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Do you like cigars and cognac? Are you searching for the perfect blend? Cognac houses have decided to spare you from the vexing problem of choice and created a special "cigar cognac." But we don't believe in simple solutions.
In question: two cigars and six cognacs - three of which are cigar cognacs and the other three XO's. Objective: the perfect combination. Conditions: the cognacs are to go through a blind taste test – there will be six unmarked glasses in front of each participant in the experiment. Cognacs:
Gautier Pinar Del Rio XO The intense aroma has overtones of vanilla and dried fruit – sun-dried apple, figs, raisins, chocolate, wood, nutty tones and a tad bit of old leather. The taste is well-rounded, dense, and strong, yet soft, with a long aftertaste that has a hint of wood and vanilla as the payoff.
The aroma contains hints of flowers and fruit - quince, apple, banana, some vanilla, toast, spice with cinnamon accents, and wood tones. The deep, soft and well-rounded flavor has hints of candied fruit and a long-lasting aftertaste.
Jean Fillioux Cigar Club Grande Champagne 1er Cru In the bright bouquet of honeyed tones, there's candied fruit, almonds, old port, hints of chocolate and the delicate flavor of a cigar box. The flavor is dense, rich, buttery and greasy, with hints of quince and pear marmalade, sweet plums, a bit of spice, and a long-lasting fruity aftertaste.
Jean Fillioux Tres Vieux Grande Champagne 1er Cru The aroma is full of bitter orange marmalade, pears, quince, dried banana, hints of old port, a bit of cinnamon and sandal wood. The flavor is well-rounded, dense, oily and soft, with a long-lasting aftertaste that has hints of baked apples and ripe calvados.
Hine Cigar Reserve The aroma has shades of wood, dried tobacco leaves, candied fruits, and overtones of Tawny Port Wine. The flavor is intense and dry, with a bit of spice and a hint of liquorices, a little wood, and a long aftertaste with a barely noticeable hint of pepper.
Hine Antique XO Grande Champagne The aroma features grapefruit and candied orange, caramelized fruit, light vanilla and floral tones. The flavor is soft, enveloping and supple, with hints of candied fruit, a woody tone, and a long-lasting aftertaste.
Cigars
Avo
Compañero LE 09 Dominican Republic
Outward Appearance The color of the wrapper: colorado maduro. The texture of the wrapper: smooth, similar to paper, glossy and thin. Roll: close to dense, good quality.
Aroma and Flavor of an Unlit Cigar The aroma is very pronounced, sweet and acute. There are hints of vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, dried pears, dried apricots, butter cookies, dried flowers, a cork from a bottle of mature red wine, dry touchwood, and old leather. The flavor is strong, cutting, sharp, and sweet-sour. There are hints of red and black ground pepper, ginger, nutmeg, walnuts, hazelnuts, old dried apricots, dry black tea, wheat flour and dry hardwood.
Aroma and Flavor of a Lit Cigar The aroma is intense, acute, bitter-empyreumatic. There are hints of white pepper, vanilla, licorice, peppermint, ginger, roasted aromatic herbs, roasted coffee, grilled steak and asphalt. The flavor is medium strength, sharp, spicy-empyreumatic. It contains hints of anise, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, dried peaches, toasted almonds, refined wood, freshly ground coffee, dry black tea, hot toast, burnt cream, and metal.
Combustion The shape of the burning part: a cone. Draw: optimal. The color of the ashes: light gray. The structure of the ashes: moderately loose.
