Sunday Afternoon Cigar and Coffee

In the midst of a hectic weak with no chance for a cigar, so as a tonic I'm reflecting on a restful Sunday afternoon. Last Sunday after Mass and a delicious brunch, I tackled a purge of the "junk drawer" in my dresser. (You know the one.) After helping with some outdoor Christmas decorating I felt the day slipping away so I declared an end to chores. Offering to make Colleen a cappuccino helped to sway her as well.

I had already decided on the cigar for the day, the Black Label Trading Company Bishops Blend Novemdiales. 

The Novemdiales is the 2023 version of the annual Bishops Blend release. The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper is change from the Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper of previous releases. An attractive Ecuadorian Habano binder, and a mixed filler of Nicaraguan, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania broadleaf tobaccos complete the blend. The Bishops Blend has always ranked high on my list, and the "boosted" Novemdiales for 2023 is exceptional. 

The full bodied smoke has a flavor profile rich with dark fruit, bitter espresso, along with strong cedar and pepper spices. One smoked previously seemed to be overly packed and took some extra work to smoke, but this example was near perfect. 

While I was smoking and sipping, the clouds even gave way for a bit, the warm sun on the cool day adding to the pleasure. The creamy cappuccino provided a nice foil to the bold cigar. The large coffee treat didn't last as long as the cigar, and I was uninspired to go inside to prep another, so finished by sipping plain water. Not as delightful for sure, but the rest before the new week was most welcome.

Cheers!