Bolivar Royal Corona MSU JUN 18 Smoke and Drink Pairing Review

[nsills]

Cigar: Bolivar Royal Corona

Drink Pair: Noah's Mill Bourbon.

Going into this BRC so young, I knew it might be a rough go unless paired with an equally heavyweight drink. At 57.15% alc./vol. (114.3 proof) this bourbon fit the bill.

First third: 

Right off the bat there is a bit of mongrel on the tongue, strong coffee and cake sweetness fight to come to the foreground. The complexity is muddled but it's there. 

Second Third:

I take my first sip of bourbon. Incredible balance. An often fiery sip at first, the Noah's Mill has actually seemed to roll in smoothly after the Bolivar. I draw some smoke, and the real bout has begun. All the coffee flavor and sweetness fighting to show up has done so. The bourbon, normally on the sweet and syrupy side, has toned down and let it's cinnamon-like spices shine like a bouquet of fresh flowers. Wonderful.

Final Third: The interplay of flavors continued until the last inch or so, when the cigar's youth began to show. I often find there is a loss of complexity when pairing with a strong drink and can be quite a one-dimensional experience. However, in this case it provided a peek at the potential of this young cigar. Not to mention it brought out subtleties not seen before in the bourbon itself. I give it an 89 as-is with plenty of room to grow.

 

 

 

[leafdream54]

Great review!  It sounds like you have a fantastic batch of BRC to look forward to as they age and develop.

[Chucko8]

Great review thanks mate. I like the description on the balancing effect from the bourbon pairing.