Davidoff of Geneva announced today that NYC stores are back open after months of closure due to COVID 19. In an email, a representative from Davidoff outlined some of the health and safety measures being implemented to keep customers and staff safe, including:
Customers are recommended to wear face coverings upon entry. Staff are required to.
Sales professionals will guide the shoppers experience. Customers will not be allowed to enter the humidor. Floor markers will provide a space to wait for staff to make selection and present to the customer.
Similar floor markers are provided by point of sale area for customers to maintain 6ft distancing.
Additional signage will be applied in multiple areas throughout the store to ensure current operation measures are understood and followed.
No outside food or beverage will be allowed.
Lounges will remain closed until further notice.
Store hour vary from store to store, see below.
Madison: Mon-Saturday: 10AM-5PM / Sunday closed.
6th Avenue: Mon-Fri: 11AM-5PM / Weekends closed
Downtown: Mon – Fri: 11AM-7PM / Sat and Sun: 12PM-6PM
Note: due to the fast-moving nature of laws, regulations, and requirements around COVID 19, I suggest calling ahead before visiting a Davidoff location.
If you’re a cigar smoker on Instagram, you’ve probably seen some of Billy Rothwell’s (@bk23xxiii) photos on your feed. He’s grown a large Instagram following by capturing an essence of luxury that is hard to find elsewhere.
I had the pleasure of meeting Billy at Davidoff Brookfield Place at an event put together by Eric of @scotchandtime. We didn’t get to chat much, but Billy struck me as a down to earth guy and someone most anyone would enjoy smoking a cigar with. At the event, he also showed off a prototype of his new ultra-luxury cigar ash tray, the W.R. Roth Avant-Garde II. Just holding it my hands was quite the experience–it felt solid and had a great look to it.
In the months since, the world has obviously turned upside down. So I’ve reached out to friends in the cigar world like Billy to chat so that our readers can discover interesting new personalities to follow online.
So without further ado, let’s get to know Billy and take a look behind-the-scenes at W.R. Roth.
Matthias: Let’s start with the obvious. Where is your head at right as far as Corona Virus goes? I know you’re safe and given your posts you are continuing to enjoy life, but what are you feeling when it comes to the pandemic, the economy, social distancing, etc?
Billy: Perspective. Life is truly all about the way a person sees things. Me, I try to look for the silver lining in every situation. Many of us are so blessed to be at home with a pantry full of food, internet, tv, cell phones and video games. This is a unique environment that most people reading this have never seen before unless you were around in 1918 for the last major global pandemic (Virus related… I think hunger, homelessness, mental health and more qualify as global pandemics as well) All that said, its also an eye opening experience to human behavior, trust in our government, emergency preparedness and so much more. I could go on for hours about change and the future but I will just say we are resilient, we have been through wars, famine, plague and more…yet here we are. This too shall pass…
Matthias: I hear you – this topic could certainly span an entire interview. But let’s get to know you a bit more, and not in the typical “what do you do for work” kind of way. What were some of the formative experiences you had when you were younger that shaped the kind of person you are today?
Billy: I grew up in an environment much different than most assume. My father was in prison for 23 years and my Mom wasn’t around at all until my adult years. My Moms parents raised me and my sisters until my Grandfather passed away when I was in 4th grade. My Grandmother then took on the burden of raising us alone. So when you ask what shaped me, the answer is multifaceted. I was smart enough to learn from other peoples mistakes so I avoided making too many of my own. I was also lucky to have a woman in my life like my Grandmother (Nonnie) who showed me what a true work ethic was.
I started working in Banking with the company she worked for almost full time in 10th grade to help her pay the rent and I always dreamed of being successful to put myself in a position to provide for her the way she provided for us. Christmas and birthdays were limited to a single gift and at the time I was a HUGE Michael Jordan fan (still am) so that was almost always a pair of the newest Jordan sneakers. Between the work ethic she instilled and the competitive nature and desire to win Jordan embodied, I had 2 people I really looked up to that helped shape the person I became.
Matthias: That’s pretty inspiring. I’m also a huge fan of Jordan and 23 was my favorite number growing up. Outside of an interest in quality and craftsmanship, what do you care about in life? What do you value—personally—and why?
Billy: I value my family, my friendships (I keep a very small circle) and my memories and experiences, new and old. Money is cool. Having “stuff” is fun, but I would give all that up if it gave me unlimited access to creating incredible experiences and memories with the people I love. I came from nothing, so I remember what having nothing felt like…and it was fine… as long as I had the people around me that I loved.
My fondest memories in life to this day aren’t about the things I have now, they are of the experiences I went through and things I learned from the people that meant the most to me. Those are the things that allowed me the opportunity, skills and drive to work so hard for the things I am grateful to possess today.
