Thai Curry Mayo
INGREDIENTS
| 1 | tbsp dukes mayo |
| 1 | oz spicy thai chilli |
| 2 | fresh Basil leaves chopped |
| 1 | tsp garlic powder |
| 1 | tsp curry powder |
| 1 | tsp ground cumin. |
| 1 | oz olive oil |
Mix everthing together and enjoy!!!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
How to Grill the Perfect Chicken Leg Quarter
Getting a “Leg Up” on the Competition
(I must preface this by saying that the following is a recounting of an actual event.)
I can remember my first grilling experience on my own grill just like it was yesterday. My family had helped my wife and me move into our first home some years ago. My dad and I put my gas grill together, but what good is a grill if there's nothing to grill? So off to the store we go and came back with chicken leg quarters.
My dad said he was going to show me how simple it was to grill. He proceeded to light up the grill, cranking it on high, and then chucked the chicken inside and put the lid down. “It's just like an oven,” he says.
We then headed back inside the house leaving the chicken quarters in a cranked-on-highgas grill with the lid shut.
About twenty minutes later my wife tells me that black smoke is coming from the grill. So I run outside, followed by my dad, only to see fire coming from under the lid. Indeed black smoke was belching out from under the lid.
Once the fire had been extinguished and the severely charred remains of the leg quarters were removed from the grill, my dad grabs one of these partially incinerated chicken parts and takes a very, umm, “crunchy bite.” Smiling he says, “These aren’t too bad,” as the black char was blotting out his teeth and gums.
My wife gives me “that look” and seconds later I was on the phone ordering pizza for delivery. (I should have captured it all on video.)
Despite my true story introduction, grilling chicken is easy. One just has to keep a few simple things in mind, like:
• Chicken parts render off a lot of fat.
• Grills cranked on high will probably easily reach 450 degrees.
• Fat and very high heat will produce lots of fire. This is not considered, “good eats.”
• Chicken leg quarters are an excellent choice for grilling due to the higher fat content than chicken breast, giving you a juicier and more flavorful meal.
• They are more cost effective and can be substituted for chicken breast in any recipe.
• Certain care is required though, to prevent my first grilling experience from becoming yours.
Maverick Industries, Inc. Redi-Check Remote Cooking Thermometer and Timer
Ingredients:
Chicken Leg Quarter – 1 leg quarter
Olive Oil – extra virgin
Kosher Salt – about ¼ quarter teaspoon
Black Pepper – about ¼ quarter teaspoon
How To Make It:
1. Prepare the grill for medium heat. It would be wise to use a thermometer to get a reading of 325-350 degrees.
2. If you are using a gas grill, only turn on one side of the grill burners. If you are using a charcoal grill, mound up the coals on one side. The reason for this is because you will be incorporating both direct (meat over the heat source) and indirect (meat away from heat source) cooking techniques.
3. Brush both sides of the chicken leg quarters with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper.
4. Place the chicken directly over the heat and grill with the lid open for about 3 minutesper side. (It doesn't make a difference which grill you are using here as long as you have an internal temperature of 325-350 degrees.)
5. Move the chicken to the other side of the grill (away from the heat source) and grill with the grill lid down for about 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken leg quarter registers 170 degrees.
Although salmonella, a bacterium that causes food poisoning, is instantly killed at 165 degrees, chicken still has a slight pink color at that temperature and most people are hesitant to eat chicken that is pink. Therefore, 170 degrees is what I recommend.
(On a side note: if you prefer to cook legs or thighs, use the same techniques described above. Just reduce the covered grilling time to about 30 to 35 minutes or until a thermometer registers 170 degrees.)
6. Once this is accomplished, your chicken has just been grilled to perfection. Now there's just one more step to take and that is,
7. Bring in the chicken, serve it to the awaiting fortunate recipient(s) and bring on the accolades.
And that's, “How to Grill the Perfect Chicken Leg Quarter.”
(I must preface this by saying that the following is a recounting of an actual event.)
