Surprising Music History: Steely Dan and Schlitz

A jingle from the '70s to kick off the weekend.

Steely Dan, who knew? The jingle was recorded between the band’s 1972 debut album, Can’t Buy a Thrill, and their follow-up, Countdown to Ecstasy, from 1973. 

Cheers!

A Little Impatience: My Father La Lealtad

I first smoked the My Father La Lealtad a couple of months ago during a visit to John B. Hayes Tobacconist in Winchester, VA. The smoke was a little rushed due to time constraints, so I didn’t get to really dive into the cigar. It’s only been a week since I acquired a few La Lealtad for my humidor, but I lit one up recently, giving in to a little impatience.

The La Lealtad debuted in late April 2026 and is the second My Father cigar produced at the company’s Honduran factory, following the My Father Blue release in 2025. The wrapper is a shiny Ecuadorian Habano Rosado Oscuro leaf, while the double binder combines Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. The filler also uses a mix of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Interestingly, this is the first My Father blend to combine Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco in both the binder and filler.

My cigars are the 6 1/8 x 52, box-pressed and sharply pointed Torpedo vitola. The rose-shaded wrapper enhances the presentation of the classic My Father bands.

A couple of cuts from the pointed cap gave me a nice draw with just the right amount of resistance. The smoking experience begins with a hefty dose of earth and cedar. As the cigar progresses, black coffee and espresso emerge, joined by cocoa and baking spice. As the smoke continues, the chocolate and coffee combination develops some leather along with an underlying sweetness that helps balance the darker flavors.

I paired the La Lealtad with a Rye Old Fashioned. In addition to J.H. Bards Rye, I used Blackstrap Old Fashioned Syrup from the Blacksburg distillery. A few dashes of Angostura bitters, a Luxardo cherry, and an orange peel completed the drink. It was a refreshing cocktail that paired nicely with the La Lealtad.

The 90-proof rye has enough proof and character to stand up to the La Lealtad without overwhelming the cigar’s flavor nuances. The rye cocktail brought oak and vanilla that complemented the coffee and cocoa notes from the cigar, while the sweetness from the blackstrap syrup helped round out the darker flavors. The combination worked particularly well as the cigar developed.

The cigar’s quality and construction also proved well-suited to a long smoke-and-drink pairing. The short rest time in the humidor did not appear to be a detriment. At one point, I was able to step inside and mix a second drink before returning to the cigar without needing to relight it or make any burn corrections. That’s an important quality when enjoying a cigar alongside a drink that you don’t want to rush.

Cheers!

Half Track Rolls into Hogshead

Previously I wrote about smoking the flavorful Surpassion King of Battle at Slow Burn. Last Friday evening, Surpassion Cigars debuted a limited-edition extension of the King of Battle line called Half Track. The new cigar is a 4 x 53 short robusto exclusive to Hogshead Cigar Lounge in Fredericksburg.

Asad and Manny from Surpassion were on hand at the release event at Hogshead to talk about their cigars and meet with customers.

Surpassion Cigars is a veteran-owned cigar company founded in 2024. Although the brand is relatively new, its founders bring years of experience in the cigar industry. Surpassion cigars are produced at Tabacalera La iSLA, a well-regarded boutique cigar factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

The Half Track uses the same American Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Mexican San Andrés binder, and blend of Dominican and American fillers as the King of Battle. The tobaccos have been aged for at least five years before being rolled. The cigars come packaged in a paper-wrapped bundle of ten and are available only at Hogshead.

I was interested to see how the shorter vitola would compare with the larger King of Battle.

The initial pepper kick from the Half Track seemed to hit a bit harder than it did with the original size. That difference was short-lived, though, as the flavors quickly settled into balance. The Half Track was remarkably similar to the King of Battle — a credit to the blenders for maintaining the character of the blend in a much smaller format.