Evolution The first third: The first puffs are light, but fragrant, with fleeting hints of candied fruit. Then, you feel hints of burnt, woody and spicy tones on the palate, and sharpness and bitterness. These sensations are all concentrated in the first half of the mouth; they are a bit rough, but pleasant, especially since the cigar successfully combines lightness with a good body and structure. The aroma almost immediately gains considerable strength, and it's dominated by spicy, burning and animal tones, as well as wood and minerals. From then on, the flavor becomes more subtle, soft and fresh, with hints of freshly ground coffee and refined wood. The spices come to the forefront – they're mostly mild. The dominant of the "nose" is revealed less clearly , with the greatest force in it coming from hints of spice and burning. The second third: The cigar gains a bit in its body and astringency, while at the same time retaining its lightness and roundness of flavor. The flavor is still dominated by spices, interestingly combined with wood, light empyreumatics and incoming fruity undertones. The aroma is a bit more rich, but it amazes primarily with its variety of smoked tones. It stays sharp and bitter, but it also contains sweet spices, which gives it some added charm. The final third: The strength of the cigar increases markedly, as does the richness of its flavor. At the same time, it preserves its balance and roundness, and a distinct hint of anise gives it a freshness that compensates for the increase in heavy empyreumatic shades. "The nose" is even more intense, even powerful, and it acquires additional poignancy. It still acts primarily on the spicy-empyreumatic scale, which at times picks up wood, animal and mineral notes. Overall Impression The cigar is quite decent, with a pleasing subtlety and cohesiveness of taste. Its only real disadvantage is the uneven combustion in the last third of smoking. The cigar is very versatile when it comes to the time of smoking, but it is really better to reserve it for after a large evening meal.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Strength: 3/5 Duration of smoking: 65 minutes L 153 мм (6")
Cohiba
The color of the wrapper: colorado claro. The texture of the wrapper: smooth, silky, shiny, thin and slightly oily. Stranding: optimal, good quality.
Aroma and Flavor of an Unlit Cigar The aroma is medium strength, spicy, sweet-sour. It has hints of white pepper, anise, an old cinnamon stick, creamy chocolate, mocha, a vanilla biscuit, pine veneer, wood dust, cheesecake, old leather-bound books, and book dust. The flavor is medium strength, spicy and bitter. It has hints of black pepper, anise tree, cloves, bay leaf, cumin, mature walnut membrane and dry, exotic wood, dry wheat straw, green tea, and soil dust.
Aroma and Flavor of a Lit Cigar The aroma is strong, sharp, and sweet-spicy. It has hints of white pepper, anise, lemon balm, vanilla, allspice, lilies, fragrant mignonette, candied fruits, pastries, confectioneries, honey, burnt cedar wood, new leather. The flavor is strong, acute, bitter and salty. It contains hints of anise tree, white pepper, licorice, roasted aromatic herbs, raisins, cashews, cocoa, exotic wood, a warm baguette, cheese rind, melted cream and butter.
Combustion Draw: optimal. Color of the ashes: Grey. The structure of the ashes: closer to dense
Evolution First third: Even in the very first puff, this cigar is elegant and piquant. The flavor starts off with warm bread, and then spices and herbs, which give it a light sharpness. At this stage, the sharp spices in the aroma are strongest, with delicate empyreumatic and sweet floral hints. Gradually gaining body and forming a structure, the flavor is invariably long-lasting and soft. First and foremost, spices come out in the flavor, giving it a slight sweetness and sharpness, and there's also pleasing hints of melted cream, cocoa and exotic wood. The aroma becomes quite intense: you can sense hints of empyreuma, animals and sweet confectionaries against the background of the prevalent spices. The second third: The cigar is still gaining in the body, and the flavor is thick, slightly salty, while at the same time remaining extremely soft. It impresses with its velvety tannins. The intensity of the flavor grows, but its consistency is such that with the persistent dominance of spices, numerous shades are woven together to form a harmonious whole. The empyreumatic shades in the flavor come close to being too dominating, but there are still a variety of strong spicy tones. "The nose" becomes even more sweet thanks to hints of candied fruit and honey. The final third: The strength of the cigar increases substantially, but thanks to the cohesiveness and velvety, buttery taste, a good complement is provided with the strength making it go almost unnoticed. The "mouth" becomes dense and rich; it adds a bit of sharpness, but doesn't show even the slightest hint of heaviness or coarseness. In the powerful, spicy aroma, empyreumatic and spicy tones continue to struggle for dominance, while other tones feel considerably weaker. On top of that, the "nose" is altogether very delicate and rich. The pleasure of smoking continues until the very last puff.