I can remember my first grilling experience on my own grill just like it was yesterday. My family had helped my wife and me move into our first home some years ago. My dad and I put my gas grill together, but what good is a grill if there's nothing to grill? So off to the store we go and came back with chicken leg quarters.
My dad said he was going to show me how simple it was to grill. He proceeded to light up the grill, cranking it on high, and then chucked the chicken inside and put the lid down. “It's just like an oven,” he says.
We then headed back inside the house leaving the chicken quarters in a cranked-on-highgas grill with the lid shut.
About twenty minutes later my wife tells me that black smoke is coming from the grill. So I run outside, followed by my dad, only to see fire coming from under the lid. Indeed black smoke was belching out from under the lid.
Once the fire had been extinguished and the severely charred remains of the leg quarters were removed from the grill, my dad grabs one of these partially incinerated chicken parts and takes a very, umm, “crunchy bite.” Smiling he says, “These aren’t too bad,” as the black char was blotting out his teeth and gums.
My wife gives me “that look” and seconds later I was on the phone ordering pizza for delivery. (I should have captured it all on video.)
Despite my true story introduction, grilling chicken is easy. One just has to keep a few simple things in mind, like:
• Chicken parts render off a lot of fat.
• Grills cranked on high will probably easily reach 450 degrees.
• Fat and very high heat will produce lots of fire. This is not considered, “good eats.”
• Chicken leg quarters are an excellent choice for grilling due to the higher fat content than chicken breast, giving you a juicier and more flavorful meal.
• They are more cost effective and can be substituted for chicken breast in any recipe.
• Certain care is required though, to prevent my first grilling experience from becoming yours.
Maverick Industries, Inc. Redi-Check Remote Cooking Thermometer and Timer
Ingredients:
Chicken Leg Quarter – 1 leg quarter
Olive Oil – extra virgin
Kosher Salt – about ¼ quarter teaspoon
Black Pepper – about ¼ quarter teaspoon
How To Make It:
1. Prepare the grill for medium heat. It would be wise to use a thermometer to get a reading of 325-350 degrees.
2. If you are using a gas grill, only turn on one side of the grill burners. If you are using a charcoal grill, mound up the coals on one side. The reason for this is because you will be incorporating both direct (meat over the heat source) and indirect (meat away from heat source) cooking techniques.
3. Brush both sides of the chicken leg quarters with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper.
4. Place the chicken directly over the heat and grill with the lid open for about 3 minutesper side. (It doesn't make a difference which grill you are using here as long as you have an internal temperature of 325-350 degrees.)
5. Move the chicken to the other side of the grill (away from the heat source) and grill with the grill lid down for about 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken leg quarter registers 170 degrees.
Although salmonella, a bacterium that causes food poisoning, is instantly killed at 165 degrees, chicken still has a slight pink color at that temperature and most people are hesitant to eat chicken that is pink. Therefore, 170 degrees is what I recommend.
(On a side note: if you prefer to cook legs or thighs, use the same techniques described above. Just reduce the covered grilling time to about 30 to 35 minutes or until a thermometer registers 170 degrees.)
6. Once this is accomplished, your chicken has just been grilled to perfection. Now there's just one more step to take and that is,
7. Bring in the chicken, serve it to the awaiting fortunate recipient(s) and bring on the accolades.
And that's, “How to Grill the Perfect Chicken Leg Quarter.”
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
“Neta” means the fresh ingredients of sushi. Our restaurant brings
you the best neta with unique preparations and warm service for a
special dining experience.
Neta offers daily omakase (“chef’s choice”), tasting menus, small
plates, and a full sushi menu. We invite sushi veterans as well as
neophytes to join us at our sushi bar for direct service by our sushi
chefs. We believe in the importance of hospitality, and welcome you to
relax and enjoy your next meal with us.
Is just a great sushi place in the village, you should try the Omakase amazing!!
