An Evening with Weller: Bourbon, Cigar, and Birdsong

I spent a relaxing evening on the deck recently enjoying a special cigar-and-bourbon pairing: the Weller by Cohiba cigar and its inspiration, W.L. Weller Antique 107 Bourbon.

The Weller by Cohiba series is a collaboration between the premium cigar brand Cohiba and the Weller bourbon brand from Buffalo Trace Distillery. The annual releases come in a 6 x 50 Toro vitola and are packaged in individual aluminum tubes. Despite their premium price, the cigars are highly sought after. They are typically released in the fall, and I’ve managed to pick up a few each year since 2023, including the 2025 edition featured here.

I’ve had the 2025 Weller by Cohiba resting in my humidor since October 2025. The cigars were removed from their aluminum tubes upon arrival. This edition features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and a Broadleaf binder aged in Weller Antique 107 barrels. The filler blend combines tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The bands, aluminum tube, and box all reflect the deep crimson-and-gold branding associated with Weller Antique 107.

Before lighting the cigar, I enjoyed a few sips of the Weller 107. It’s a wheated bourbon — often credited as one of the first bourbons to replace rye with wheat in the mashbill — and it displays the expected wheat-driven sweetness. Bottled at a hearty 107 proof (53.5% ABV), it also delivers a warming heat that can linger on the tongue and occasionally overshadow the sweeter notes. Layers of caramel and toffee add further complexity. I enjoy Weller Antique 107 immensely, though I rarely reach for it because of its scarcity. Interestingly, despite being moderately difficult to find, its MSRP remains around a relatively modest $50. (I refuse to participate in the secondary bourbon market.)

Upon lighting the cigar, I found the draw more snug than I prefer, and smoke output was somewhat limited at first. Like many cigars that begin with restricted airflow, it opened up as it warmed, though it never quite reached the balance of resistance and openness that I favor.

The medium-bodied smoke offered balanced notes of cedar, cocoa, and vanilla, along with subtle touches of sweetness and baking spice on the finish. It began creamy and smooth, with the spice gradually increasing as the cigar progressed. Aside from that evolution, the profile remained remarkably consistent from start to finish.

As I smoked, the spicier aspects of the Weller 107 began to overpower the cigar’s more delicate flavors. Adding just a few drops of water to my glass restored the balance. The sweeter side of the bourbon emerged, allowing more of the cigar’s cocoa, cedar, and leather nuances to come through without being overwhelmed by the alcohol intensity.

So much of the enjoyment of a cigar comes not only from the cigar itself and its beverage pairing, but also from the setting. Whether shared with friends or enjoyed alone, the experience is shaped as much by ambiance as by smoke and spirits. During this Weller-inspired evening, I was particularly struck by the peacefulness of the outdoors. There was no distant hum of lawn equipment — only the occasional aircraft passing high overhead.

Most noticeable was the abundance of birdsong coming from the woods in the early evening. The avian chorus included Ovenbird, Carolina Chickadee, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Great Crested Flycatcher, American Robin, and Chipping Sparrow. Together they formed quite an orchestra, one that was as beautiful to the ear as the bourbon and cigar were pleasing to the palate.

As always, Weller Antique 107 was thoroughly enjoyable and provided a satisfying accompaniment to the cigar. The Weller by Cohiba was likewise an interesting and rewarding smoke. Although it was created specifically to pair with Antique 107, I can think of several bourbons that would complement it equally well. I still have a few Weller by Cohiba cigars on hand from several past releases, and I look forward to enjoying them — perhaps next time with a bourbon that is a little less scarce.

Cheers!

A Toast to Old Glory and America’s Native Spirit

As noted previously, June 14 is a day marked by not one, but two all-American celebrations. It’s the day we honor our Nation’s flag and also recognize bourbon as a truly American spirit. I settled into the sunny afternoon for a modest celebration of both occasions.

I marked the day with a pour of Eagle Rare bourbon enjoyed alongside a CAO America 250th Anniversary cigar, while admiring and contemplating our flag and the freedoms it represents.

The CAO America 250th Anniversary is a special limited edition of the original CAO America, released in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and our nation’s semiquincentennial.

Instead of using tobaccos from a number of countries, including the U.S., as in the original blend, the 250th Anniversary is an American puro, using exclusively American-grown tobacco. The barber pole wrapper is composed of U.S. Broadleaf and U.S. Connecticut Shade leaves. The binder is U.S. Havana Connecticut, while U.S. Broadleaf and Pennsylvania tobaccos make up the filler. The cigar is offered in a single vitola, a box-pressed 5.5 x 55 Robusto.