Dark notes of espresso and cocoa, along with plenty of black pepper, delivered a full-bodied and flavorful smoke. The short cigar provided about 35 minutes of smoking time, making it a good choice when desiring the King of Battle profile without committing to a longer smoke.

After finishing the Half Track, I stayed at Hogshead to enjoy the conversation with the Surpassion guys and the other patrons. Eventually, I decided it was time for another cigar, but I wasn’t quite sure what to choose. I figured I'd save the rest of the bundle I purchased to enjoy later.

The Half Track/King of Battle blend is the most robust of Surpassion’s lineup, and I was hesitant about following it with something significantly milder. Manny recommended the Surpassion Valor. I had never smoked the Valor, so I decided to take his advice.

Valor was Surpassion’s first release. It features an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, Mexican San Andrés binder, and Dominican, Nicaraguan, and American fillers. Surpassion describes it as a medium-plus-bodied cigar.

Valor delivered notes of cedar, dark-roasted coffee, and a hint of sweetness. The flavors stood on their own and, interestingly, weren’t muted by the rich smoke that came before it.

Later, Asad told me that Surpassion’s cigars are blended with the idea that they should complement one another. At least based on these two cigars, I found that to be true. The transition from the full-bodied Half Track to the medium-plus Valor worked surprisingly well.

I had a very enjoyable evening at Hogshead and the Surpassion Half Track release event. It was fun to talk with the people behind Surpassion, learn more about the cigars, and spend some time with the other patrons — talking about cigars, of course!

Cheers!

HDA Veiled Mutiny with Blade & Bow: A Warm Evening Pairing

After enjoying the Hermanos de Armas Sentinel Limited Edition recently, I recalled that I had several other releases from HDA in the humidor. They’ve been there for more than a year, though certainly not forgotten.

I decided to light up an HDA Veiled Mutiny. Interestingly, HDA recently switched production from the Oveja Negra factory to Noel Rojas’s factory in Estelí. The cigars I have are the “vintage” ones made at Oveja Negra.

The Hermanos de Armas Sentinel Veiled Mutiny features an Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper, with binder and fillers from the Condega, Jalapa, and Ometepe regions of Nicaragua. The Toro I smoked measures 6 x 54, and it also comes in a 5 x 48 Robusto.

The cigar features a nice cocoa and bitter chocolate flavor profile. Medium-bodied, it also has an earthy leather character with mild spice underneath.

I poured some Blade & Bow Bourbon to go along with the cigar. Blade & Bow is a well-balanced sipper with notes of caramel, white fruit, and mild charred spice. It’s not an overly sweet bourbon, and its caramel notes seem to be accentuated by the cigar’s flavor. The bourbon’s flavor is prominent enough to be enjoyed, but it doesn’t overpower or mute the medium-bodied cigar.

The air was quite warm this evening, yet the Hermanos de Armas Sentinel Veiled Mutiny and Blade & Bow Bourbon pairing was light and flavorful, and perfectly sippable in the mildly stifling air. It was just the after-dinner cigar and bourbon combination the evening called for.

Cheers!

Ten Years in the Making: Old Elk 10-Year Bourbon

It’s been about six weeks since I saw the news of the upcoming 10-Year Collection from Old Elk Distillery. I immediately placed my pre-order for a bottle of the 10-Year Straight Bourbon. I waited, somewhat impatiently, for its estimated mid-September arrival, and the bottle arrived earlier this week.

I’ve enjoyed several other releases from Old Elk Distillery, formerly based in Fort Collins, Colorado. In May 2025, Old Elk Distillery was acquired by Middle West Spirits of Columbus, Ohio. It took nearly a year for the transition to be completed, and the 10-Year Collection is the first expansion of the Old Elk portfolio under the new ownership. The new lineup includes a Straight Bourbon, a Straight Wheated Bourbon, and a Straight Wheat Whiskey.

