Amrut's Portonova paired with a La Flor Dominicana Chisel Maduro cigar and Chuao's Framboise Bonbon

Indian distillery Amrut continues to enchant the world whiskey community with its new releases and Portonova is no exception. The name Portonova is a delicious double entendre with its nod to a historic port city in India and Amrut's extra maturation of this new expression in select slim Port pipes from Portugal.  Finally available in the U. S., but selling out fast, we were delighted to snag a bottle for our February Featured Pairing with the La Flor Dominicana Chisel Maduro cigar and Chuao Chocolatier's Framboise bonbon.

From a story point of view, Portonova weaves an interesting yarn that reflects India's strong historic links to Portugal.  That union started with the discovery of a sea route to India by adventurer Vasco da Gama.  This eventually lead to the rapid spread of Portuguese colonies across the nation in the 16th through early 18th centuries.  Among its most eastern territories in India, was the port city of Porto Novo in the state of Tamil Nadu (now known as Parangipettai).  Porto Novo flourished as an important sea trade center.  It is therefore fitting that Amrut's namesake new whiskey would be extra-matured for a year in Port pipes, as Port is a Portuguese wine that was "fortified"to help it withstand many long journeys by sea.  

 Amrut uses barley from the Punjab region and distills its malt whiskey in a modern facility in Bangalore, India. Portonova is an un-peated malt, initially matured in new American Oak ex-Bourbon barrels then transferred into selected Port Pipes for one year. It was then put back into ex-Bourbon casks to mature for an additional period of time before bottling. This limited edition expression is ruby-rich in color, powerful and vibrant with aromas of wine soaked berries, honeyed figs and sweet pipe tobacco.  It delivers a truly one of a kind palate to which there is no comparison.  On first sip, this aggressive dram fires a rapid succession of flavor notes.  A ripe raspberry and red currant jamminess is intermingled with dark chocolate, cardamom and chili spices that hang on to the front and sides of your tongue.  The somewhat astringent early nip mellows out to a full bodied and mouth coating oakiness that mimics something akin to a pleasant fruity tobacco.  The Port influence is surprisingly subtle, but its tannins contribute to the long and drying finish which sweetens every so slightly at the end.  This is an astounding dram that is warming and intriguing albeit very difficult to describe . (Click on picture to purchase)

Portonova has a very puzzling characteristic in that it doesn't yield to whatever it is paired with but tenaciously holds its own flavor ground. With this in mind, we tried to mimic the flavors as closely as possible and found that Framboise was just the ticket.  The rich raspberry pate of the filling with its layer of fudge and sensuous dark chocolate coating truly make it the best mate for this dram.   (Click on picture to purchase)  

Port wines and Tawny Ports are easily a great match for a fine cigar, which is why we were so excited to see the release of this port-finished whiskey. A good port wine typically is full-bodied, fruity and rich, with soft peppery tannins, light acidity and typically a dry finish. Tawny ports are wines made from red grapes that are aged in wooden barrels. This exposes the wine to oxidation and evaporation, much like aging whiskies in oak casks. The exposure to oxygen imparts a nutty flavor to the wine, softens the tannins and produces a smoother, more viscous wine that is golden-brown in color. As you can see from the tasting notes of the Portonova, there is much carryover of these characteristics into the whiskey.

Our cigar pairing was selected for its full body and rich, complex taste with flavor notes that would match distinct flavors in the whiskey. While the La Flor Dominicana Chisel Maduro might be too strong to match with a Tawny Port, its strength is perfect for a whiskey that is bottled at 62.1% alcohol by volume. Available in both Natural and Maduro wrappers, we chose the Maduro to gain access to those fantastic chocolatey, coffee flavors. This cigar is from the Double Ligero family and uses Dominican Republic ligero for its binder and filler, wrapped with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. All of that spells strength, and it truly is a strong cigar. Of the more than 13 vitolas, we selected the Chisel due to it's unique shape and the way the smoke is spread across the palate. (We also couldn't imagine getting through a Churchill size cigar of that strength without passing out.)