My box of the 250th Anniversary cigars had arrived just two and a half weeks earlier, but I was anxious to try one, so I lit up sooner than I normally would after a shipment arrives.

The cold draw was earthy with a dry, dusty quality. The CAO America 250th Anniversary opens with woody oak and cedar notes. Mild dark chocolate emerged along with a delicate sweetness as the cigar progressed. The burn line needed a few touch-ups during the smoke, and I did have to relight it once. I’m inclined to attribute the burn issues to the cigar’s limited rest time after shipping. In a surprising twist, I detected a bit of nicotine strength in the second half. I am intrigued to find out whether that was an aberration or a consistent characteristic of the cigar. I’ll be smoking another after it has spent a bit more time in the humidor.

The Eagle Rare bourbon seemed a fitting companion to the occasion. The easy-drinking 90-proof bourbon, served over a large ice cube, was perfect for the warm afternoon. With notes of toffee, honey, dark fruit, and mild spice, the bourbon paired delightfully with the medium-bodied cigar. The soft oak notes shared by both the cigar and bourbon tended to reinforce their respective profiles.

Despite a few performance issues, I thoroughly enjoyed the CAO America 250th Anniversary. The pleasure came not only from the flavorful cigar and, of course, the bourbon. Smoking a cigar made entirely of American-grown tobacco on the day we honor our flag made the occasion especially fitting.

Cheers!

Stars, Stripes, and Bourbon

Today, June 14, is truly a “Made in America” day of celebration. It’s Flag Day, the day we honor our nation’s flag and all it represents. Remarkably, on this same day we also celebrate National Bourbon Day, recognizing bourbon as America’s “official” native spirit.

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress resolved: “That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” Over the centuries, that first flag evolved into the one we proudly fly today, with its 13 stripes and 50 stars. I have always considered it the most striking national flag in the world. While opinions about our country and its symbols may differ, the flag remains a powerful emblem of the freedoms and opportunities that generations of Americans have worked to preserve.

National Bourbon Day came much later. On May 4, 1964, Congress declared bourbon a “distinctive product of the United States.” I am not sure when the national holiday itself originated, nor why it came to be celebrated on June 14. Tradition — or perhaps legend — holds that June 14 marks the first time bourbon was distilled, though it is difficult, if not impossible to prove. The date likely owes as much to distillery marketing as to historical fact, but who could object to such a celebration? There is certainly an argument to be made for pairing it with Flag Day, given bourbon’s uniquely American heritage.

So fly the flag, enjoy a sip of bourbon, and take a moment to appreciate both.

Cheers!

Peruvian Tobacco, Scottish Ale, and a Gathering Storm

On Thursday evening I attended a cigar event at The Port Oysteria and Brewery in downtown Fredericksburg. I had not yet visited the combination brewery, seafood restaurant, and raw bar, so I was interested in finally checking it out in addition to enjoying a cigar. The event was held, appropriately enough, in the restaurant’s outdoor beer garden. The cigars were provided by Uptown Smokes, a mobile cigar lounge.

I stopped first at the cigar table to pick out a smoke for the evening. Alongside a selection of familiar offerings, Uptown Smokes carries several Peruvian and Panamanian cigars. Intrigued, I selected a cigar called Rebirth of Crunk from Boogie Down Cigars.

The Rebirth of Crunk is a 7 x 60 Torpedo. The dark maduro wrapper was very rustic and rough in appearance. Details on the blend are somewhat vague, and I found very little information online. Writing on the box states “100% Peruvian,” though some references specify only a 100% Peruvian Maduro wrapper without mentioning the binder or filler. Boogie Down Cigars appears to be a boutique brand founded by cigar enthusiasts with roots in New York’s hip-hop culture. The company has only a modest online presence, and its cigars are not widely distributed.

The cigar felt light in the hand, and the draw was quite open. There were a few loose bits of wrapper at the cap and near the mid-section, but they were easily removed without issue. While the cigar is described as full-bodied, I found it much closer to medium in strength. The initial flavor profile offered a light sweetness accompanied by cedar notes. As the smoke progressed, coffee, dried fruit, and raisin-like flavors emerged, along with a mild spice that added balance and interest.

The very dark wrapper, presumably a heavily fermented Peruvian leaf, occasionally burned more slowly than the filler, resulting in an uneven burn that required several touch-ups with the lighter. The cigar never tunneled or went out, however, and smoke production remained plentiful throughout. Despite the burn issues, it provided well over two hours of smoking enjoyment.

