Wet by Beefeater

Wet by Beefeater

My local Albertson’s Liquor Store is closing and they are having an inventory closeout sale. I’ve seen this Gin around but didn’t research it much. I figured for 10% off, I would be a sport and try it out. I should have at least read the back of the bottle before I purchased.

A pear infused gin does not make a good dry martini. Maybe this would be good as a variation on the Bellini. Substituting the pear flavor for the peach puree.

The only other drink I could find that used pear is this one:

Margaes Cocktail

Shake in iced cocktail shaker & strain

1 1/2 oz gin

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz pear juice

sugar to taste

Serve in a cocktail glass

Rare Cigar Charity Auction

Rare Cigar Charity Auction to Raise Over $50,000 for CFCF to Support Impoverished Dominican Children. The Arturo Fuente and J.C. Newman families are holding an online charity auction of ultra-rare and exclusive cigars to raise funds for the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation.  This online auction is in celebration of “8-5-8″ day.  The auction begins today, August 5, 2008, and will end on Sunday, August 17. Among the unique items being auctioned are the following: ● 1 box of 50 Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 Sungrown cigars. These cigars will be hand selected by Carlos Fuente, Jr., and will be personalized, dated, and signed by both Carlos Fuente, father and son. ● 1 box of 50 Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 cigars with Carlos Fuente, Sr.’s Don Carlos “my way” blend. These cigars will be blended and hand selected by Carlos Fuente, Sr., and will be personalized, dated, and signed by both Carlos Fuente, father and son. ● 2 Lower Bowl seats to the “Big Game” that will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009. ● 1 box of 25 Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 cigars from 1984 in a wrap set box. ● The very last original release box of AF 13 cigars. This online charity auction (direct link: http://lounge.cigarfamily.com/vbclassified.php?do=category&categoryid=2 ) is being held in the CigarFamily.com Cigar Lounge Online Forum, the largest online cigar community. All proceeds from this charity auction will benefit the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation (”CFCF”), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which that serves the impoverished children and their families in the Dominican Republic’s famed tobacco-growing region. Due to the kind generosity another foundation, all donations will be matched $1.50 for every dollar donated, up to $35,000.  With this matching contribution, the Fuente and Newman families expect to raise over $50,000. About Cigar Family Charitable Foundation In 2001, the Fuente and Newman families and their Cigar Family members established CFCF.  The foundation has created a 23-acre project, which is home to primary and high schools that educate 490 students, a medical and dental clinic, a community center, sports and recreation facilities, and an organic farm and fishery.  Because the Fuente and Newman families underwrite all of CFCF’s administrative costs, 100% of all donations directly help those in need.  Related Media Cigar Family Charitable Foundation August 2008 Update: http://www.cigarfamily.com/content/index.php?option=com_content &task=view&id=80&Itemid=41 CFCF Web site: http://www.cf-cf.org CFCF Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYxfErqe6kY High Resolution Images (click on them to download): The Cigar Family Community Project in the Dominican Republic.  The Cigar Family Primary School is on the left and the Cigar Family High School is on the right. Children playing on a playground at the Cigar Family Community Project in the Dominican Republic.  The Cigar Family Health Center’s ambulance is parked in front of the Cigar Family High School on the right and the Cigar Family Primary School is in the background on the left. Children attending school at the Cigar Family Community Project in the Dominican Republic. School children outside of the Cigar Family Primary School in the Dominican Republic. About Cigar Family Cigar Family was founded in 1996 by the Fuente and Newman families.  The Arturo Fuente family began rolling cigars in 1912 and today is known as the “Reigning Family of Premium Cigars®.”  Founded in 1895, the J.C. Newman family is America’s oldest family-owned premium cigar maker. Contacts

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Jessica Springer Office: (813) 248-2124 E-mail: jspringer@jcnewman.com Arturo Fuente Cigar Co. Karl Herzog Office: (813) 242-1907 E-mail: karl@cigarfamily.com

Cigar Family® and the Cigar Family design are registered trademarks of Fuente & Newman Premium Cigars Ltd.

Dark N Stormy

Dark N Stormy

• 2 oz. Gosling’s Black Seal Black Rum
• 4 oz. Ginger Beer

Build this drink in an Old Fashioned glass over ice.

