Four Roses Single Barrel
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.
CAO Lx2 Cigar Review
Imagine, if you would, that the world of Middle Earth described by the legendary J.R.R. Tolkien was true. In this world there are little people, some call them halflings, which is rather discriminatory and insulting, but they call themselves hobbits. Hobbits, as everyone knows, are a race of humanoids about half the size of men and are rather impish (is that racist?). One of the little known facts about these hairy-footed creatures is that they loved to smoke pipes. I would like to think that if cigars were around then they would smoke the CAO Lx2 Razor, a 4 x 38 hobbit-sized cigar.
It is a well constructed cigar but with a distinctly rustic bent. Not being perfectly shaped it is still an appealing cigar and, due to its very small size, is a very short smoke. The wrapper does exude some oils but the real attraction of this cigar is the fact that you can easily smoke it during a lunch break.
Cigar Stats
Length: 4″
Ring Gauge: 38
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan Pueblo Nuevo & Dominican Republic
Price: $10.95/Tin of 5 | $84.00/50 Cigars
Hobbit Name Flame!
My biggest concern when buying these cigars is that they would like size because they are so diminutive. But that has not been the case for me. This cigar is starting off pretty well with heavy and wet earth flavors and a light, cutting spice to freshen things up.
Even though the flavors are pretty powerful for this cigar there is not a ton of evolution to it. The second half brings on a bit of maple sweetness, deep and dark though it may be, there isn’t much else new to find. It is a very heavy cigar in terms of flavor and that is most likely attributable to the fact that it’s a CAO Lx2. With a small cigar like this I feel that it is probably better to go with a stronger cigar since both the flavors and the strength are somewhat hampered by the small size of these cigars.
Nearing the end of this cigar now and I can safely say that this is a full bodied cigar with a good draw and burn. While the flavors aren’t anything special they are very good and if you are looking for a cigar that smokes very quickly and packs some strength and intensity of flavor then you should check this cigar out. One note of caution about this cigar is that there is a bit of an aftertaste with this cigar, especially nearer the end. It’s flat and the closest I can come to describing it is: wet wood. Not very appetizing but not a huge drawback either.
Ideally, this cigar should be smoked on a drive, if you do smoke in your car, on a walk or during a short window of time like a lunch break or while waiting for a table at a restaurant. While it is good enough to enjoy while sitting down and concentrating on the cigar the best time for it is while doing something else.
90 points
PS: I was actually pretty shocked when I first tried these cigars. I never thought that such a small cigar could be enjoyable but this thing definitely was. Part of me thought that they were too small to pack any flavor and another part of me thought they reminded me a little too much of cigarettes, which isn’t a great comparison – especially after smoking these cigars. By all means, give these little sticks a chance and, for that matter, give some of the other dinky (I’m sure there’s a correct term for this vitola but dinky still fits) cigars a chance.
Top 10 Cigars 2010
As I sit here earnestly smoking an Arturo Fuente Short Story I realize that now is the time to do another Top 10. It was just a year ago when I published my first Top 10 and much has changed in the world. Instead of getting philosophical and patter on about this or that I’m just going to present the list (you of course know that these lists don’t matter, right?).
10. Carlos Torano Casa Torano Toro
This is the only mild cigar that makes this list but it does make this list because the grassy and oak flavors are very good.
9. Nestor Miranda Collection Dominicano Robusto Grande Rosado
Medium-full bodied treat with a whole host of flavors ranging from maple, earth, cream and so on.
With this cigar you will get lots of flavor in the spice and leather mold. Full bodied and reasonably priced.
A full bodied cigar with some very good flavors ranging from spice to oak and some complexity.
6. Alec Bradley Family Blend T11
A delicious medium bodied smoke that delivers on flavor and complexity. The reason why it’s not closer to the top is because I have smoked more of these since I reviewed it last and my opinion of it has slackened off a bit.
Oak and spice and everything nice. This is one of my favorite Padilla made smokes.
Medium bodied cigar with loads of flavor and complexity. I love this cigar because it offers the right amount of wood and leather flavors without too much of a kick strength-wise.
Loads of spice and leather with some nuttiness acting in the background. Another awesome cigar that you must try (but you are going to have to act quick because this is only a limited edition cigar and once they’re out they’re out).