Matthias: I hear you on that. That is what seems to separate the annoying luxury personalities from the genuinely interesting ones: values that transcend owning expensive things or having status.
This all begs the question, outside of luxury products like cigars, drinks, accessories, and fashion, what are your hobbies?
Billy: Those are certainly the majority of my passions but in regards to hobbies otherwise, I love to be outdoors and in the woods. Hiking, camping, motorcycles… anything in nature or outside. I also love to travel. Creating memories and experiences that last a lifetime. I am blessed to have done some pretty cool things in my life and each of them are far more valuable to me than anything I own physically.
Matthias: Speaking of experiences, tell us about the best cigar experience you’ve ever had. Where were you, who were you with, what were you smoking/drinking?
Billy: Picking one is impossible as I have so many amazing experiences involving cigars. One that stands out was 3 years ago in Georgia at the Masters. I was staying at a gorgeous resort in Lake Okonee, had a great friend come visit that night after the first round of the tournament and we sat by the lake in a private area next to a firepit drinking great wine and smoking some aged regional Cubans talking about everything and nothing. Between the INCREDIBLE scenery, the conversation, the beautiful wine and cigars, it was truly the perfect end to a wonderful day. Almost something out of a movie honestly…
Matthias: Yeah that sounds pretty incredible. So stepping back from favorite memories for a second, what would you consider your favorite cigar?
Billy: Such a hard question to answer because I smoke cigars based on my mood, what I am pairing them with, where I am, what the weather is like… And that changes daily. If I had to pick a cigar that I could possibly smoke regardless of those factors, or that could compliment an aspect of each of them, I would probably say the Partagas Lusitania Gran Reserva. It may be the perfect cigar.
Matthias: So let’s switch gears a bit and talk about W.R. Roth. First of all, tell us a bit about the name. (For readers, you can browse W.R. Roth products here)
Billy: W.R. Roth is actually an abbreviated version of my name, William Rothwell. I wanted to create a classic brand. Something that stood the test of time, like Chanel. I wanted it to “be the new black” lol. I wanted an incredible logo that could look great anywhere, from a tee shirt to cufflinks to a forged carbon ashtray or humidor. But most important, I wanted it to be an homage to a time of true craftsmanship and pride in what was being created… The only way I could think to fully commit and give my personal quality guarantee was to put my name on it…Literally…Nobody would ever want to put out a product that isn’t the best quality it could be if it had their name on it.
Matthias: That’s a great point. Naming a brand after yourself is certainly one way to motivate yourself to put your best products forward.
What makes your ash trays special, and what is your favorite part of your ash trays?
Billy: I think the quality and craftsmanship make it special. The limited production makes it something that only 50 people in the world can say they own (python was limited to 50 pieces and 100 forged carbon pieces) and as someone who enjoys exclusivity, I thought that was appealing. My favorite part though was seeing an idea in my head translate so well to paper via my original drawing and then finally come to fruition as a production-ready product…and sell out in a few weeks. That helped solidify the concept of building a luxury brand as being worthwhile in a market full of inexpensive, low quality pieces. A $400 ashtray isn’t for everyone, but 150 of them, between the forged carbon and python pieces were a must have for somebody…and that’s what mattered to me.
Matthias: Why did you name the ash tray the “Avante-Gard”?
Billy: The definition of “Avante-Gard” is new and innovative in style or method, which I truly felt these pieces were. The II (2) symbolized the number of cigars it accommodated with the intention of doing a single and possibly 4 cigar version in the future in new materials.
Matthias: Love it. I remember holding the prototype and being so impressed with the weight in my hand and how solid the whole product felt. It’s a tremendously striking and original ash tray so hats off to you for putting it together. Why did you go in the direction of producing an ash tray for your first product?
Billy: I wanted to create something that would appeal to my followers who enjoy the pictures I post. I needed to create something unique, but also a necessity item so people saw value. There are hundreds of lighters and cutters available, tons of cases, etc. The Avant-Garde II ashtray was the perfect expression of what I wanted to portray to my clientele. A new twist on something they used out of necessity that reflected my style and eye for design but in a way that they had never seen before. The sleek lines, but no hard edges, each micro beveled to precision. The cigar posts instead of the traditional finger grooves. The solid, symmetrical aluminum base with the contrast of the warm, textured, soft feel of the Indonesian python (a material that has always screamed luxury to me) and then the ultra limited production of only 50 individually numbered pieces. Then, to touch each piece for final inspection before they were mailed out and ensure it met my quality standards before hand laying the wax seal on the packaging as my final assurance that the piece they were getting was perfectly crafted… That meant a lot to me.
