The Perfect Draw » Drinks

Baker’s Bourbon

Travis Lindsay — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:41:53 +0000

Aged seven years and bottled at 107 proof this bourbon is a creation of some distant relative of Jim Beam. Fortunately for this distant relative, grand nephew (new one on me too) Baker (cool name) Beam (structural name), he has made something that is better, much better really, than his grand uncle’s namesake whiskey. But let us not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Baker’s is honey colored with a strong, sweet bourbon scent to it. Belying the fact that it’s 107 proof the first couple gulps are very smooth and the only way you can tell that this is a high proofed bourbon is by the gentle tingling sensation washing through your esophagus.

The flavors are surprisingly mild but that isn’t to say that they aren’t good. I think nuanced may be a better phrase to use than “mild” in this situation. I don’t get the vanilla notes that are mentioned on their site but I do get this buttered bread type of flavor mixed with some honey or mild fruit flavors. They have also described this as being a “silky” drink and I think that makes sense.

Before I started drinking the Baker’s I lit up a 601 La Bomba; you know, the one with that two inch long pig tale at the end and the aggressive flavor profile. It’s a good match for this bourbon. Being a strong-ish cigar with some very admirable qualities it can stand up to the Baker’s without a problem. I do think it’s a good idea to smoke a stronger cigar with Baker’s and this is especially the case when you’re drinking Baker’s bigger, better brother: Booker’s (I’m guessing that’s named after the great-grand step nephew of Jim Beam – or something like that).

Perhaps the best thing about reviewing liquor, besides the actual process of drinking, is that I don’t have to go through the whole “this third, that third” rigamarole when describing it. You can fairly quickly figure out whether or not you like a particular drink and this is one of those whiskeys that I like.

This is a good drink for a number of reasons. First, it has some good flavors to it. It’s smooth enough for my liking but also has a high enough proof to give it a little edge. And it’s a good sipping bourbon, something I like with my cigars. But it’s strong so that precludes lesser cigars as a pairing, which isn’t really a bad thing because who really likes smoking lesser cigars?

Overall, Baker’s is not one of my all-time favorites but it’s definitely a worthwhile drink. However, at this price, somewhat short of $50 a bottle, it won’t be something I go to very often.

Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve

Travis Lindsay — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:41:32 +0000

Full Disclosure: I received this as a sample from a marketing firm attached to the manufacturer. All my reviews are my own.

I had just finished watching Red Riding Hood and turned it to regular television to see the very end of Blades of Glory when I realized that I needed a drink. I don’t know whether it was the awful movies that pushed me to the bottle or just that it was the right time of night to be drinking but here I am. A couple of weeks ago I received this 100mL sample of Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve and have been wanting to try it for a while.

And now I have tried it. I took a sip and I wasn’t impressed. First, there was a distinct alcohol smell to it and there was also this fruity smell to it as well. My first sip was one of those “ho-hum” type of moments. Fruity flavors are evident and I would categorize this as being a sweet drink. The aftertaste isn’t that good either; a little harsh.

I’m not a big Scotch drinker but most of the other Scotches I have tried I liked more. In fact, I have this bottle of The Macallan 12 Year staring at me with a sly little smirk on its face as if to say “See what happens when you drink other Scotches?” Whereas The Macallan is smooth with warm flavors the Dalmore is harsh with light, piercing flavors.

After a few sips I light a Padilla Miami (not the one I’m linking to), great cigar. Fortunately the drink isn’t affecting my enjoyment of it but, actually, enhancing it. The flavors in this Dalmore are light with a bit of sweetness and the Dalmore is refreshing my palette. Didn’t expect that to happen.

I’m not a big fan of Scotch but this is an okay drink. After drinking it a little my senses have dulled enough to make the Dalmore smoother and the flavors aren’t bad.

Now that I have finished drinking and have had some time to reflect on my experience I’m left with the conclusion that this is a drink I can do without. Even though the Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve did enhance the flavors of the cigar I do not think that’s enough to overcome my negative feelings towards this cigar.

Four Roses Single Barrel

Travis Lindsay — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:41:21 +0000

Full Disclosure: I got this as a sample from the company. All reviews, however bad they may turn out to be, are my own.

The first time that I had Four Roses bourbon was a year or two ago at a cigar dinner in Fullerton, CA. Most of the time most of the attendees are happy with their food and drink; this time was no different. In fact, this is one of the few alcoholic beverages that I really remember from any of those cigar dinners that I attended and the general consensus was that Four Roses offerings were some of the best we’d ever had.