61 West 8th St, New York, NY
Monday, August 12, 2013
Nat Sherman A Family Tradition
 |
| Photo by Hector Gabino at Nat Sherman New York |
At the start of the decade, Nat Sherman established the predecessor corporation of Nat Sherman, Inc. with Charles Baer, owner of the Epoca Cigar Factory. Their first venture was a retail tobacco store at 1400 Broadway in the heart of New York City's garment center.
Nat bought out Baer shortly thereafter, and the company has been in
family hands ever since. By the middle of the decade, Nat Sherman was a
high-profile hangout for the three primary consumers of premium cigars:
fashion executives, show business types, and gangsters. For this last
class of customer, the store was neutral territory where competing
factions were actually friendly, using the cigar as a sort of social
lubricant.
As the 1930s came to an end, and war started in Europe, Nat Sherman introduced the first line of cigars bearing his own name.
Produced in Tampa, which was then the cigar capital of the world, there
is little known of these first "private label" cigars, other than the
fact that they were rolled with Cuban and American tobacco.
 | ||
| Trying a great cigar, Timeless Collection #660 Photo by Hector Gabino |
Grimaldi's Pizzeria in Brooklyn, NY
Designed and built by hand, the coal-fired oven at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria delivers a unique flavor and consistency that is just not possible from wood or gas ovens. Weighing in at 25 tons and heated by 100 pounds of coal per day (cleanest burning fuel available and environmentally tested), the oven heats up to 1200 degrees. We also purchase special coal from Pennsylvania called anthracite. It actually burns cleaner and more Eco-friendly than gas or wood-fired methods. The intense heat of the oven and coal evenly bakes the pies to create Grimaldi’s famous crispy and smokey crust that Zagat has voted BEST PIZZA year after year.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Cedar Planked Salmon
Cedar Planked Salmon with Maple Glaze and Mustard Mashed Potatoes
Plank cooking is a Native American technique that imparts a subtle smoky flavor to fish, meat, poultry, and vegetables. It is recommended to use a plank of untreated Western red cedar made specifically for cooking purposes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- an untreated cedar plank (about 17 by 10 1/2 inches) if desired
- a 2 1/2-pound center-cut salmon fillet with skin
- greens from 1 bunch scallions
Preparation
In a small heavy saucepan simmer maple syrup,
gingerroot, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, and salt and
pepper to taste until reduced to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes, and let
cool. (Maple glaze may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring
maple glaze to room temperature before proceeding.)
Preheat oven to 350° F. If using cedar plank, lightly
oil and heat in middle of oven 15 minutes; or lightly oil a shallow
baking pan large enough to hold salmon.
Arrange scallion greens in one layer on plank or in baking pan to form a bed for fish.
In another small saucepan heat half of glaze over low
heat until heated through to use as a sauce. Stir in remaining
tablespoon lemon juice. Remove pan from heat and keep sauce warm,
covered.
Put salmon, skin side down, on scallion greens and brush
with remaining glaze. Season salmon with salt and pepper and roast in
middle of oven until just cooked through, about 20 minutes if using
baking pan or about 35 if using plank.
Cut salmon crosswise into 6 pieces. On each of 6 plates
arrange salmon and scallion greens on a bed of mashed potatoes. Drizzle
salmon with warm sauce.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Partagas Black Label
Partagas Black Label
The Partagas Black Label line was developed in response to changing
consumer dynamics and increasing interest in full-bodied cigars. Extending the brand that boasts “the richest cigars in the world”, Partagas Black label cigars have been created to appeal to smokers who enjoy a rich taste in a big ring-gauge.
Crafted in the uncompromising tradition of Ramón Cifuentes, Partagas Black Label is a connoisseur's cigar with a larger ring gauge and a richer, fuller-bodied flavor. The Partagas Black Label features a medio tiempo sun grown wrapper, offering a very full flavored and full bodied experience that will have your palates screaming for more. The Partagas Black Label is very smooth and rich with a deep aroma. This is a favorite in everyone's humidor!