Matthias: That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing in such depth on your life and brand philosophy. I’m always excited when new cigar accessory products come on to the market, and doubly so when they are quality products vs. the garbage that so many bigger brands produce. Thanks for doing this interview with me.
Billy: My pleasure Matthias, it’s been great talking.
Hazel (right) with event host David Alicea (left) photo credit: John DeMato
Given the global pandemic, it goes without saying that Fine Tobacco NYC events are indefinitely on hold. While we’re disappointed, it does provide an opportunity to focus more on telling the stories of our members, those cigar and spirits aficionados who have attended our events over the years.
After all, events aren’t abstract–it takes people to have an event. And Dave, Kelvin and I have been blessed over these last ten years to have regulars like Hazel Alvarado attend our events. As you’ll read below, Hazel is a cigar and spirits event enthusiast who brings a unique perspective and personality to every event she attends.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be publishing more of these member-focused Q&As. We hope you enjoy them, and that you’ll meet these friends of ours at our events once they start up again.
Matthias: Thanks for taking the time to let us know more about yourself Hazel. So let’s start simple: where are you from, what do you do for work, and what are some of your interests and passions?
Hazel: I’m a native New Yorker with a Financial Technology background that is passionate about sharing my geeky love of whisky, books, food, and baseball with the world. I also love to travel and meet people from different backgrounds.
Matthias: And how were you first introduced to cigars?
Hazel: I worked for a financial firm and a favorite team outing was golf, cigars, and Scotch.
Matthias: Interesting. So what is it about smoking cigars that you enjoy so much?
Hazel: Initially I wasn’t a fan of cigar smoking because it was introduced to me at events that involved an early tee time followed by heading right to the office. But once I was able to enjoy it leisurely with good friends and paired with whiskies, my appreciation grew as well as my thirst for knowledge. In addition to taste and texture, I love hearing the story behind a cigar as well and continue to seek out other female cigar enthusiasts.
Matthias: Take a second and remember your most memorable smoke. Where were you/who was with you/why was it special?
Hazel: On a crisp Autumn Day, I enjoyed a Rock-A-Feller Gold with the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban. My boyfriend and I had just started dating and although he wasn’t a cigar smoker himself, he set me up with a special spot out on the deck of his house in the Berkshires (Massachusetts) with a great view of the trees and the sky. Since I live in Manhattan, I enjoy this time away from the city with him and the pup and I was touched that he went out of his way to make me happy.
Hazel with Wayne Clarke, Plasencia Cigars rep / photo credit: John DeMato
Matthias: That sounds beautiful and definitely like a singular moment. Speaking of special moments, do you remember your first Fine Tobacco NYC event? What was it like?
Hazel: June 3, 2015, Carnegie Club. It was a girls’ night out with my friends Stephanie and Julie. We enjoyed the Eiora Natural paired with the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or along with live jazz performed by the Pete Maness Quartet. It was a beautiful venue with a great mix of both men and women. It was easy to check-in, get my cigars and tastings and everyone was welcoming and engaging.
Matthias: I admire your memory! So what has made you keep coming back to Fine Tobacco NYC events over the years?
Hazel: The cigars and spirit pairings are well matched and the venues are great. But what draws me back are the people: you, Dave, and Kelvin know how to run events and the Ambassadors for the cigars and spirits are top notch. I’ve made friends with other FTNYC members over the years. I’ve learned a great deal about cigars and enjoyed spending time with the other guests.
Matthias: I’m glad to hear it. Let’s talk specific products. If you could only smoke one brand of cigar for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Hazel: This is a tough question for me as I’m still learning about different brands. But for now I’ll say Plasencia.
Matthias: Alright, respectable choice. What’s the best cigar / drink pairing you’ve ever experienced?
Hazel: The Tabernacle Robusto and the Glenmorangie Signet
photo credit: John DeMato
Matthias: I hear you there. Signet is up there for me as one of my all-time favorite scotches. So if you could imagine the perfect cigar event, what would it be like?
Hazel: Since I love ocean fishing, it would be on a boat out on the ocean with whisky while fishing followed by dinner at the dock or on the boat itself. (After dinner cigar!)
Matthias: That sounds great. We’ll get to work on it! Taking a philosophical turn, what in your opinion is a life well lived?
Hazel: Henry David Thoreau stated “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”. Years ago, I heard the sarcastic response to this was “..and what do most women lead? Lives of ‘noisy fulfillment’?”
I like the sound and idea of that, “noisy fulfillment”. I thank God every morning I wake up and do my best to always leave people better than I found them. And sometimes I’m so busy “being productive”, I don’t enjoy the moment, but this pandemic has forced me to appreciate small moments more. If I can exit this world being good to other people and appreciating moments spent with them, I’ll be humble and happy.