First off, here’s what Four Roses has to say about their bourbon:

A premium Single Barrel Bourbon with a taste you’ll want to savor again and again. Complex, full bodied and surprisingly smooth with a delicate long finish that’s unbelievably mellow. Contains hints of ripe plum and cherry tastes with fruity, spicy aromas including maple syrup and cocoa. Drink straight up or on the rocks. 100 proof.

Before I launch into this review in earnest I just want to make one thing clear: I’m not going to be able to pick out all the nuances that I am sure are contained in my glass, which, incidentally enough, is a Four Roses glass that I’ve had for a long while. What I can tell you is how much I liked it and I can give you my idea of what kind of cigar would go well with this drink.

The cigar that I am smoking with this drink is the CAO Lx2, which I really like. But that’s not the point of this review, now, is it? No, the bourbon is and I am liking it.

Four Roses Single Barrel is 100 proof so it isn’t much of a surprise when I feel the fire slowly descend past my esophagus towards my stomach. What is surprising to me is that it is a very smooth drink.

Another sip of this bourbon, which I’ve poured straight, and I can easily pick up the sweetness in it. It’s not overpowering but is obviously there. The CAO Lx2, which is a stronger cigar with spice and leather, is working well with the Four Roses Single Barrel; good counterbalance.

I get the maple flavors that they talk about in their description but not the fruity flavors. What I most like about this bourbon is that the flavors are strong and fresh. It’s a good bourbon.

Furthermore, it is holding up well against this full bodied cigar. That is something worth expounding upon because I don’t think this bourbon would do well with a milder cigar. The Four Roses Single Barrel is just bold enough to require a cigar with strong flavors. Maybe the cigar doesn’t need to be full bodied but it needs to be good enough to stand on its own.

As I drink more of this 100ml sample I start to get those spicy notes more than the sweet ones. This is a bourbon that I am truly enjoying.

Now, take that for all it’s worth. I have never tried to review a drink before and even though I was not able to pick up on all those little nuances that others can what I can say is that I really liked this bourbon. It has strength behind it and some really good flavors. This Four Roses Single Barrel also has enough to stand up to some good cigars, making it a good pairing with a good cigar. For about $35.00 a bottle it is definitely worth a try.

My Birthday at The Cellar

Travis Lindsay — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:41:09 +0000

It was a great night full of amazing food, out-of-this-world bourbon and surprisingly good cigars (I like Punch cigars but they just seemed significantly better Thursday night. I’m sure it had something to do with the setting.). Here is what I had at The Cellar:

The Bourbon
Evan Williams Single Barrel – The world’s only vintage-dated Single Barrel Bourbon and is one of the world’s most acclaimed whiskeys. The first American Whiskey ever to win The Spirit Journal’s Whiskey of the Year award.
Elijah Craig 18 yr. old – The oldest Single Barrel Bourbon in the world at 18 years, Elijah Craig Single Barrel is a rare marvel of whiskey-making.
Parker’s Heritage 27 yr. old – Simply one of the oldest bourbons on the market. This smooth spirit features silky and sweet nose with hints of caramel and vanilla. The taste is amazingly balanced and smooth…sweet without being too sweet…and dry without being too dry!

The Cigars – Punch
The original Punch cigar was created in 1840 by a Cuban cigar manufacturer named Manuel Lopez. In an effort to attract the British market, he named the cigar after Mr. Punch, the cantankerous half of the Punch and Judy puppet shows.
Punch Champion Natural – bold, full-bodied taste with a wrapper that is Ecuadoran Sumatra. Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, Dominican (Piloto Cubano). Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf. 90 pts cigar insider.
Punch Rare Corojo Magnum – these cigars are made with extra rich, dark Sumatra wrapper leaves that are grown in the mountains of Ecuador. Medium to full bodied. 92 pts cigar insider smooth, earthy, slightly sweet flavors of clay, charcoal, stewed meat, and raisins.

Dinner – By Executive Chef David Kelser
Seared Ahi Tuna served under a spicy Mango salsa and fresh micro greens
Ratatouille veloute with Pesto croutons and crème fraiche
Slow roasted Short Ribs over herbed Polenta and Shallot-Thyme Jus
Chocolate-Espresso soup with Vanilla Ice cream, Fresh Berries and Pistachio crisp

I was lucky enough to have a man from Heaven Hill’s Distillery at my table – an entertaining fellow who I am extremely jealous of. Wouldn’t it be great to have a job selling such amazing libations as the ones we had? Of course it would!

My favorite cigar was the Punch Champion Natural. It’s a perfecto with a good amount of kick to it. My only regret is that I smoked it first because I am certain it would have mixed much better with the older bourbons. As far as regrets go this is but a pittance. The cigar definitely belongs in the 91-93 point range.

