Sunset, Smoke, and a Sip: Le Carême Pastelitos & Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel

Mother nature is teasing with brief interludes of pleasant weather — between reminders that it is still winter. During a recent afternoon that hinted at spring, I reached for a Crowned Heads Le Carême Pastelitos LE 2023 for a quick smoke. Seeking a milder bourbon to accompany it this afternoon, I selected a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select.

I picked up this bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select a couple of years ago, more out of curiosity than anything else. The 375ml bottle is attractive and takes up little space on my crowded shelves. Jack Daniel’s is classified as a “Tennessee Whiskey.” It meets all the legal requirements of bourbon before undergoing an additional filtering process through sugar maple charcoal—known as the Lincoln County Process — to enhance its smoothness. No additional flavoring components are added. In my opinion, it still falls into the bourbon category, though enthusiasts on both sides of the debate have strong opinions.

Bottled at 94 proof, a step up from the classic Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, this whiskey offers mild aromas of freshly baked bread and caramel. The charcoal filtering results in an exceptionally smooth mouthfeel and a soft flavor profile. Even at its moderate proof, it drinks quite mildly. Sweet caramel, oak, and butter cookie impressions coat the palate, making for an easy sip.

The Crowned Heads Le Carême Pastelitos LE 2023 is a special format of one of my favorite cigars. I’ve enjoyed the Le Carême in various vitolas and with a range of beverage pairings. This limited-edition Pastelitos, released in 2023, is a compact 4 x 54 Robusto-sized stick. Despite my fondness for the cigar, I still have a couple left from my April 2023 purchase, now well-aged in my humidor.

The dark chocolate-colored USA Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper encases an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and Nicaraguan filler. The Pastelitos is adorned with a small pigtail twist on the cap. Given its small size, a large portion of the cigar is covered by bands, so I removed the first two before lighting up.

The Le Carême Pastelitos delivers a well-balanced smoke, rich with creamy, sweet chocolate and nutty notes. A mild cedar spice emerges later in the session. The cigar burned evenly, providing about 45 minutes of smoking enjoyment.

Always a pleasure, the Le Carême line pairs well with milder bourbons and even coffee. While the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select is certainly a mild whiskey, I found it perhaps too mild — even for this creamy cigar. Despite multiple tastings, whether on its own or alongside a cigar, it has yet to leave a memorable impression.

Nonetheless, the experience on the deck was enjoyable. The timing of my smoke coincided with sunset, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, the shifting colors in the sky and fading light added to the peaceful ambiance of the evening.

Cheers!