Leather, meat and spice make up the flavors for this cigar. I love this cigar, an absolute must try.
1. La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Maduro
Insanely good cigar. Tons of flavor and complexity. Fits right into what I like about a cigar: spice, leather and some sweetness.
There was an Opus X that scored extremely well, but since the Opus X line had a representative last year I decided to disqualify it for this year’s Top 10. As you can probably tell this is not an exhaustive list but this is what I liked for 2010.
CAO Lx2 Cigar Review
This is a natural pick for me because this cigar has got some kick and some oomph. Or is it a natural pick for me? To find out read on and, oh, yeah, have a great New Year’s Eve!
A beautiful dark and oily wrapper is obscured by two ornate bands. I get it, it’s about marketing. You’ve got the big CAO with an LX2 on one band and “Forteleza Tres” on the second band (according to Brian Hewitt forteleza tres means triple the strength).
The feel of the wrapper is very oily. A couple of medium sized veins mar the surface of the wrapper. The cigar itself feels relatively tightly packed.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Nicaragua (Pueblo Nuevo) & Dominican Republic
Price: $7.10/Single | $112.00/Box of 20
Federation Flame!
Unrelenting spiciness is the theme for the first third of this cigar. Cherry would be the second flavor that I am picking up. Overall, the first third of this cigar has turned the intensity level all the way to 11 (that is the point of this cigar after all, right?).
I ran into a little bit of a burn issue during the transition from the first to the second third of this cigar. After smoking it a little after I made a course correction to the burn the cigar does not seem any worse for the wear.
Flavorwise, the second third does have some differences from the first third. That unrelenting spice has moderated some and that moderation has made it possible for some other flavors to come out and play. In addition to the spice and the cherry flavors, which were relatively minor during the first third and still are during this second third, there are some oak and some other minor fleeting flavors that I cannot quite pin down. My inability to pin those flavors down is because the spiciness, while it has moderated some, is still very strong.
The final third is a steady march of what has come before. Flavors have been all good but there needs to be a note of caution. This is a fairly strong cigar and the flavor profile could safely be described as being aggressive. That is why I like this cigar so much. There is some complexity in the flavor profile but what really sets it apart from other cigars is that it is exactly what it is advertised as being. Strong.
Other than the flavor the burn had some problems that I have already mentioned. After correcting it at around the transition from the first to the second third there weren’t any more major problems. The same could be said of the draw. It was a little tight at first but after correcting for the burn problem the draw was fine. In the end this is a delicious cigar that should be liked by fans of full bodied cigars.
92 points
CAO Lx2 Rosado Especial Cigar Rights of America Limited Edition
At just a little over seven inches, this Cigar Rights of America Special Edition cigar from CAO is a great looking cigar. The first thing you notice is that there is a heavy sheen of oil glistening on the reddish brown wrapper. Even the feel of it is slippery.
There are some veins, it is a smidge misshapen in places and it is packed very tightly. As I pull out my cutter I find myself thinking about how oily this cigar is again. It truly is one of the oilier cigars that I have ever seen. Fighting through my awe and wonderment I successfully cut the cigar and take a pre-light draw. The draw is good and the flavors center on a core of spice.
Upon lighting the CAO Lx2 Rosado Especial you are hit with just a ton of robust cigar flavors and (unfortunately for my eyes) a ton of cigar smoke as well. The flavors are awesome. A spice that kind of tastes like a candy cane but manlier and a whole lot spicier and there are also some leather flavors.
While I do love the flavors the burn is atrocious at times. A couple of major touch ups have been made and I am barely at the halfway point. Another nit that needs picking is the poisonous smoke that wafts from this cigar. Never have had a cigar that actually made my eyes water. Well, at least no cigar that has made my eyes water this much.
After the halfway point the robust spice becomes somewhat less robust. Of course by less robust I mean still very robust but not as glaringly so. Actually, with the power backing off ever so slightly it has become a much more complex cigar.
The final throes of this cigar have a cherry oak flavor mixed in with the peppermint spiciness. It really is a very good cigar, very enjoyable. Full bodied with a nice draw (bad burn though) is always good for something in my book. And this CAO Lx2 has great flavors as well.
As is the case with all the other cigars from the Cigar Rights of America sampler I will not be scoring this one.
