Friday Nightcap

Left to my own devices Friday evening while Colleen visited with friends, I made a short visit to a local brewery, then capped the evening with a late night cigar and bourbon at home. Some Penelope Four Grain Straight Bourbon and a United Cigars Firecracker, all paired with a bit of truffle chocolate filled the bill.

The United Firecracker is an annual release, typically around the 4th of July each year. This stick was part of the July Luxury Cigar Club shipment but arrived after the holiday. Of course I didn't expect to keep it around until next year! The 3 1/2 x 50 cigar has an Ecuadorian wrapper, Nicuarguan binder, and a Nicaraguan and Dominican blend as filler. The cap features a long twisted tobacco "fuse" that lays along the side of the cigar before cutting. The smoke starts off with sweet crackers and brown sugar notes, spiced with cinnamon. The flavor strength kicks up in the second half of the cigar, with the addition of cedar and earth. 

I've had the Penelope Bourbon previously. At that time I found the 80 proof bourbon to be lightly flavored but enjoyable. Vanilla, oak, and butterscotch combined for a mild flavor profile. This time, I felt a bit let down by the profile. Perhaps the medium to full bodied cigar overwhelmed it. Or even the chocolate perhaps.

Despite the less-than-ideal pairing, the late evening on the deck was a pleasant way to wind down after a long week.

Cheers!