high. Early in the day I had already decided on what the cigar and bourbon pairing would be for the evening. I had even queued up the "albums" I planned to enjoy while smoking. 

I received some My Father El Centurion H-2K-CT cigars just a couple weeks ago. They haven't been resting all that long, but they looked too enticing to ignore any longer. The cigar's description made me confident it would pair well with some Maker's Mark BRT-01. 

My Father El Centurion H-2K-CT selected is a box-pressed 6 x 52 Toro. It sports an oily, caramel colored H-2K-CT Connecticut wrapper, which gives the cigar its name. It's said to be a Cuban-seed strain of tobacco grown in open sunlight and cultivated in the Connecticut River Valley. The binder and fillers are Nicaraguan. The decorative bands and ribbon covering the cigar provide a decorative touch, and just happen to be color coordinated with the bourbon label.

The 90 minute smoke had a pretty consistent flavor throughout. I expected a pepper kick as is so often found with My Father cigars. I found the pepper level to be quite moderate. The flavor had a creamy aspect to it. Vanilla, nuts, caramel, roasted coffee, and a dark fruit note combined for a flavorful smoke. The El Centurion does not disappoint.

The Maker's Mark BRT-01 is one of the 2022 Wood Finishing series releases. The aroma of the amber liquid has baking spices and caramel. Sipping reveals warm notes cinnamon, vanilla, and a fruit sweetness. It makes me think of a freshly embarked apple and peach pie. This is a rich and flavorful drink. The 110 proof makes itself known, but it's not obnoxious about it.

The BRT-01 and Centurion H-2K-CT pairing worked out as well, if not better, than I anticipated. It was a long smoke on a hot and humid evening. However, the somewhat oppressive weather was made quite bearable by the enjoyable flavor combo. 

For those interested, the evening's music included Tinsley Ellis' "Devil May Care" and Walter Trout's "Ride" albums.

Cheers!