Everyone at the table was great. They were all extremely accomplished men and the stories and jokes they told were a lot of fun. Before I continue with my Saturday I need to thank my professor, John Jackson, for inviting me. That cigar dinner was a great way to cap off my birthday. Thanks JJ!

Where’s the Whiskey?

Travis Lindsay — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:36:00 +0000

I was walking through the local grocery store today when I realized something: there is not a huge selection of bourbons, whiskeys, or scotches. There are some of the ones you would expect like Wild Turkey (thankfully), Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s, and Dewar’s but beyond those big name brands there isn’t much selection. It’s actually a very puny selection.

But wine? The next aisle over has both sides dedicated to wine. My drink of choice gets half of one side of the aisle. That’s pathetic.

I am not writing this because I am a whiskey connoisseur because, quite frankly, due to my geographic location how could I be? Trader Joe’s has an acceptable wine selection. Sam’s Club and Costco have decent wine selections. But if you are looking for something stronger you are just out of luck.

In this environment how can I even become whiskey/bourbon/scotch literate? I just don’t see a reasonably easy way to reach a comfortable level of whiskey literacy. And I don’t think that’s because there are no choices. Just take a quick perusal of Wikipedia’s page that lists whiskey. There are hundreds of distillers on this page and, although I don’t know for sure, I would bet that there are many more less popular choices as well.

So what is the deal? Do Americans not like stiff drinks? That can’t be the case. Hell, this country’s founders were some of the biggest proponents of alcohol and that really hasn’t changed judging by the overflow of college- and post-college-aged revelers at the local bars here in the Orange County area.

So what am I suppose to do? Frankly, I don’t know the answer right now but when I do find out a way to get access to a larger variety of whiskeys I will have some fun.

Until that day comes I will have to sustain myself on Wild Turkey and cigars, which isn’t that bad of a consolation prize after all.

I Drink Wild Turkey and Coca Cola with my Cigars

Travis Lindsay — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:19:02 +0000

Yep, that’s right. Wild Turkey and Coke. Is there anything more American than smoking a cigar from Cuba and drinking 101 proof bourbon and a sugary beverage? I don’t think so.

But there is also a practical reason behind this choice. I like both Wild Turkey and Coke, usually Cherry Coke. They taste good and they go well with cigars.

I’m certain that some of you think that it’s not fair for me to be drinking bourbon and rating a cigar. So what? Whenever I do something different, like just having a Cherry Coke, I tell you. As long as I keep the playing field level I don’t think it affects the score of cigars that much.

When I smoke a cigar I drink Wild Turkey (101 proof) and a Cherry Coke.

In fact, whenever I am smoking a milder cigar I will frequently note that what I am drinking is overpowering the flavors. And you might be right if you think that is why I don’t particularly like milder cigars for the most part. Even though I do like Auroras most milder cigars just don’t float my boat.

But what am I to do?

I like having a stiff drink with my cigars. I will not change my ways to make my ratings more “pure.” Actually, I think I would be doing a greater disservice to you, the reader, if I changed the way I smoked cigars in order to create some kind of “impartial” atmosphere.

Cigar smoking isn’t something that is done in a vacuum. Cigars are meant to be smoked amongst friends or as a way to relax at the end of a long day.

Alright, fine, the way I rate cigars may not be completely copacetic for some people. However, if I had the slightest inkling that my drinking habits affected my scores I would change. Actually, that gives me an idea.

Maybe I should start having a control cigar every once in a while where I just have water while smoking a familiar cigar. If my rating for this control cigar deviates wildly from my normal rating then I will have to change my ways.

Ah, who am I kidding? I like Wild Turkey and Cherry Coke with my cigars so that’s what I am going to continue doing. I wonder what other people drink with their cigars?

Wine Spectator’s Top Wine List 2008 – The Top Wine

Travis Lindsay — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:53:03 +0000

Here it is, the day every wine-lover has been waiting for. Without further ado, Wine Spectator’s Top Wine for 2008:

Wine #1

Casa Lapostolle
Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley 2005
96 points / $75
5,987 cases made
Chile

This is Wine Spectator's Top Wine for 2008 the Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley 2005.

Since its outstanding debut 1997 vintage, Casa Lapostolle’s Clos Apalta bottling has helped to establish Chile as a premier red-wine region. Owner Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle and her team created a blend of Chile’s distinctive Carmenère variety, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the estate’s oldest vines in Colchagua’s Apalta sub-valley, then kept refining: fermenting in smaller lots, hand-destemming berries and constructing a gravity-flow winery. All this came to fruition in the long, warm, dry 2005 vintage, easily Chile’s modern best. Marnier and new winemaker Jacques Begarie blended in 4 percent Petit Verdot for the first time, adding aroma and color. Rich and velvety, the 2005 Clos Apalta should reward cellaring. The wine’s price has remained relatively modest through the years.

Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List 2008 – Wines 4, 3 and 2

Travis Lindsay — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:03:40 +0000

Yesterday Wine Spectator revealed their fifth and sixth best wines of the year. Today they have revealed wines four, three and two.

Wine #4

Château Guiraud
Sauternes 2005
97 points / $57
9,165 cases made
France

Bordeaux’s sweet wines shared the limelight in the region’s legendary 2005 vintage. Many châteaus, like Guiraud, long under the direction of Xavier Planty, produced their best wine ever. During the harvest, grape pickers passed painstakingly through the estate’s 210 acres of 35-year-old Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc vineyards, selecting only grapes affected by botrytis. By harvest’s end, each acre yielded only enough grapes for 54 cases of wine, with about 20 percent of that set aside for the estate’s second label.

Wine #3

Quinta do Crasto
Douro Reserva Old Vines 2005
95 points / $40
1,500 cases imported
Portugal

This red from Portugal’s Douro River Valley is at the crest of the new wave of high-quality table wines issuing from the historic heartland of Port. Up to 30 different grape varieties from old-vine vineyards compose this refined blend. Some of the grapes are foot-trodden in lagares during initial fermentation, and the wine is then aged 18 months in French (85 percent) and American oak. It is neither fined nor filtered before bottling. The winemaking team includes Manuel Lobo, Dominic Morris and Tomás Roquette.

Wine #2

Château Rauzan-Ségla
Margaux 2005
97 points / $100
10,000 cases made
France

Estate manager John Kolasa claims that nature did the lion’s share of the work in 2005, leaving him and his team with a relatively simple job. Yet vast investment at the estate since the mid-1990s by the owners, who also control Chanel, enabled Rauzan to reap the benefits of a great growing season. The estate’s grand vin, which reached a quality pinnacle in 2005, is 54.5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 39 percent Merlot, 5 percent Petit Verdot and 1.5 percent Cabernet Franc, selected from 74 of the 128.5 acres of vineyards.

Tomorrow is the big day: Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year! Before then check out the above links to the top wines to see tasting notes for each wine along with video of a tasting of the wine.

Wine Spectator Top 100 List 2008 – Wines 6 and 5

Travis Lindsay — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:52:24 +0000

Yesterday they revealed wines eight and seven. Today it’s wines six and five.

Happy drinking!

Wine #6

Pio Cesare
Barolo 2004
94 points / $62
7,000 cases made
Italy

This big, juicy, chewy wine is one of Piedmont’s most reliable and widely available quality blended Barolos. Pio Boffa represents the fourth generation to run this estate, located in the heart of Barolo’s capital of Alba. He sources Nebbiolo grapes from the winery’s own vineyards in the Serralunga d’Alba commune and supplements them with grapes from trusted suppliers in the region.

Wine #5

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2005
95 points / $55
15,830 cases made
France

Brothers Daniel and Frédéric Brunier represent the third generation of Bruniers to run this famed estate. With a large (173 acre) contiguous vineyard, a rarity in the appellation, the Bruniers rely heavily on Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah to produce their top red cuvée. Tight and almost gravelly in feel when young, the wine has a proven ability to reward cellaring. The 2005 is a blue-chip bottling from a structure-driven vintage.

Wine Spectator Top 100 List 2008 – Wines 8 and 7

Travis Lindsay — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:43:47 +0000

Yesterday we had wines nine and ten. Today comes wines eight and seven.

Wine #8

Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005
96 points / $95
15,000 cases made
France

One of the largest estates in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, this property is owned and run by the Perrin family. In 2005, they produced their best regular cuvée since 1989 (Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year in 1991). The Beaucastel vineyard produces dense and explosive wines from a collage of 13 different grapes, most notably Grenache and Mourvèdre. Each is fermented separately in concrete or wooden vats. The third year of drought, 2005 only intensified the concentration and structure of this ageworthy red.

Wine #7

Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac 2005
96 points / $100
20,830 cases made
France

Owner Alfred Tesseron has masterminded one of the most remarkable turnarounds on Bordeaux’s Left Bank in the past decade, elevating the quality of Pontet-Canet’s wines beyond that of fifth-growth. While Pauillacs such as Château Mouton-Rothschild and Château Latour draw much higher prices, Pontet-Canet too crafts powerful wines, built for aging, that express its vineyards planted on poor, gravel soils half a mile from the Gironde River.