Matthias: If you could pick any historical figure to have a cigar with, who would it be and why?
Hazel: Romantic 19th century French novelist, George Sand; she was born Aurore Dupin in 1804 and “George Sand” was her nom de plume. In addition to “writing in secret”, she was forced to dress as a man in order to smoke cigars. I bet she’d be delighted to know that women today can write and smoke cigars in public and that female cigar smoker groups have been created in her honor.
Matthias: That’s a great answer. Thanks again for sharing with us and see you at an upcoming event!
Droplets of water ricochet off the brown marble base of the waterfall taking flight into the air, creating a cool mist in the immediate surrounding space. People in business attire bury their faces into their cellphones, shoving food into their mouths.
After choosing a seat by the base of the waterfall, I dive into my bookbag and pull out a cigar to accompany me for the next hour. As I toast the foot of the cigar, all eyes within my immediate vicinity shift towards me instead of their cellphones. Some look confused, some with disgust, and others go back to their lunch without skipping a beat.
Fun fact about Paley Park: it’s the only park in NYC where you can smoke tobacco freely.
Coincidentally, the founder of Paley Park, William Paley is also the founder of La Palina Cigar which I’ll be reviewing today.
Originally, La Palina closed its door when William decided to retire. However, by 2010 his son Bill Paley re-opened La Palina. Since then, La Palina has successfully introduced several high quality cigars including the La Palina Goldie which received a whopping 94 on Cigar Dojo. Below I will be doing my very first blind review of the La Palina Bronze Label. The dissection and comments are thus completely unbiased.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: La Palina Bronze Label
Wrapper: Honduras (Habano-Seed)
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
Size: Toro (6.5” x 52)
Appearance & Construction
Overall, this cigar is a beauty. The wrapper has a nice Colorado rosado sheen with a smooth and slightly oily touch. Packed but not over stuffed. There was a minor vein but it didn’t take away from the construction.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
At the foot of the cigar, I pick up a scent of sweet hay and light vanilla accents. I’m pleasantly surprised on the cold draw; plum, cranberry and a mouth full of zesty flavors. At the same time, at the tip of my tongue there is a hint of spiciness and a tingling sensation at the inner part of my lips. The sweet, tangy and spicy combination is an immaculate start for this cigar.
With a soft flame, I toast the foot of the cigar. As the base turns from charcoal to salt and pepper ash, I take the first puff. Sweet hay, dry berries, and a hint of cinnamon spice are the initial taste. The smoke itself is ample, cool and has a lush creamy texture.
One inch in, the sweet hay becomes creamier, almost like sipping on a latte. There is a festive dry fruit note in the aftertaste. The retro-hale is very easy with this cigar, there is no harshness to it, the taste is fruity and leaves a light floral scent in my nose. Towards the end of the first third, a light caramel emerges.
Upon arriving at the second third, a sweet taste reminiscent of sunflower seeds emerges. There is an undertone of light milky caramel and a consistent aftertaste of sweet hay, and dry fruits. One thing I want to point out is that the smoke itself is on the lighter side of medium body. And unlike majority of other cigars, this one doesn’t leave any strong, heavy tobacco aftertaste on the palate.
The Bronze Label continues to impress me as it reaches the final third. All the previous flavors mellow out, taking a step back as it introduces an even more festive flavor, pine. Experiencing it, there is an instant warmness over me like a kid waking up on Christmas Morning.
Conclusion
The Bronze Label was a complex cigar, yet simple in its own way. Not only would it be my ideal daily smoke, but in my opinion, it would be a fantastic introductory cigar for any new comers. This cigar is light enough for anyone to enjoy and to understand its beauty.
Subtle Single Malt Neat Before Dinner or with Light Food
Photo Credit: Diageo
Whisky Reviewed: Oban Little Bay Distiller: Oban (Diageo) Region: West Highlands Suggested Retail Price: $60 ABV: 43% USC Rating: 94 Distiller Rating: 91
Mark’s Review
The love and care Oban puts into this product is at once obvious. Start with a sweet dried fruit sensation and savor the golden liquid as it evolves into complex oak and spice notes. Its mid palate grace lingers until a modest smoke finish arises, only to vanish like the scent of a flower on a warm spring breeze.
Oban Little Bay has such a tender balance. Try not to drown it in a cocktail. All those wonderful touches might dissolve. Neat or mixed with a few drops of water and your mouth can relish every moment.
But a word of caution if you drink this with a meal. A steak or other heavy dinner could overcome the whisky’s flavors.