(Click on picture to purchase)

The Chisel Maduro begins with rich dark chocolate and coffee flavors that mingle well with the Portonova. Spice, cedar, licorice and black pepper flavors also make their appearance throughout the cigar, highlighting oak and chili pepper in the whiskey. The thick, mouth coating smoke helps to subdue the long, dry finish of the whiskey and interestingly heightens the sweetness as well. We were really interested to note how the coffee and tobacco flavors were very distinct in the Portonova, more so with the cigar than without. Putting these two together with the Framboise bonbon was a real treat, as the dark chocolate smoothed everything out and cut the strength of both cigar and whiskey.

The Portonova is a surprising and exciting expression that must be experienced. And if you like a good, strong cigar, then the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Maduro is an excellent choice as well. Together ... fabulous.

Post-note -

The interesting image on the cover page is of fishing boats anchored in a town called Parangipettai (Portonovo) on the east coast of India. This region of India was under Portuguese control from the 16th to the 18th century, and as you may know "Port"  is a Portuguese fortified wine. Amrut's use of the name Portonova thus has several layers of meaning, showing an interesting juxtaposition of historical elements behind the creation of this whiskey.

The image/photograph is the work of Jaggy from Chennai, India. His insightful images of India are mesmerizing and hauntingly beautiful. You can see more of his work on flickr here at this link:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/13085811@N08/5497275508/

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Oban 18 Year Old paired with a Padron 1926 Serie Natural 

cigar and Chuao's Miel Bonbon

It began as a U.S. Only limited release. But now that the Oban 18 year old has proved to be a market success, Diageo will be setting aside 300 barrels a year for an annual release.  This was no casual commitment, as Oban (one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland) runs only two stills - six days a week.   We're glad to see the 18 year old is here to stay.  Adding four extra years of maturation to this "Classic Malt" has resulted in an expression that has exquisite flavor balance and harmony.  Its as if the 16 year old is all grown up and has become all the tastier for it.  New Years celebrations are about saluting the old while ringing in the new.  With this sentiment fresh in mind, we thought the 18 year old was an excellent "new/old" choice for our January feature.  To be fully enjoyed, we recommend it be paired with the Padron 1926 Serie Natural cigar and Chuao Chocolatier's Miel bonbon.

Oban has been labeled "the meeting place between land and sea".  It is tucked away in a sheltered harbor in the Western Highlands, in a cove favored by a relatively mild and temperate climate.  Original founders John and Hugh Stevenson, literally built a town around the distillery which originally was a brewery containing small lantern shaped pot stills.  Whisky distilling began there in 1794 remaining in the stewardship of several generations of Stevensons until 1869.  Twenty years later, a subsequent owner J. Walter Higgins, rebuilt the distillery taking care to replicate these famously small stills with their worm condensers/worm tubs (now exceedingly rare).  Higgins was determined to preserve the unique taste and character of the Oban spirit.  In the 1900s the distillery went through several "mothball" periods until full production was regained in 1972.  It is currently owned by spirits behemoth Diageo who it seems takes as much care not to tamper with tradition. 

Like its younger sibling, the 18 year old has that characteristic Oban balance of honey, fruit, seaweed and faint peat smoke.  But with age comes a noticeable richness and depth.  The aroma hints of rum glazed ripe bananas accompanied by the sweetness of Frangelico while the scent of juniper berries adds a certain zip.  On the palate, this dram sings a complex harmony.  Notes of spiced rum and stewed autumn fruits and raisins are accented by a bit of vanilla.  This gives way to a delicious spiciness while in the background is an elusive saltiness that adds nicely to the overall character.  Coastal and peat influences are present but so well integrated that they add more to this spirit's dimension, than being recognizable as distinct flavor notes.  The long finish of this dram turns from sweet, to dry and spicy with notes of aniseed that are quite promounced. All the while lingering tannins hang on to your tongue.  Oban's exquisite blending of flavors is accompanied by a luxuriously yet tangy mouth feel.    (Click on picture to purchase)

While Oban was fun to match with many different confections, it was Chuao Chocolatier's Miel Bonbon that caught our tastebud's attention.  Miel added to the taste composition in a very unexpected way.  The almond hazelnut praline filling absolutely pulls out a peaty nuttiness in the dram that was all but hidden with the tight integration of flavors in Oban.  It proved to be just the right playmate to this wonderful spirit.   (Click on picture to purchase)  