Overall Impression An excellent cigar; a true masterpiece. You can reward yourself with this cigar after a tough day or treat yourself to it for the weekend. It requires a relaxed environment to be fully appreciated.
Wrapper: Cuba
Strength: 3.5/5 Duration of smoking: 70 minutes L 150 мм (5,9")
Tasting of AVO Compaсero LE 09 with cognac
Gautier Pinar Del Rio XO Alexander Kuptsov: “An unsavory combination, syrupy and dirty.”
Ernesto Cabana: “The drink rounds out the cigar, but the taste is clearly not strong enough. It is a nice blend though.”
Edward Shindyapin: "The sweet cognac, with its pronounced vanilla flavor, blends very nicely with the brackish cigar. The aftertaste ends with a light bitterness, evoking associations with leather. "
Gautier XO Gold & Blue Ernesto Cabana: "An interesting combination. Hints of spice and oak get stronger in the flavor, but the drink still gets the upper hand over the cigar."
Evgeny Dyachkov: “The cognac has a strong woody component, very dry. Combined with the cognac, the cigar has distinguished shades and it brings out the fruity flavors in the cognac. A great combination. "
Alexander Skvortsov: “This cognac is much more interesting with the cigar!”
John Trible: “Neither the cognac nor the cigar dominates over the other. Perhaps this cognac complements the cigar best of all.”
Jean Fillioux Cigar Club Grande Champagne 1er Cru Alexander Kuptsov: "The cognac becomes harsh and rustic, and it ends with a metallic taste.”
Ernesto Cabana: “A great combination and a fairly well-rounded taste.”
Evgeny Dyachkov: "In the first third, the aroma of the cigar becomes simplified, hints of wood begin to dominate in the cognac and there is a tinge of tape. In the last third, the combo is a little rough.”
Edward Shindyapin: "This cognac was created for AVO, and AVO for it. The cognac blends perfectly with the largesse of the cigar."
Jean Fillioux Tres Vieux Grande Champagne 1er Cru Alexander Kuptsov: "A very interesting, subtle blend with a lot of pretty tones.”
Evgeny Dyachkov: "The cognac, with its even, mild flavors, makes the cigar tart. There’s a hint of lead in the cigar, and the cognac seems to have a superfluously high amount of alcohol; it gets rough hints of wood. "
Edward Shindyapin: "This cognac has a brief aftertaste, so the cigar overwhelms the cognac slightly, and because of this, the combination seems to be somewhat one-dimensional and simple."
John Trible: "Together with this cognac, the aroma of the cigar becomes simplified at first. Then there are empyreumatic tones and hints of nut, and a long-lasting bitter taste that is too strong for the cigar’s aromatic bouquet."
Hine Antique XO Grande Champagne Ernesto Cabana: "The drink clearly outdoes the cigar. It has a strong, solid woody flavor, and the cigar just can’t cope with that. "
Evgeny Dyachkov: “The most dynamic combination. I recommend it for the road.”
Edward Shindyapin: “The cognac’s aroma is very gentle, but the taste, surprisingly, contains hints of oak, which jibe with the cigar smoke. Nevertheless, the cigar’s aftertaste is more powerful and long-lasting. "
John Trible: "To me, this cognac is too strong for AVO cigars. In the second third, the combination improves, but the cognac still dominates over the cigar. This pair would be best to enjoy on a cold winter day. "
Artashes Shirikyan: “An excellent combination.”
Hine Cigar Reserve Alexander Kuptsov: “The cognac is noticeably better and stronger than the cigar; it tastes better by itself.”
Edward Shindyapin: “"The aftertaste of the cognac endures and ends at the same time the cigar does, which is to be welcomed, of course. At the finish, there are hints of spice and peppercorn."
John Trible: “The cognac prevails over the cigar.”