Here’s a great idea: Pair this beauty with a first course. My wood grilled artichoke with champagne dipping sauce evoked nirvana.
One hint: please cook (or order) your food making sure it’s crafted in the same subtle manner. If you follow this advice, your taste buds will reach a spiritual plane (pun intended!)
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to:
Optimal Client Type
Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food(Light Touch)
Uni-Directional Fan
Mountain Climber
Dessert or Afterwards
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
With a Cigar
USC rating: Savory and earthy aromas dominate the nose, which is slightly smoky as well. Fresh grains and lightly toasted wheat crackers are subtle flavors in the mouth. The texture is suede like, with dusty notes, adding layers of depth to each sip.
Distiller.com rating: A complex nose with dried plums and apricots, confectioners’ sugar, malt syrup, oak, and honeyed fig. The palate is as equally tempting, opening with nice malt tones, Granny Smith apple, citrus peel, sea spray and milk chocolate notes. Gentle oak and spice notes begin to emerge, with cardamom, ginger, and clove coming to the forefront before leaving. The finish is relatively quick and lively with orange marmalade covered scones and black tea to finish. –Distiller Staff
After a six week break from reviewing and blogging, we are finally back!
Why the break? The usual sort of excuse: a new job, new responsibilities, and a ton of new things to learn edged blogging out (but only by a little).
So we open our 2020 reviews with a review of the Padron Family Reserve 46 Years Maduro. If you’ve been to any high-end cigar retailers, chances are you’ve seen at least a few editions of the Family Reserve line. In this case, the 46 year celebrates 46 years of Padron in business. The cigar features tobaccos aged from 8-10 years. If that doesn’t sound like a long time, you’re probably a scotch drinker. In the cigar world, even two years is a long time to age tobacco, so 8-10 is remarkable.
All that said, let’s get to the review.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Padron Family Reserve 46 Years Maduro
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 5 1/2 x 56
Appearance & Construction
Just a marvelous sight. The gold and maroon band complements the rustic dark brown maduro wrapper that’s got a oily sheen and some minor veins. When squeezed, the cigar is very firm, with just one slight soft spot near the foot of the cigar.
Off of the foot there are strong barnyard notes and far less sweetness than I’m used to sensing on most Padron maduro cigars. After clipping with a straight cut, the draw reveals itself to be fairly restrictive, about an 8/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness. The cold draw is understated, with some oats and barnyard. I’m now curious to hear what this cigar has to say given how different it is from some of the other family reserve lines I’ve smoked.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The Padron Family Reserve 46 Years Maduro kicks off unlike most Padron’s I’ve smoked. Instead of a blast of spice and dry wood, I’m greeted by lush, creamy smoke that has just a minor edge of spiciness to it. Flavor-wise, it leans more toward sweet, with notes of cappuccino, deep dark chocolate, light pepper and some baking spices. The texture is something like chocolate cake (it’s good). The cigar has no problem producing ample smoke, and it has one of the most comfortable draws I’ve encountered, with even a gentle pull producing lots of smooth, cool smoke. A great medium-bodied start.
After about an inch and a half in, the flavor profile shifts to a balance between sweet and bitter flavors, with bitter espresso, wood and smooth black pepper layering on top of the sweeter notes from the first third. Strangely, the smoke production starts to wane a bit, though that corrects itself after about 10 minutes. The ash up to this point has dropped in inch and a half increments, with a razor sharp burn.
The Family Reserve 46 Years doesn’t change much throughout the second third, providing more of the great experience evidence in the first. The final third is different though. Strength and body both start inching up past medium, with a bit more of that classic Padron spiciness building on the palate. The flavors aren’t as nuanced as earlier in the smoke, but it’s not a bad way to end.
Conclusion
The Padron Family Reserve 46 Years Maduro is–perhaps unsurprisingly–a great cigar. Definitely complex, though it struggled at times to retain the flavors that made the first half of the smoke so great. Still, absolutely a cigar I recommend picking up, even at the higher price point.
It was the worst of lists, it was the best
of lists. We had little before us, we had everything before us.
Please forgive the Charles Dickens inverse
thievery but a recent evening evoked those thoughts. Price of a college degree,
I guess!
It all started with a Board of
Directors dinner at Bobby Van’s 50th Street in Manhattan. This is not a food review although you
can pretty much eat a fine meal at any BV location and ours was no different.
But we FTNYC folks revel in great spirits. So, let’s skip the eating part and
go straight to drinks.
You should know that when I go to a
restaurant, I make a bee line to the bar to check out their whiskies. I love
gazing at each place’s wall of fame to find those gems that are unlisted! So, I
stroll over to the line of bottles.
