Whiskey and Cigar Wednesday

It's a great thing to have a partner that encourages the things that you love.  My wife just so happens to be one of those partners, and while we typically don't do much for Valentines, she did surprise me with this wonderful bottle of whiskey.  Recently I was able to sit down and enjoy a dram along with a cigar.

 I am a huge fan of wheat forward Whiskies and this expression from Heaven Hill is a great example of why.  Aged 7-9 years and barrel proof this bottle weighed in at 60.7% abv. This could typically lead to an overly hot mouthfeel, but that wasn't the case here.  The wheat mash bill of 51% wheat and 37% corn, softened the heat, adding a sweet note as well.  It's honey, vanilla, a bit of spice and everything was indeed nice.  A splash of water toned down any residual heat if that bothers you.  

The cigar I paired with it, is my old standby.  Oliva Connecticut.  Oliva has been my go to cigar for well over a decade after I was introduced to it at my kids preschool.  Yes you read that correctly as random and weird as that may seem.  Obviously there is a back story, so here it is.  The daughter of the regional Olive rep went to the same preschool as my daughter.  When the preschool hosted the annual spring fling they also have an auction where various business and people donate things like dinners to restaurants or gift cards.  Well this fine gentlemen donated an Oliva cigar gift pack that came with a cutter, a lighter, a nice size cigar ashtray and a wide selection of cigars including samples of their off brand Nub.  Needless to say I won the item in the auction and after smoking a few sticks became a big fan of Oliva and haven't looked back since. While do love smoking cigars, and want to KNOW I am smoking one, I don't love overly robust smokes.  So this Connecticut has quickly become a regular for me.  A Ecaduadorian wrapper and Nicaraguan filler, this cigar smokes very smoothly.  It's a long smoke for me, full of notes of coffee and cream, cedar and a bit of oak, smooth, mellow and silky.  Yes its smooth, and some would call it light, but I do think its full of flavor, its just not a big in your face cigar, and that's just fine with me.  It played well with the soft sweet honeyed notes of the wheated whiskey as well. Made a for a great enjoyable night thanks to my dear wife.