At this time of year when the holidays roll around, cigar lovers often look for a "special occasion" cigar to enjoy after that gigantic holiday meal, or to ring in the New Year with.  One brand that consistently shows up on the list is Padron. Since 1964, the Padron family has concentrated on creating the finest, handmade, complex cigars by focusing on every detail of the process, and by limiting their range of cigars to only four series. With all the Padron Series consistently ranking in the 88+ range, it is hard to choose which one to pick. Many cigar smokers prefer either the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series or the Padron 1926 Series. After all the 1964 Series "A" achieved a rating of 95 by Cigar Aficionado, while the Serie 1926 No. 9 was rated #1 Cigar of the Year for 2007 and achieved a 97 rating in February of 2008 by the same magazine. There is a reason these cigars achieved the ratings they did, and that is for the impeccable quality and enjoyable smoking experience that they represent.

For this pairing, we selected the Padron Serie 1926 No. 9 because of it's additional strength and complexity. All Padron cigars are Nicaraguan puros, but the Serie 1926 uses tobacco that has been aged for five years. A box-press is used in memory of the Cuban cigars that Jose O. Padron used to smoke. Construction quality is tightly controlled by the family, ensuring that each cigar is impeccable in rolling, finishing and cut. (Click on picture to purchase)

The overall impression of this cigar is high class, as are most Padron cigars.  A large gold, white and maroon band contributes to this appearance, and each cigar is numbered to prevent counterfeiting. A perfect draw is apparent after the cut, and flavors of coffee, chocolate and tobacco are tasted on the cold draw. After lighting, the initial flavors are chocolate and leather with some spice and cedar on the finish. Espresso and dark chocolate flavors develop more in the second third with more spice, and a light sweet fruity note (black cherry?) comes and goes. At the end, the spice dominates the full strength flavor, while occasional chocolate, coffee, wood still make an appearance. The Serie 1926 is a complex smoke with beautiful balance, and a finish that goes on forever.

Paired with the Oban, we noted how the cigar flavors of coffee and chocolate were sweetened up by the vanilla and malt flavors in the whisky. But it was the fruity note in the cigar that created the most interesting match with the Oban, as it seemed to intensify the darker fruit side of the whisky. The complexity of both cigar and whisky make for one special pairing and would be perfect, together or individually, for any special occasion.

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Laphroaig Triple Wood paired with a San Lotano Habano cigar and Chuao's Black & White Bonbon

This Islay Icon known for its aggressively smoky profile has been tinkering with "the recipe" to produce a new complex and captivating expression.  Triple Wood is finally widely available in the U.S. following its 2009 "Travel Retail" debut.  This month we have paired this Laphroaig expression with a San Lotano Habano cigar and Chuao's Black & White Bonbon. 

Islay (pronounced Eye-la) in Autumn is more heavily populated by wild geese than human residents.  This Scottish isle is a showcase for 130 miles of spectacular coastline, abundant wildlife, ten working distilleries and an unspoiled landscape that is dotted with ruins and relics of a bygone era.  These all conspire to create a wonderous sense to its visitors of both serenity and seclusion. 

While the farmland is rich, the weather is harsh, suggesting the need for a heartier whisky to warm one's body and soul.  Nothing reflects "Islay Terroir" better than the single malts produced at the Laphroaig distillery.

Waters from the much fought over Kilbride stream, wind their way to its stills infused with a wonderfully peaty sediment. The water stamps its

influences on this whisky as much as the lichens prevalent in the Islay peat, lend their distinct medicinal note to its taste.  But it is truly the

heavily peated barley that gives this spirit its distinction and readily recognizable house style.  It was "The Peat Monster", long before it was fashionable.  Laphroaig has been in operation since the very early 1800s when founders Alexander and Donald Johnstons shared their coveted  "home brew" with local residents.  Today it has a documented following of over 474,000 Friends of Laphroaig world wide. 