I paired the cigar with Port Oysteria Scottish Ale. The dark amber beer displayed an enjoyable balance of caramel sweetness and light roasted malt notes that complemented the cigar’s sweet and coffee-like flavors. The event also coincided with happy hour, so in addition to discounted drinks, the $1 oysters on the half shell caught my attention. A dozen of the briny delicacies proved to be a tasty and welcome addition to the evening.

The Rebirth of Crunk provided an interesting smoking experience. Peruvian tobaccos remain uncommon in a market crowded with Nicaraguan- and Dominican-focused blends. While the burn required periodic attention and never achieved perfect symmetry, the balanced, satisfying flavors compensated for the cosmetic imperfections.

Toward the end of the evening, the skies darkened dramatically and the wind began to pick up. Seeing black clouds advancing in the distance, I decided to leave the final inch or so of the cigar unfinished. The drive home took me through an intense downpour, validating my decision to make an early exit.

Cheers!

From Negroni to Averna: A Tale of Two Días de Gloria Cigars

The Días de Gloria cigars are long-standing stalwarts among the many blends from AJ Fernandez. Introduced in 2019, the line is said to have been influenced by the flavor profile and character of the classic Cuban cigars that inspired the prolific blender. The Días de Gloria catalog was expanded in 2024 with the introduction of the AJ Fernandez Días de Gloria Brazil. Recently, I lit up both cigars on back-to-back days, providing an opportunity for a direct comparison.

The original AJ Fernandez Días de Gloria is a Nicaraguan puro, featuring tobaccos from four different Fernandez farms in Nicaragua. Once the cedar sleeve and foot ribbon are removed, the deep chocolate-colored wrapper glistens in the sun, its appearance enhanced by the decorative gold, yellow, and red bands.

After spending four months in the humidor, the smoke begins earnestly in the medium-full-bodied range. Notes of cedar, coffee, and cocoa predominate. I found a surprising fruit sweetness underlying the bolder flavors, adding a pleasing balance. On the retrohale, additional sweetness softened the black pepper spice. I found myself retrohaling far more than usual just to revisit that intriguing note.

This afternoon smoke was paired with a classic Negroni and enjoyed on the sunny deck. Perhaps not the most obvious pairing choice, I found the cocktail’s bitter orange notes complemented the cigar’s cedar and spice. The drink’s dry, bitter finish also cleansed the palate between draws, allowing the nuances of the cigar — especially the sweetness — to stand out.

The AJ Fernandez Días de Gloria Brazil, enjoyed the following evening, had been resting in my humidor since September 2024, not long after it reached store shelves. It’s a cigar I’ve enjoyed frequently in the ensuing years. The Brazil version substitutes a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper for the original Nicaraguan leaf, while retaining Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Again, the cigar sports a cedar sleeve and foot ribbon, with green accents replacing the red found on the original bands.

The Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper is dark and oily. While the binder and filler remain largely the same, the wrapper has a profound effect on the cigar’s flavor profile. The overall experience is richer and darker. Bitter chocolate and espresso predominate, while dark fruit and baking spice notes arrive with authority. The retrohale delivers black and red pepper in abundance.

The Días de Gloria Brazil was enjoyed as an evening digestif with a pour of Amaro Averna. Both the cigar and the amaro occupy a similar flavor space, rich and layered with notes of cocoa, coffee, spice, and dried fruit. The cigar’s espresso and dark chocolate intertwined beautifully with Averna’s caramel and herbal sweetness. I couldn’t help but imagine that a slice of dark spice cake would have completed the dessert-like combination.

Both cigars are exceptional smokes, sharing a common heritage while delivering distinctly different experiences. The original Días de Gloria impressed me with its balance of sweetness, cedar, and spice, making it an excellent companion for a bright afternoon and a Negroni. The Brazil, by contrast, leaned into darker, richer flavors that paired naturally with an after-dinner pour of Averna. Rather than choosing a favorite, I found myself appreciating how each cigar excelled in its own setting — proof that a single wrapper change can transform not only a cigar’s flavor profile, but also the occasion it best complements.

Cheers!

Memories of Italy: Cigars and Spicy Cocktails in Venice

Venice was the final stop on our recent vacation in Italy. The group tour included a two day stay, and we extended our visit by another two. It was fun spending extra time exploring on our own, and we quickly grew surprisingly comfortable navigating the maze-like city.

An added benefit of the extended stay was enjoying two sunny days, as the first two had been plagued by intermittent rain — not unlike our previous visit, when our lone day in Venice was spent mostly taking cover from torrential downpours.