Oliva V Belicoso
Oliva V Belicoso
This Oliva V Serie certainly needs no introduction. The V Serie has been making waves in the cigar industry since its release and by waves I mean amazing flavor, profile, burn, ash and everything else. The V Serie has also, once again, been featured in the current Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of the Year, 2012. I’ve smoked the V Serie before but not in this Belicoso size. Every experience I’ve had with the V Serie has been memorable. Amazing flavor profile, perfect construction and that signature, Nicaraguan strength and spice I’ve grown to love. Since I haven’t tasted this size, I was anxious to try it and even more anxious to have this smoke be the maiden voyage along with our Chief Wine Editor (Patrick’s) review of a wine he selected specifically to pair with the Oliva Serie V. Does it get any better?!
How to Cut a Cigar
The most common type of cigar accessory is a cigar cutter. Cutters are
used to create openings in the ‘head’ of the cigar to allow air and
smoke to pass through. Some enthusiasts insist on a certain method,
whilst others simply use whatever is most convenient. Below you’ll find
today’s most popular and well-known methods.
Guillotine – Guillotines, including both double and single-bladed versions, as well as scissors are designed to make a cut across the end of the cigar. These are generally the best options. Of the guillotines, the double-blade is the better choice if you want a cleaner cut. The advantage of double-bladed cutters is that the cutting proceeds from both sides simultaneously. There is less chance that the cigar wrapper will be torn as it’s pushed against the dull inside of the blade chamber. The best technique is to rest the cigar against a blade before clicking the cutter shut.
V-Cut – A V-cut makes a notched hole in the end of the cigar. The advantage is that it can offer you more surface area without exposing your tongue to loose tobacco, and it allows you to draw more air through the cigar. This is a good choice for small ring gauge cigars. However, do not penetrate the V-cutter too deeply into the cigar, as often the draw can be too good, and the cigar will smoke too hot
Punch – A punch cutter is simply a circular, razor sharp blade that you push gently into the head of a cigar, which cores out an opening. This is an excellent choice if you smoke mixed filler cigars, as it minimizes the chance of bits of tobacco ending up in your mouth. However, punch cutters are usually not a good choice for torpedos, or small ring gauge cigars.
Scissors - Cigar scissors are different, of course, from regular household scissors. Cigars scissors are specifically manufactured for the purpose of snipping cigars. Usually made from surgical quality stainless steel, some models, such as the Xikar MTX Cigar Tool, is the optimum choice. A high-quality cigar scissor will guarantee you swift, precision cuts. However, be careful, because dull, lower-quality scissors will cause more harm than good, potentially smushing the ends and damaging the cigar’s construction.
Bite Method – When all else fails it seems the ol’ caveman route of chomping off the end of your cigar is still the most popular choice. However this can lead to bits of tobacco in your mouth, and can make for a sloppy smoke. If you’re really in a bind, carefully look for the seam where the cap is located and use your finger nail to gently pry away the cap. Not the most suave method, but it’s fairly effective in a pinch.
Guillotine – Guillotines, including both double and single-bladed versions, as well as scissors are designed to make a cut across the end of the cigar. These are generally the best options. Of the guillotines, the double-blade is the better choice if you want a cleaner cut. The advantage of double-bladed cutters is that the cutting proceeds from both sides simultaneously. There is less chance that the cigar wrapper will be torn as it’s pushed against the dull inside of the blade chamber. The best technique is to rest the cigar against a blade before clicking the cutter shut.
V-Cut – A V-cut makes a notched hole in the end of the cigar. The advantage is that it can offer you more surface area without exposing your tongue to loose tobacco, and it allows you to draw more air through the cigar. This is a good choice for small ring gauge cigars. However, do not penetrate the V-cutter too deeply into the cigar, as often the draw can be too good, and the cigar will smoke too hot
Punch – A punch cutter is simply a circular, razor sharp blade that you push gently into the head of a cigar, which cores out an opening. This is an excellent choice if you smoke mixed filler cigars, as it minimizes the chance of bits of tobacco ending up in your mouth. However, punch cutters are usually not a good choice for torpedos, or small ring gauge cigars.