The Old Elk 10-Year Straight Bourbon is bottled at 105 proof. Its mash bill is 51% corn, 34% malted barley, and 15% rye. That high malted-barley content is both unusual and intriguing.

The aroma from my Glencairn offered notes of fruit — fig and pear come to mind — along with cocoa and a hint of honey. On the palate, the bourbon presents a pleasing candied-fruit sweetness. The dark-fruit impressions remain, accompanied by subtle rye spice. The finish brings more stone fruit and caramel-candy sweetness. It’s a surprisingly gentle sipper, with the 105 proof well masked and the high malt content contributing a caramel sweetness without becoming cloying.

I’d spent several days contemplating cigar-pairing options for the new Old Elk bourbon. On the warm afternoon when I finally opened the bottle, I opted to light up the La Antiguedad Toro that had been in the humidor for about six months. Though I was very tempted to grab one of the newer releases awaiting my attention, I thought the La Antiguedad would make a nice accompaniment without the distraction of exploring a new cigar at the same time.

The La Antiguedad Toro is a 5 5/8 × 55, softly box-pressed cigar from My Father Cigars that’s been in regular production for more than twelve years. The wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano Rosado Oscuro, with Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo binders and Nicaraguan filler from San Rafael, Las Quebradas, and San José that was aged for at least 3½ years. The La Antiguedad Toro proved to be a complementary pairing, adding its own chocolate, coffee, and cedar notes without overwhelming the bourbon or masking its flavors.

While I’ve only had a small pour or two, I very much enjoyed the Old Elk 10-Year Straight Bourbon. It’s an enjoyable sipper on its own and offers the potential for some interesting cigar pairings going forward. After all, I still have a list of other smokes on hand to match with it.

Cheers!

Hermanos de Armas Sentinel: The Last One on the Shelf

During a recent visit to the Slow Burn Cigar Lounge, my intent was to grab a Hermanos de Armas Sentinel Limited Edition cigar that I’d been reading about on social media. It had been a few weeks since I’d visited the lounge, and I was hoping they still had them in stock. When I arrived, I headed directly to the HDA shelf and saw the box — with a lone cigar left.

Relieved, I grabbed the cigar, picked up a bottle of locally made cream soda, and settled in to enjoy a new smoke.

Hermanos de Armas Cigars (HDA) is the creation of two U.S. military veterans with a deep passion for cigars. The name, which translates to “Brothers in Arms,” reflects both their bond and their background. So far, the company produces three core lines, along with the occasional limited release. Sentinel is the newest limited edition from HDA and began shipping in late July of this year.

The 6 x 50 Toro sports a dark, oily Mexican San Andrés wrapper, with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Lighting up, my palate is initially greeted by rich, sweet chocolate. There’s a bit of peppery spice, but it stays in the background. The chocolatey sweetness remains consistent throughout the cigar. As the smoke progresses, the spice notes become more noticeable, providing balance without ever taking over.

As I smoked, another patron came in and sat down. He looked over at my cigar and remarked, “You got the last one.” He said he was also hoping to try the Sentinel and regretted sitting in his car talking on the phone. Indeed, I had seen him in the parking lot when I arrived. One man’s loss …

The production of the Sentinel was limited to only 600 boxes of 20 cigars. While chatting with Slow Burn proprietor Len, he told us that he had spoken with Zack from HDA the other day and confirmed that there were no more boxes to be had.

Maggie’s Cream Soda is the product of a local eatery in downtown Fredericksburg. Made with all-natural ingredients, the soda is minimally sweet, with a much lower carbonation level than many sodas. It made for a light, refreshing drink that allowed the cigar’s flavor notes to remain at the forefront.

The Hermanos de Armas Sentinel developed into a flavorful medium-to-full-bodied smoke. It combines rich dark chocolate, cocoa, natural sweetness, and restrained spice to create a rich but easygoing cigar. I don’t know if I’ll come across any more, but if I do, I won’t hesitate to grab a few.

Cheers!