Ruh-Roh! It’s clear this meat palace has a scant focus on Scotch and Bourbon.
Let’s play a game called “spot the bonehead moves”. I’ll give you a hint, you’re a winner if you get three out of the many!
Ok? Done? Here you go!
First, where the hell are the costs?
Look, if they featured Macallan “M”, Balvenie 50 or Craigellachie 51, I get it. If you have to ask…
But that’s not the issue at BV. They have some nice spirits, but no prices? Really? Second, Glenrothes is great. I think some of their labels are way under loved and the Ardmore Port Wood Finish gives any brand a run for its money.
But which one are you selling guys? To find out, I bellied up to the bar, but I could only see the front row. Note to ownership: If you want to sell good whisky, please show us what you have!
Third, if the boss limits the line up
to a handful of marks, you need more variety. Glenmorangie is fine but if you
only have seventeen single malts, four of them shouldn’t be the same brand. By
the way, it’s spelled Quinta Ruban NOT Ruben. (Bonus points to eagle eyed
spellers in our group!)
Don’t even start me on the Bourbons and
Ryes. The list is short with only two Ryes. Uggh. Sure, the cocktail list is good
but what restaurant in NYC is not these days? Did they keep their gins and
vodkas in a freezer to create undiluted ice-cold martinis? Nope, nothing
special. I think that’s the bottom line here. RE: whisky, there’s nothing
special.
Oh, in case you wanted to know,
Macallan 18 was $65 and Quinta Ruban was $25. The bartender had to get the amounts
from his machine.
Ok, rant’s over. So, what did I mean by
“the best of lists”?
Just a quick 5 block walk over to 10th Avenue and 49th is On the Rocks. Don’t be put off by the lack of a printed list. Bartender Josh has a mind that rattles off prices at the drop of a hat. He multi-tasks through making cocktails, pouring samples, telling stories and giving costs. One guy, octopus arms and encyclopedic knowledge!
And the whiskies? The stuff of legends! Notice, you see all of the bottles!
Yes,
you saw the words, “pour samples”. If you’re not clear what to order after Josh
tells you about various brands, he’s always pleased to pour you a nip. And
unless we’re talking about a $5000 bottle (they have them), he’ll help you pick
out the right one. What’s most important to our stalwart host is that you treasure
your choice and become a force for whisky good.
Yes,
OTR is out of the way but you found one of the darkest, sexiest bars in the
city. (It’s in my NYC bar guide too!). People
go there for the love of spirits and the friendship that awaits at every seat.
The brainchild of owner Howard Ostrovsky, it is the essence of class and
care. My choice that night? The latest
William Larue Weller.
So, on this cold December Tuesday New York night, I noticed the bottle of William Larue Weller, 2019 release. I then asked Josh whether he tried it.
Answer? Oh boy, yes!
He then proceeded to describe the flavor profile and his thoughts. Some folks behind the counter share opinions I value. Josh is one. He is considered and honest. It means a lot to anyone who pays a good sum to try the most sought-after whiskies on the planet.
As for my dram, the WLW out of the bottle transports you on a cloud of caramel, nougat and almonds. I almost didn’t want to drink it. The scents mesmerized me. But I rose to the challenge and drained a few drops, enough to coat my palate before the main event.
WOW! The aromas magnified as the high ABV strength burst in my mouth. I was drawn to the next sip even before I could think further. While hot, the balance showed through. Each of the smells became tastes and the poise of the distiller’s art gave way to a full mouth feel and a complex cinnamon finish.
True to my practice of also tasting with water, I discovered that all those stable flavors morphed into a kaleidoscope of extracts. I stared at the glass. What is this thing? I now had a chameleon in my hands.
William Larue Weller is a great chance for any Apprentice, Enthusiast, or Adventurer to enjoy life’s grand pleasures neat or with a meal. Each of your senses will welcome the prospect to pair whiskey with different foods. That doesn’t come along too often.
In short, forget about the steakhouse bereft of common sense with the numbskull list. Have a quick dinner first. Then go to OTR or find your own special bar that carries this gem. You’ll remember the outing.