Scissors - Cigar scissors are different, of course, from regular household scissors. Cigars scissors are specifically manufactured for the purpose of snipping cigars. Usually made from surgical quality stainless steel, some models, such as the Xikar MTX Cigar Tool, is the optimum choice. A high-quality cigar scissor will guarantee you swift, precision cuts. However, be careful, because dull, lower-quality scissors will cause more harm than good, potentially smushing the ends and damaging the cigar’s construction.
Bite Method – When all else fails it seems the ol’ caveman route of chomping off the end of your cigar is still the most popular choice. However this can lead to bits of tobacco in your mouth, and can make for a sloppy smoke. If you’re really in a bind, carefully look for the seam where the cap is located and use your finger nail to gently pry away the cap. Not the most suave method, but it’s fairly effective in a pinch.
Humidors for Beginners
Humidors for Beginners
The concept of a humidor is simple. To mimic the natural tropical environment found in many cigar native countries - with the end game being to maintain a relative humidity of 70% and a temperature of 70 degrees. This 70/70 rule of thumb is not set in stone, but more of a guideline, as a few points in either directions are completely normal. Most humidors made nowadays are efficient at achieving this task. However, when selecting a humidor there are several vital elements to keep in mind. First, look for units lined with kiln-dried Spanish cedar. This wood is great at expanding and contracting during fluctuations in humidity, as well as being naturally resistant to mold. Over time, Spanish cedar can also impart a wonderful depth of flavor to your cigars, which increases over time. The longer you allow your cigars to rest, the more elements of the cedar are absorbed. The outside of the humidor simply boils down to taste, as the design or color has nothing to do with the condition of your cigars.
You’ll also want to look for a unit with a sound seal. A solid seal ensures outside air doesn’t seep into your unit, drying out your cigars. Units that advertise SureSeal technology are always a safe bet. If you already own a humidor and want to test the quality of your seal, gently lift up the lid of your unit and let it go. When it closes you should hear a whooshing noise, followed by a pause, before the lid finally settles in.
And above all else make sure that your unit can accommodate the amount of cigars you’re looking to store. If you overfill your humidor two things can happen. One, not all of your cigars will receive the proper amount of humidity due to the lack of circulation. This will result in some cigars receiving too much moisture, and others not enough. Two, you may find your stash beginning to dry out entirely, as many units humidification devices are designed for a certain number of cigars. As a general rule of thumb, only fill your humidor to about 3/4capacity (a few more is ok) as this will allow for ample circulation and humidification.
Always keep in mind that a humidor doesn’t have to be a richly finished box that sets you back a handful of hard earned cash. Humidors appear in many different forms from jars, cooler-adors, rigged cigar boxes and plastic containers. As long as your cigars maintain the proper humidity and temperature of 70/70, your cigars are safe. Just keep in mind the longer you want to age or store your cigars, the more sound the unit the better.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Yuki Hana Japanese
Yuki Hana
Japanese and Korean Restaurant
GREAT FOOD! The servers are very friendly and ready to serve us in anything we need. It is worth to try, the place has a such great atmosphere to enjoy the yummy food. It was a true Korean experience.
Definetly a fantastic meal. very authentic korean food and Japanes sushi. one of my top favorites
1450 NW 87th Ave
Ste 108
Doral, FL 33172
Ste 108
Doral, FL 33172
Cigars and Gourmet
Cigars and Gourmet
There are two schools of thought when it comes to matching food and cigar: those who believe in it, and those who don’t. It’s true that you should be free to smoke what you like, when you like and hang the rules. If cohiba’s your thing and you’ve ordered steak then go ahead. If it tastes good to you, then it’s a good pairing.
Food and cigar matching is often cast as a rather mysterious science, but in my opinion, it is actually quite simple, and the experimentation involved is great fun.
When the marriage of food and cigar works well, each enhances the other, making the meal greater than if you had consumed them separately. The goal is synergy and balance. The cigar shouldn't overpower the food, nor should the food overpower the cigar. Think of cigar as if it was a condiment - it should compliment the food.