For those who may be intimidated by it's signature smoky profile, Triple Wood offers a more genteel alternative.  The name refers to three types of maturation that John Campbell, Laphroaig's Distillery Manager, uses in the creation of this new expression.  Maturation begins with first fill Makers Mark ex-bourbon barrels.  When deemed suitable, stocks of 5 to 13 year old spirits are then transferred to quarter casks for 9 months to develop its creamy, oily characteristic that makes whisky drinking so pleasurable.  This also gives an extra boost to the ex-bourbon and wood flavors, as the ratio of surface to liquid is much greater in the smaller, quarter cask.  The resulting nectar is then transferred to first fill Sherry Butts for 9 months, finally resting in refill Sherry Butts for an additional 24 months.  Triple Wood is surprisingly gentle on the nose. It leads with a faint sherry sweetness, ripe bananas, then camphor, ending with a tame smoky tail.  The palate is much more complex than the nose.  It also begins with a sherry fruitiness likened to liquid caramelized orange peel topped off with berry jam.  Next a mix of vanilla and nutty cereal notes

graze your tastebuds followed with a pleasant medicinal note that is almost herbal (like bergamot leaves).  Alongside all the fruit is an earthy peaty note, a licorice spiciness and just a hint of salty brine.  There are almost too many flavor notes to describe, which makes the overall effect well balanced yet captivating.  The finish is dry, with a light peatiness and spiciness that hangs luxuriously on the tongue.  (click on picture to purchase)

With so many flavor notes, Triple Wood acts like a proverbial chameleon when it comes to pairing with other foods.  From caramel to nutty to fruit fillings, each Chuao bonbon brought out a different side of its flavor personality.  But you must try the Black & White bonbon with this dram.  The almond and hazelnut praline of its center almost mimics the nuttiness of barley and it really lets the peatiness come through.  This bon bon's gristy crunch goes beautifully with the silkiness of the whisky, while the dark chocolate coat lends just the right amount of sweetness to this match.   (Click on picture to purchase)  

Searching for a cigar to match the multi-layered Triple Wood, we came across the San Lotano Habano by A.J. Fernandez. Pre-released in 2009, this cigar is just recently available to many cigar stores here on the West Coast. According to their website, "The San Lotano Habano by AJ Fernandez is specially blended for the full-bodied cigar fan. By using only premier fillers fermented to perfection, the Habano is strong yet perfectly balanced with a rich and robust flavor leading to a long and memorable finish. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Habano blend is its rare Cuban seed and ligero wrapper grown only in Brazil by the Fuego family. Containing extremely limited Cuban seed only offered to two factories in Central America, including Tabacalera Fernandez, the Habano is truly an exceptional experience."

Wrapped in a gorgeous, oily, rustic looking Brazilian habano wrapper, this cigar has all the flavors and transitions that a cigar lover looks for in a good smoke. Initially the San Lotano starts with pepper and spice, but right away flavors of caramel and chocolate appear to sweeten the flavor. Behind all that is a base flavor of nuts and cream, making this cigar very smooth and slightly sweet.  At mid-cigar, the cream sweetens and cedar and spice appear in the finish.  As the final third is reached, coffee and caramel flavors dominate with a long lasting spicey finish. (Click on picture to purchase)

With all that going on in the whisky, this cigar match perfectly picks out several and highlights them well. Caramel, vanilla, and spice are easily identified in both cigar and malt, and the creamy smoke serves to soften any heat from the whisky. A great complex cigar for an equally complex whisky.

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Longmorn 16 Year Old paired with Rocky Patel 50 Cigar and Chuao's Melao Bonbon

In the midst of all the whisky world's hype and hyperbole, sometimes you just want to escape back into the tried and true palate of a bourbon matured scotch.  You know, that longing to sip something that brings back the nostalgia of your Father's liquor cabinet of a simpler time.  This month we decided to do just that with a single malt that is quite underexposed, yet has proven to be a most enduring spirit.

Longmorn is one of those whiskies with a surprisingly low profile for the quality of its scotch.  A hidden jewel in the portfolio of Pernod Richard, it is easily overshadowed in the marketplace by the more famous Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet brands.  Little known, but a real Speyside stalwart, Longmorn has long been favored by blenders, coveted by independent bottlers and sought after by loyal enthusiasts.  It is one of the few distilleries that has never ceased a day of production since it origins of 1894.

Unfortunately its founder, John Duff never benefitted from its success.  Determined and talented, Duff served as manager of Glendronach before starting his first distillery Glenlossie, nearly two decades prior to the opening of Longmorn.  This pioneering entrepreneur was also involved in two failed attempts to open distilleries in South Africa and the United States, before returning to Scotland and Longmorn. Three years later he opened another new distillery, BenRiach, right next door.  With all his personal capital tied up in buildings, whisky and other related investments, Duff's businesses were hard hit when one of his biggest purchasers went bankrupt.  Highly invested but cash poor, he was forced to cede control of the Longmorn distillery.  By 1909 he had declared personal bankruptcy.  Fortunately, Duff's demise did not impact Longmorn, which continued to thrive under the stewardship of each new owner.  It still flourishes after 117 years.