Tasting of Cohiba Siglo VI with cognac
Gautier XO Gold & Blue Aram Manukyan: “Definitely the best combination. The Cohiba and the cognac really complement each other. “ Natalya Ryzhkova: “The very buttery, soft, enveloping cognac blatantly dominates over the cigar."
Alexander Kuptsov: “In the second third, the combination is nice, but the cognac overwhelms the cigar a bit, and the taste of the cigar itself thus becomes simplified. In the last third, though, the combination is very satisfying, albeit slightly muffled because of the excessive empyreumatic touches.
Jean Fillioux Tres Vieux Grande Champagne 1er Cru
Natalya Ryzhkova: “The cognac’s well-rounded, smooth, very mild flavor agreed with the cigar around the end of the first third. It’s a very soft, neutral combination. The aftertaste of the cigar dominated.”
Alexander Kuptsov: “The cognac drowns out the taste of the Cohiba a bit. Its unpleasant roughness grows in the second third. Then the combination significantly improves and enriches itself, and in the last third of this, there is already a synergy between the two partners of equal strength.”
Patrice Terejolle: “A very good combination. Quite possibly the best of all."
Hine Antique XO Grande Champagne 1er Cru Natalya Ryzhkova: “The sweet, velvety, enveloping cognac blended nicely with the Cohiba from the very first puff. It was very good. A soft, delicious combination.”
Alexander Kuptsov: “Not a bad combination, but the taste was a bit simple and the aftertaste wasn’t very pleasant. In the last third, there was a rich empyreumatic note, but it didn’t disturb the balance. The aftertaste was long-lasting and pleasant.”
Gautier Pinar Del Rio XO Natalya Ryzhkova: “My first impression of the combination is that it was tart and dry. In the second third, the combo was softer, but tasteless, with no dominant.”
Alexander Kuptsov: "At the turn of the first and second thirds, the cognac becomes a little harsh, but it retains its vivid aromatics. In the last third, the fruitiness and bright taste are preserved, but the combination becomes softer. It was very good. "
Jean Fillioux Cigar Club Grande Champagne 1er Cru Natalya Ryzhkova: “The Cohiba accentuates the deep fruity bouquet of the cognac. It’s a very rich, explosive combination. This cigar sparkles! "
Alexander Kuptsov: "In the second third, the combination is rich, pleasant and delicate, with an obvious synergy. In the last third, it becomes a little rough, but it still retains its complexity and allure. "
Hine Cigar Reserve Aram Manukyan: “Not a good combination. The cognac dominates over the cigar.”
Alexander Kuptsov: ‘"In the second third, the combination of the two exquisite partners is actually quite mediocre because of the excessive intensity. In the last third, the blend improves; it enriches itself and becomes deeper. "
So, in sum....
When's the last time you read good old Kant, gentlemen? It's often said that he was rather boring and a complete loner, but he loved good wine and women until his dying day. Perhaps it's no surprise then that the problem of sensory perception occupied his philosophical mind so much. Let's open up the "Critique of Pure Reason." Don't worry – we're not going to read all of it. We just need to find some serious support before announcing the winner. So, here's a few lines to justify any result. Kant: "The taste of a wine does not belong to the objective determinations of the wine, not even if by the wine as an object we mean the wine as appearance, but to the special constitution of sense in the subject that tastes the wine."
Alexander Kuptsov, Head of the panel Artashes Shirikyan, Cigar Clan Publisher Aram Manukyan, "Davidoff at malaya Bronnaya" boutique owner Natalya Ryzhkova, Cigar Clan editor-in-chief Patrice Tereygeol, Carre Blanc restaurant director Alexander Skvortsov, Brand ambassador of the Garage Wine and Spirits company Edward Shindyapin, General manager of the Simple company Evgeny Dyachkov, Spirit expert Ernesto Cabana, General manager of the Tabacalera company John Trible, Davidoff company representative
Cigar Clan 1 (8) 2011
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