Immediate, short-term effects of a cigar on your tastebuds are undisputable and potent. If you plan to eat during or immediately after smoking a cigar, your choices need to be made carefully to avoid a mismatch. The smoky, cedary bouquet of a strong cigar can linger on your palate for hours, and it will continue to contribute to whatever you are eating.
There are certainly both good and bad choices to be made. I would not smoke a cigar with a baked beans soup. The results would be disgusting. Paired properly with the right food, say a Caesar salad rich with garlic and anchovies and capers, tenderly braised venison with sage risotto, this match may be made in heaven. I enjoy puffing on a creamy Vintage Butera cigar while I lick my lips over quail seared in a rosemary-chestnut crust and served on a bed of smoked onions and morel mushrooms. The cigar's potent contribution: a creamy smooth smoke with hints of cedar and spice. After having a meal of her pulled barbecue pork with mustard greens and crispy grits, diners might want to order a darker paper cigar with heavy flavor. I recommend the black Angus steak and golden mashed potatoes also with a full-bodied cigar.
Not too long ago cigar-friendly restaurants were old-boy steak houses where, after the meal, stogie lovers fired up their favorite Dominican blends, maybe with a sweet dessert. However, in the last couple of years, the cigar lovers found out that steak isn't the only food that matches up with cigars. Italian, new American, Mexican, microbreweries and other ethnic cuisine segments are joining steak houses in making their restaurants cigar friendly.
Many restaurateurs regularly are promoting cigar dinners in which fine cigars are savored between each course. Despite the high per-person price points cigar dinners carry, most operators sell out each time. Beyond just adding humidors, smoking rooms and cigar menus, operators of new places and revered establishments are looking at their menus to complement the taste of cigars and vice versa.
Best dishes to be matched with Cohiba Espléndido (which is my favorite cigar)
- Coconut Prawns
- Maple glazed ribs
- Grilled oysters with fennel butter
- Sassy steak marinade and souse
- Crab Stuffed Shrimp Wrapped in Bacon
Blended Scotch and Cigars
Blended Scotch and Cigars
Jack Bettridge
Posted: August 20, 2001
They introduced Scotch to the world. They make single-malt
production economically feasible. They're the product of a delicate and
venerable art form. Yet blends are the forgotten Scotch, left in the
shadows of the single-malt insurgence. Jack Bettridge, Cigar Aficionado's
senior features editor, recently visited the great blenders of Scotland
and discovered that their quaff is worth a closer look. The story
appears in the October 2001 issue of the magazine. Get a preview by
reading the results of the Scotch and cigar pairing, below.
A panel of three Cigar Aficionado senior editors tasted eight
blended Scotch whiskies, pairing them all with a Don Tomás Dominican
Selection Corona Gorda and a Cohiba Esplendido.
CHIVAS REGAL 12-YEAR-OLD -- 80 proof -- core malt: Strathisla -- The Speyside malts inform the honeyed freshness and ethereal quality of this elegant blend. There are tart fruits (lemon and green apple) on the nose and palate and hints of hard candy in the finish, which also includes a bit of sting. Opens up nicely with ice. When paired with the Don Tomás, there seemed to be a disturbance in the force that makes the Scotch great. The cigar, nevertheless, became oilier. The Cohiba was much more the equal partner. It took on more leather and gave a stronger, smoother, more honeyed body to the whisky.
CHIVAS REGAL 18-YEAR-OLD -- 80 proof -- core malts: Strathisla, The Glenlivet, Glen Keith and Longmorn -- The older brother to the standard Chivas does exactly what a superpremium expression should do, bringing all the inspirations into finer focus. All the charms of Speyside are here. The floral nose is beguiling. The fruit and honey spin together lusciously. The taste is succulence itself. Fruit, herbs, spice, maple -- all pitch into a candy quality that begs you to sip it neat, but rewards you with a long subtle peatiness when water is added. The Don Tomás gave little to the whisky and took on a reediness itself. The Cohiba and the Chivas, on the other hand, sang to each other. Sweetness and leather, mixed with cashews, passed back so easily between cigar and Scotch, it was hard to tell which partner brought what to the party.