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to:
Optimal Client Type
Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food
Uni-Directional Fan
Mountain Climber
Dessert or Afterwards
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
With a Cigar
Whisky
Advocate Rating: A
decadent whiskey with deep aromas that unfold sweet pipe tobacco, cedar cigar
box, hot caramel sundae, candied peanuts, toasted coconut, and hints of
paraffin. While the oak is here in abundance, it is in lovely harmony, with
juicy, dark blackberry balanced with long, leathery oak. The finish rolls on
and on, with waxy fruit and a cascade of spices ending in drying oak tannins
laced with dark chocolate. Masterful. —Jeffery Lindenmuth
Distiller
Rating: The nose is a bit tight showing a buttery, biscuit profile
along with some raw sugar. After adding water, these same notes are softened
along with baked apples and cinnamon joining the party for a full apple pie
experience. Leather also appears. The flavor on the palate follows suit with
moderate barrel spices and a tangy oaky finish. Recommend to try with water to
allow these notes shine. – Stephanie Moreno
Breaking
Bourbon Rating: Year after year, William
Larue Weller is a standout for me. Full-flavored yet still well-integrated, it
strives to impress with a more unique flavor profile than many other bourbons
due to its age, proof, and wheat as the secondary grain as opposed to the more
common use of rye. This year’s William Larue Weller reminds me why I still get
excited about the Antique Collection, as it exemplifies many of the traits I’ve
come to expect from what is typically some of the best American Whiskeys
produced each year. -Nick
Up for review today is the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Natural from Cubariqueno Cigar Co. Produced at the La Zona factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, the cigar features an Ecuadorian rosado wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Protocol Sir Robert Peel Natural
Wrapper: Ecuadorian rosado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 6×50 toro
Appearance & Construction
The outer rosado wrapper that drapes the Sir Robert Peel Natural has a few minor veins and a slight sandy texture to it. There’s a moderate amount of springiness to the cigar when squeezed, though I don’t detect any inconsistencies in the rolling. The draw is perfect, about 7/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness. On the tongue, the pre light draw produces some spice, bright citrus, and oats. Taking a whiff off the foot, there’s a blast of aromas, with bright spiciness, sweet hay, cedar strips, and coffee bean.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
After toasting the foot for some time, I light up. The first few puffs of the Sir Robert Peel Natural are rich, spicy and aromatic. Wood hits the palate first, followed by sweet spiciness, coffee, and butter. The aroma is something else, a great mix of baking spices, chili powder, oak, and vanilla. All in all, a complex and very well balanced start, with strength at medium plus and body at medium.
By about an inch in, the burn on the RobertPeel Natural begins to stay enough to warrant a touch up. The smoke loses some of its aggressiveness, taking on a more buttery complexion and adding a sweet nougat note that I really enjoy. The retrohale still has some oomph to it, showcasing confectionary spices and a bit of chili powder. The Peel produces about an average amount of smoke, but the production increases as the cigar hits the halfway mark.
At halfway, black pepper enters on both the palate and the retrohale—and it’s perfectly balanced and harmonious. It’s an excellent development and really helps the cigar tell an interesting story. Otherwise, the profile is anchored by wood, nougat, chili powder, and Mexican chocolate. Both strength and body continues to increase, with both landing at medium plus by the end of the second third.
In the final third of the RobertPeel Natural, the strength continues to build all the way up to just past medium-full. Black pepper and charred wood make up the bulk of the flavor profile while bitter sweet notes of coffee, baking spices, and leather play beneath. The retrohale on the other hand shifts toward charcoal and black pepper. As the cigar edges towards the end, the heat on the smoke does pick up, but it doesn’t stop me from smoking the cigar down to the nub.
Conclusion
The Robert Peel Natural puts forward strong but harmonious notes of wood, coffee, Nougat, chili powder, black pepper and baking spices. It’s got everything that I look for in a regular smoke: tons of flavor, well balanced complexity and a lot of flavor movement as the cigar progresses.
Alec Bradley cigars are almost always associated with a fuller bodied cigar in terms of strength. Alan Rubin, the founder of Alec Bradley wanted to create a different kind of product that could be enjoyed by the everyday smoker. The Medalist successfully carried out that profile by using a shade grown Honduran wrapper, Honduran binder and a mixture of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco fillers.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Alec Bradley: The Medalist
Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran & Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5×52
Appearance & Construction
The band on the cigar is very thought out when designed. It incorporates a traditional AB logo in maroon and gold with a complex tan background. The cigar I’ve received had a small crack on the head of the wrapper that I hope won’t affect my experience, and two minor veins on the front and back side of the cigar. As I cut into the cigar, a small part of the wrapper undone itself which was expected due to the crack previously mentioned. However, it didn’t affect the structure of the cigar in any way.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
At the foot of the cigar, there was a light scent of tangerine, bread, hay and milk coffee. The flavors solidified as I took a dry pull with a nice addition of spicy pepper notes at the tip of the tongue.
As the cigar was being lit, the white silky smoke danced around my hand and I was overwhelmed with an image of a cool fall afternoon and the scent of warm pie as the ember grew at the foot of the cigar.