OK, so this cocktail probably doesn’t look much different from the Midnight Express from last week. But, looks can be deceiving. I must say that I am really enjoying the Black Seal Rum. It is probably the richest, most flavorful rum I have ever had.

Dark N Stormy is the signature drink of Gosling’s. In fact, this drink can only be made with Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum. They say this is Bermuda’s National drink.

The combination of Black Seal and ginger beer is very powerful. At first, you taste the richness of the rum and then you get the flavor and spice of ginger on your tongue and the back of your throat. I did not expect that at first and I was surprised. This is a savory cocktail that perfectly balances the spice of the ginger with the sweetness of the rum. I would highly recommend this drink to anyone who enjoys rum.

Puros Indios - Bronco

Puros Indios is made by the Reyes Family. The factory is in Honduras.  Rolando Reyes, Sr puts his name on every cigar band for the Puros Indios line.

The Specifics:

• Wrapper – Ecuador Sumatra
• Binder – Ecuador Sumatra
• Filler – Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Brazil, Nicaragua
• Length: 6 1/2 inches
• Ring Gauge: 56

I found this cigar to be very pleasant. It had a good, firm construction. The cap clipped well. There was nothing spectacular about the pre-light draw but, I noticed a good tobacco flavor. The cigar kept an even burn throughout the entire 1 hour smoke time.

This is a medium bodied cigar, rich in tobacco flavor. It produced a good amount of smoke. I was very pleased with this cigar and would buy more.

The Midnight Express Cocktail

Midnight Express

• 1 1/2 oz. Dark Rum
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
• 3/4 oz. Lime Juice
• 1 Splash simple syrup
• 1 Splash Lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.

I doubled the above recipe because I only have double old-fashioned glasses.

The Midnight Express is a very tasty drink. I used Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. This was the first time I had ever tasted Black Seal Rum and I love it !

At first the lime juice seems a little over powering but then, the rum flavor comes through with a semi-sweet finish. The rum has a deep, rich flavor that pushes through and leaves a lasting impression. I would recommend  this cocktail to anyone who  enjoys a good rum.

Montecristo White - Especial No. 1

I received this cigar as a sample from Altadis USA.  The wrapper is Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade. The binder is Nicaraguan and the filler is Dominican and Nicaraguan. The Especial No. 1 has a 44 Ring Gauge and is 6 5/8 inches long.

As you can see, the wrapper was a very creamy tan color. The cigar had good construction overall and was firm to the touch. I clipped the cap and gave it a pre-light draw.  I could taste a mild tobacco flavor and not much else.

I paired this cigar with a sample of  Original Blend Dunkin’ Donuts coffee I had also received in the mail.

The cigar lit well and burned well throughout. The cigar gave off a good amount of smoke with each puff. The flavor never strayed from the initial mild tobacco taste. Exhaling through my nose did not bring any more flavor from the cigar.

This is a very mild cigar whose flavor was slightly overpowered by the black coffee I was drinking. While I did enjoy the cigar, it is not one I would purchase for myself. This is a good cigar for a beginner or the occasional cigar smoker.

A Couple Additions to the Liquor Cabinet

Last night, to my horror, I realized I was completely out of bourbon. I also saw that I had only a few swallows of rye. I’m running low on rum as well. That’s the trouble with booze, those darn bottles can’t refill themselves.

So, off to the local Wine and Spirit Super Center for the bottles you see above.

The Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey is distilled by The Bulleit Distilling Co. in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. It is made from Kentucky limestone filtered water and a secret blend of corn, barley malt and rye. The Bulleit family started making bourbon in the 1830’s. Production ceased when Augustus Bulleit passed away in 1860.

In 1987 Tom Bulleit resurrected the company and started distilling Bulleit Bourbon using his Great, Great Grandfather’s recipe.

Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum has been distilled since 1806 by Gosling Brothers of Bermuda. Their recipe is a closely guarded family secret. This product was originally called “Old Rum” and it was only available on draught out of oak barrels. After World War One, Black Seal Rum was sold in Champagne bottles as they were the most widely available bottles around. The cork was sealed with black sealing wax, hence the name.

I’m looking forward to sipping these spirits straight and in some cocktails soon.

Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown Captiva

The Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown blend is my “goto” sungrown cigar. The wrapper is an Ecuadorian Sumatra Sungrown leaf while the binder and filler come from the Dominican Republic.

As you can see, the cigar is a little rough in appearance but it’s not terrible. The length is 6 1/4 inches with a ring gauge of 42. Construction was good. There were some medium sized leaf veins visible on the back of the cigar. The cigar burned evenly through out the session and did not require any touch ups. It took me about an hour to smoke this cigar.

The Cuesta-Rey blend is normally a milder tasting blend but, the addition of the sungrown wrapper definitely gives this cigar a lot more flavor. I could taste the cedar and a medium pepper spice when I exhaled through my nose.

I can certainly recommend this cigar to anyone who is new to Sungrown wrappers or is looking to try something a little different.

I paired this cigar with a Dry Martini and I felt they complemented each other well. I have made one change with my Dry Martinis. I now add orange bitters instead of angostura bitters. I like the flavor a lot better in this particular cocktail.

Starbucks Sumatra vs. Home Roasted Sumatran Mandheling

I took advantage of Starbucks’ free offer and I received my sample of Sumatra Extra Bold late last week. It is a good sized package that will give you 10 to 12 cups of coffee.

I roasted the last 41 grams of my Sumatran Mandheling in the Fresh Roast +8. Since this was a little lighter in weight than my normal batch size, I roasted the beans for about 7 minutes with a 2 minute cool down cycle.

After a 24 hour rest, I set up the tools I needed for my cupping experiment. You can see the setup in the picture below:

For the cupping, I would be using 12 grams of ground coffee and 6.5 ounces of boiled water for each cup. Once the water started to boil, I ground my home roasted whole beans and dumped them in one of the rocks glasses. Next, I opened the sample pack of Starbucks coffee , measured out 12 grams and dumped that into the other glass.

I slowly poured in 6.5 ounces of boiling water into each glass, making sure I saturated all the grounds. After a  3 1/2 minute brew time I was ready to cup. Here is a photo of the coffee brewing:

The first step is to stick your nose into the glass while you break the “crust” of coffee grounds with a spoon. Once you break the crust, you are supposed to inhale the aroma of the brew.

The home roast gave off a very nice aroma of deep coffee with a slight floral scent. The Starbucks sample also had a nice aroma but, seemed a bit stronger.

Next, the grounds were removed from each cup and I took samples of each cup with a tablespoon. The Starbucks sample had a good initial flavor but a bitter aftertaste. The body of the cup was good as well, although it was a bit stronger than what I normally like. The home roasted sample had a much lighter body with the typical semi-sweet chocolate flavor I am used to.

Overall, while I enjoyed the home roasted coffee more, the Starbucks sample was fresher than I expected. The only part I did not like was the bitter aftertaste which I attribute to the over roasting that is typical of Starbucks. They roast the flavor right out of the bean so there is continuity throughout the country. Instead of letting the bean’s natural flavors come out, they replace it with characteristics of the longer, deeper roast.

A French 75 and The Forbidden X

The French 75

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup

shake with ice

strain into champagne flute

top with champagne

garnish with lemon twist

The French 75 is a very tasty cocktail. I enjoyed the sweet and sour combination of the lemon juice and simple syrup. The gin came through as an undertone with the champagne giving the drink one last kick. Even my Wife, who is not a fan of either Gin or Champagne said the cocktail was “not bad”. A stellar review from her if there ever was one.

Tubed Platinum edition “Forbidden X”

Length: 6 ¼ inches
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Opus X rosado sungrown
Binder: Opus X rosado
Filler: Opus X blend

The tobacco for this cigar is a little different than a normal Opus X. It is aged up to 10 years, and is finished by curing it in Calvados barrels, giving the cigar a unique taste.

In my opinion, the Fuente Fuente Opus X line is one of the finest brands ever. While this cigar was not the little spice bomb that is the signature flavor of Opus X, I could taste the pepper albeit, a bit subdued. Whenever I smoke an Opus, I’m reminded of a fine steak, grilled to perfection. The odors and taste of the cigar is like nothing else and hard for me to put my finger on. It is just the ultimate in pleasure and enjoyment.