CUTTY SARK -- 80 proof -- cores malts: The Glenrothes, The Glengoyne and Tamdhu -- Created to appeal to light-whisky lovers, it achieves its aim from color to finish. A light floral nose with a hint of sour wine is soon overwhelmed by a smoky, peaty palate that tastes of chewy bread dough with almost no sweetness. The pronounced experience is a brilliant clarity with just a touch of oiliness on the finish. The Scotch seemed to sweeten up the Don Tomás, while offering up more of its own smoke in the trade. The Cohiba, however, easily outran the whisky, which became quite reedy next to the fuller-bodied cigar.
DEWAR'S SPECIAL RESERVE -- 86 proof -- core malt: Aberfeldy -- Dewar's introduction of a 12-year-old, brings the brand into a fuller-bodied realm than its standard White Label, America's largest-selling Scotch. A flowery but delicate nose on the 12-year-old belies the rich peatiness that develops on the middle palate. The addition of ice opens up the honey and maple syrup flavors associated with its lighter-bodied younger brother and tempers its earthy flavor. The whisky harmonizes quite well with the Don Tomás, as the cigar furthers the honey character and has its rough edges rounded by the Scotch. With the Cohiba, an almost perfect match ensues, the whisky becoming more full bodied and the cigar taking on leather notes.
THE FAMOUS GROUSE -- 80 proof -- core malts: The Glenrothes and Tamdhu -- Scotland's most popular blend came by its name as a device for marketing to nineteenth-century hunters. The whisky certainly smacks of the toasty, grainy flavors that will warm you during a cold day of stalking birds. A bread dough nose is followed by notes of ginger and light melon on the palate. Delicate and pleasant, it has a rum finish that whispers of peat and goes on and on. With the Don Tomás, it proved a lackadaisical match. The cigar took on wheatiness, but returned the favor with salt. The Grouse did much better with the Cohiba. The Scotch took on an even longer finish and the cigar got sweeter and more perfume-like.
THE FAMOUS GROUSE GOLD RESERVE -- 80 proof -- core malts: Bunnahabhain, The Glenrothes, Highland Park and Tamdhu -- The 12-year-old version of the Grouse announces itself with additional complexity and a stronger role for the malts. The nose is honeyed and carries through to the palate, the rum quotient more pronounced and the savory flavors more discernible as burnt nuts and French bread. An ice cube opens it up nicely. The Don Tomás took on a pleasant sweetness with the pairing, and its finish was elongated. With the Cohiba, the cigar's oiliness showed to best effect and it became nutty as well.
JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL -- 80 proof -- core malts: Cardhu, Caol Ila, Royal Lochnagar, Mortlach -- While Blue Label states no age, many of its constituents are positively patriarchal, which is reflected in the high price tag. The limited bottling goes straight for the nose with salt and peat that speak of its Islay pedigree. On the tongue, the whisky develops fruit and sweet honey notes that stay in balance with an insistent woodiness at the core. A gummy finish may be cleaned up by the addition of water. The Don Tomás proved an unfortunate match. The greatness of the Scotch showcased the cigar's shortcomings and a peatiness came out on the whisky. With the introduction of the Cohiba, however, the blend reveals its myriad intricacies. The Scotch gives the cigar leather and chocolate qualities that had laid dormant, although there is the briefest moment of saccharine.
JOHNNIE WALKER GOLD LABEL -- 80 proof -- core malts: Cardhu, Talisker, Royal Lochnagar -- This 18-year-old falters in emulating the complexity and smoothness of the Blue Label, but makes up for it with a rich chewy, toasty, nutty character that the Blue lacks. Nor is the Gold Label as relentlessly peaty and smoky. The finish betrays a bit of a bite, but none of the soap or gum of the Blue Label. The pairing with the Don Tomás proved so-so. While the blend tried to pull the Don Tomás through sheer gumption, the cigar just didn't have the energy. With the Cohiba, the Gold imparted a toasted nuttiness to the cigar. Return to the Drinks Page.
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