The first puff of the Medalist solidifies all the presumptions I had. The smoke was ample, cool, and silky with a nice creamy texture. At the forefront of The Medalist, a pleasant taste of nuttiness, hay, vanilla and Hawaiian roll with a hint of white pepper spice at the exhale. This left a tingly sensation at the tip of my tongue. The retro-hale was light just like the cigar, with a nutty and citrusy taste.
Half an inch in, a new taste of a French vanilla latte was introduced due to the vanilla and nutty flavor combination. I’ve also realized the burning has become uneven. I promptly set the cigar down, hoping it would fix itself. A few minutes passed and the burning became even again which was a win in my book.
During the second third, a crack appeared along one of the veins, but it wasn’t significant enough to affect the smoking experience. Hay and toasted bread dominated the flavor profile with a lite flavor of leather and vanilla at the finish. Usually I don’t purge the cigar this early on into the smoke, however, I purged it in attempt to prevent any other cracks or mishaps that happen for the duration of the smoke. As I took a longer pull from the freshly purged cigar, the creaminess and sweetness of the Hawaiian roll reappeared alongside some bitterness from the hay and leather profile.
As I reach the final third, the sweetness of bread is completely gone. All that’s left is hay, leather and charcoal in the profile. In my final attempt extract any flavor the Medalist has left to offer, I decided to purge the cigar again. Luckily the charcoal flavor subsided, and the hay, cream and nutty flavor was revived to provide a proper ending for the smoke.
Conclusion
Alan Rubin achieved his intent for the Medalist. The smoke was mellow throughout the whole experience, even though there were few hiccups along the experience (might only be this specific cigar since there aren’t any other construction complaints from other people) and not as complex as I hoped for. Overall, it was a great stick for your everyday smoke.
It’s December, and that means we’re wrapping up our reviews of new cigars released in 2019. Of course, we can’t get to all of them, partially due to time, and partially due to the spotty availability of many cigars released each year. So we have to be choosy, and that often means prioritizing blends from companies like Davidoff.
So today we’re reviewing the Davidoff Small Batch No. 7, just one blend in the new “Small Batch” line from the company that features nine new blends made with small batches of rare tobaccos. And they’re priced that way too, with the range running from $32 to $38 before taxes.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Small Batch No 7
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: 6 x 55 Toro
Appearance & Construction
The Davidoff Small Batch No. 7 is a nearly flawless looking cigar and has a nice weight in the hand. The outer wrapper is a light chocolate brown with a somewhat basic looking secondary band. There’s only a slight give when squeezed, with no soft spots. Off the foot are notes of light black pepper, barnyard, and cedar planks. The draw is similarly unassuming, with just a bit of tingling spice, and sweet earth.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Once lit, the Davidoff Small Batch No 7 delivers an unmistakably Davidoff profile. Light on entry and gentle on the tongue, there are notes of dusty wood, fresh bread, grass, slightly bitter oak, and a very light, creamy cocoa that rounds the oak and grass out. Overall, it’s a profile balanced between bitter, sweet, and spicy (in that order). The retrohale is up next for evaluation, and its a mix of black/white pepper and paper. The strength and body of the smoke sit just above mild, though I sense (and hope) there might be more strength up ahead. Construction wise, the cigar is effortless to smoke, delivering copious amounts of cool smoke.
By the end of the first third, the Davidoff Small Batch No 7 is the first cigar I’d label an oak bomb. Very light on the palate, non aggressive, but very woody and round. There’s even a slight caramel note that creeps in on a few puffs which is quite nice. That said, I’m hoping for some more complexity as the smoke continues (it is nearly $40 after all).
It isn’t until halfway that my hopes are answered, but they are. The balance of flavors finally begins to shift, with sweetness replacing bitterness as the dominant flavor category and the smoke creeping past mild. Up first is oak, followed by creamy coffee and powdered sugar, with a nutty spiciness hitting last. The change is evident in the retrohale as well, with sugared toast and black pepper. Construction remains flawless, with the ash hanging on for well over two inches.
In the final third, the Davidoff Small Batch No 7 continues building in strength all the way up to medium. And the flavors are delicious, with a slightly sweeter oak followed by toasty black pepper, charcoal, sweet grass, and a light vanilla.
Conclusion
As much as I enjoyed the first half of the Davidoff Small Batch No 7, the second half stole the show. Not only did it dish out some much needed strength (the lack thereof in the first third is my only critique), but the transition from a mostly bitter profile to more sweetness was masterful, especially given that the cigar never fell out of balance.
Throughout the smoke, flavors range from bitter and sweet oak to coffee, powdered sugar, black pepper and spices. They’re flavors you can get with other cigars, but it’s the way they are woven together that make the flavor profile overall something special.