Longmorn 16 year old expression created quite a stir in 2008 when it replaced the long beloved 15 year old "house standard".  In our opinion, subsequent bottlings of the 16 year old have improved and are best appreciated on their own merits, of which in our opinion there are many.  Your nose is greeted with the scent of freshly mown grass, mixed with typical Speyside fruity esthers, dried sweet flowers and subtle spice. On the palate it is creamy, tongue coating and warming.  It has a rather elegant smoothness and uncharacteristic fullness of flavor for such a lightly peated malt.  Subtle yet intricate layers reveal an early maltiness, along with honey, fruits, delicate vanilla, oak and spices.  Yet it was the underlying bourbon cask affected caramel notes that caught our attention.  The finish is long with plum and dark cherry jam giving way to a developing citrus zestiness.  This tailors off to a subtle cedar wood and light oak tail.

While many of the Chuao bonbons were compatible with this multi-layered Speyside exemplar, it was the Melao bonbon that provided the most interesting pairing.  The sensual oozy filing of this confection is a perfect complement to the creamy, slightly oily mouth feel of the Longmorn spirit.  Add to that, the saltiness of the caramel filling and you have an almost savory dimension to this flavor pairing.  Melao also accentuates the lovely butterscotch notes of this dram which are too fleeting without this gooey, tasty reminder that they are there.      (Click on picture to purchase) 

Rocky Patel is in full stride with the release of several new cigars at the industry show this year, and is developing more premium cigar lines than ever before. He also turned 50 this year, so in honor of his birthday, this October he is releasing a cigar named The Fifty. This ultra-premium cigar is the culmination of fours years of blending research, and is being produced in a limited run of 2,000 boxes of each of three vitolas at his new factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

While Rocky is keeping the binder and filler blend a secret, the cigar features an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper hand selected from the seventh priming (or row of leaves) of the tobacco plant. This location near the top of the tobacco plant receives more sunlight, the leaves are fewer and smaller than lower leaves, and since they are picked later in the harvest, the leaves also receive more nutrients. Typically this section of the plant is known as ligero, and is used in filler to slow the burn rate and to achieve strong, complex flavors. Using the seventh priming for wrappers must take special care to ensure that the correct balance of flavor and strength are achieved. The fact that Rocky has chosen this wrapper for his "birthday" cigar, means they have discovered something really special here with this tobacco. (Click the picture to purchase)

Befitting an ultra-premium cigar, the Fifty is very elegant, box pressed and well constructed. Visually, the orange, silver and gold double band is striking and contrasts beautifully with the wrapper. Aromas of earth and spice exude from the dark, smooth and oily Habano wrapper.

From start to finish this cigar delivers flavor, you will not want to put this down.  Initially the Fifty produces flavors of dark espresso, earthy chocolate and a pepperiness similar to curry and chili peppers. As the pepper mellows out mid-cigar, several other flavors come to the forefront. Notes of cedar, oak and nuts flavor the creamy smoke throughout the middle third. Near the end, the spice and chocolate notes combine with a citrus flavor to produce an unusual chocolate-orange flavor. As the cigar winds down, the finish seems to lengthen producing an almost minty spice.

It is those flavor transitions and combinations that make the pairing with the Longmorn simply incredible. Both cigar and malt are elegant on their own, together the combination is superb.  The layering of fruit, vanilla and spice from the whisky, over the top of the chocolate and pepper creates multiple waves of sweetness that change in depth and character. Spice notes in the Longmorn become more pronounced and complex with the chili/curry note added by the cigar. The creamy smoke serves to soften the long finish of the malt, and there are common cedar and oak notes that pair up nicely. Once the cigar hits the end stage, the chocolate orange flavor really becomes divine.

The Rocky Patel Fifty is a limited release and will be in many Top 10 Lists this year. It is sure to become popular once word gets out, so don't miss your chance to enjoy this combination before it is gone.

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