September 11, 2001 and the Ongoing Threat

It has been twenty-five years — a quarter of a century — since followers of a demonic Islamist ideology attacked our nation and murdered nearly 3,000 people. For some Americans, memories have faded. Others choose to forget or forgive. Some never experienced the savagery of that day. Someone who was five years old on 9/11 is now 30. Someone born that day will turn 25. Roughly 26 million Americans alive today were five years old or younger on 9/11.

Still, the events of September 11, 2001 brought a horror to our shores that the world must never be allowed to forget.

On the one hand, it’s easy to understand why so many remain blissfully ignorant of the events of September 11. On the other hand, it points to a serious shortcoming in an American education system that may fail to adequately emphasize the most horrific terrorist attack on our shores in American history. Too often, I see the subject of 9/11 avoided out of concern that an honest discussion of what happened — and the Islamic ideology that motivated the attackers — might offend someone. However, it's impossible to defend America if we are afraid to name the enemy and the ideology that inspires him.

For a sad example of ignorance about 9/11, watch this video of uninformed students at the prestigious George Mason University.

This summer we visited the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA where the heroes aboard that plane fought back against their hijackers, causing the aircraft to crash there rather than reach its presumed target in the nation’s capital. I was genuinely surprised at the emotions and memories it evoked for me. I can honestly say I was not the only person dabbing at their eyes while walking through the museum. I hadn’t expected a place I had known about for 25 years to affect me that way. 

The same ideology that fueled those attacks still continues to inspire violence and terrorism around the world, including here in the United States. And yet, many remain complacent, blind, or willfully ignorant. 

Today we remember the nearly 3,000 victims of the terrorists, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the families whose grief has never faded. Their sacrifice and suffering deserve not only our remembrance but also our resolve.

Remembering isn’t merely looking backward; the ideology behind the attacks still requires vigilance. We must remember what was done to us on that bright September morning. We must stand firm against the ideology that inspired it. Be vigilant, for the evil one and his minions have not relented. The threat endures.

New York City, September 11, 2001

The Pentagon, September 11, 2001

Shanksville, PA, September 11, 2001

NEVER FORGET

St. Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou,

O Prince of the heavenly hosts,

by the power of God,

cast into hell Satan,

and all the evil spirits,

who prowl about the world

seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

International Buy a Priest a Beer Day

September 9 is celebrated as International Buy a Priest a Beer Day. This lighthearted tradition reminds us that priests are real people who enjoy good company and a good beverage. The celebration was originally dreamed up by the folks at The Catholic Gentlemen.

This festive holiday traces its origins back to the pious deed of St. Hopswald of Aleyard, the first man to buy his priest a beer. The legend goes that St. Hopswald, a master brewer by trade, was a Teutonic pagan who was converted and baptized by a zealous Catholic priest.

One day, St. Hopswald committed a grievous sin. Without wasting a moment, he ran quickly to his priest and confessed. Later that day, as he was particularly enjoying the peace of a clean conscience, St. Hopswald was so filled with gratitude for his priest’s sacramental ministry that he rushed to the rectory and offered to buy his priest a beer.

Okay, if you haven’t figured it out by now, St. Hopswald wasn’t real, but your priest is, and without priestly ministry, getting to heaven would be well nigh impossible!

Believe it or not, priests are real people, and they enjoy socializing over good food and drink as much as anyone. They also have a thankless and difficult job, a job that we couldn’t get to heaven without. Priests are the lifeblood of the Church, and they deserve some appreciation.

Even if you aren't able to buy a round or two for your favorite priest today, raise a pint today in honor of the men who devote their lives to the Church.

The late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrates his 88th birthday.

International Buy a Priest a Beer Day originally started out as a moveable feast, celebrated on the second Monday of September. Apparently, keeping track of a moveable feast involving beer proved too difficult. It has since been decreed that IBAPABD will henceforth be celebrated permanently on September 9.

Cheers!