Of course, the pleasant weather also provided more opportunities to enjoy a cigar. Our hotel, the Palazzo Veneziano, was a beautiful four-star property that also boasted an excellent bar. Not only was it exceptionally well stocked, but the specialty cocktail menu was particularly impressive. What caught my attention most was the extensive selection of Negroni variations, several of which I happily returned to a few times during our stay.

The featured cocktail, however, was the Santa Margherita. The spicy drink is made with Altos Tequila Blanco, locally produced Select Aperitivo, lime and orange juice, agave syrup, and a Tajín-spiced rim. When the bartender first served one, he remarked, “There’s a straw, but I recommend you don’t use it.” Wanting the full experience, I followed his advice — and ended up enjoying several Santa Margheritas over the course of our stay.

On our final evening, the patio furniture at the hotel entrance had finally dried out after the earlier rains. After ordering another Santa Margherita from the bar, I settled in outside with a cigar. Fortunately, I had brought along a suitably spicy companion: the AJ Fernandez New World Decenio Robusto.

The Decenio opens with the rich, dark flavors typical of AJ Fernandez blends. Bold notes of dark cocoa and espresso, accented by a lively black pepper spice, remain consistent throughout the medium-to-full-bodied smoke. The cigar paired particularly well with the spicy cocktail, though I found myself using the straw for most sips, only occasionally drinking from the seasoned rim so as not to overwhelm the cigar’s flavors.

After finishing the flavorful pairing, we enjoyed one final sunset stroll through the streets of Venice. The evening light shimmering across the canals and the quiet, narrow streets provided a fitting finale to our visit. Though weary from sixteen days of touring, it felt bittersweet returning to the hotel for one final round of packing before our flight home the next morning.

It’s hard not to smile in Venice

Cheers!

Memories of Italy: Beer, Cigars, and the Alpine Charm of Bolzano

During our Italian vacation, we spent two nights in Bolzano, in South Tyrol. Situated at the gateway to the Dolomite Mountains, Bolzano has the look and feel of an Alpine village, with spectacular mountain views in every direction. Making the region even more intriguing is the strong German influence in its culture, food, and architecture — at times, it feels more like Austria or Bavaria than Italy.

The area was part of the Austrian Empire for centuries before becoming part of Italy after World War I. After the war, Mussolini’s Fascist government attempted to “Italianize” the region by encouraging Italian migration and suppressing the German language. Those efforts largely failed, and the people of South Tyrol still proudly maintain their German heritage and language today. The result is a fascinating blend of cultures where espresso bars and aperitivo traditions coexist alongside Alpine customs, German dialects, and Austrian-style mountain cuisine.

The bar in our hotel offered a couple of locally made, German-style beers, and naturally I was eager to try them. On the first evening, I joined some fellow travelers to enjoy pours of Felsenkeller Bier from Birra Forst. Served in a tall chalice, the cloudy, unfiltered, and unpasteurized beer delivered notes of sweet bread, yeast, and a touch of banana. It was remarkably refreshing and easy to sip.

On another late evening, after a day spent hiking wooded trails and wandering the city streets, I settled into the hotel’s outdoor garden to enjoy another local beer — this time paired with a cigar. I selected the V.I.P. Pils, also from Birra Forst. The crisp pilsner, brewed in the German tradition with a notably dry finish and refined bitterness, proved especially refreshing in the cool Alpine evening air. I paired it with a Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2025 LC52 that I had packed from home.

I’ve long enjoyed the annual Las Calaveras releases from Crowned Heads. The 2025 version features a mid-priming Mexican San Andrés wrapper that shows a lighter appearance than the darker maduro tones usually associated with San Andrés tobacco. Beneath that wrapper are Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The cigar treated the palate to notes of coffee and espresso, touches of cocoa, and mild pepper. Underlying it all was a gentle sweetness that softened the richer flavors.

Ideally, the cigar might have paired even better with a darker ale, perhaps a German Dunkel or Bock. However, that wasn’t an option at the time, and I found the combination thoroughly satisfying nonetheless. The crisp bitterness and clean, dry finish of the V.I.P. Pils highlighted the cigar’s cocoa and espresso notes without adding competing sweetness. The cool evening air and tranquil garden setting only enhanced the relaxing atmosphere.

The region’s German influence is readily apparent in the food as well. During a stroll through the market area of Bolzano, we stopped at a vendor’s cart to enjoy some Weißwurst. The sausages were served on paper with a generous dollop of spicy mustard and a hard roll — simple fare, but immensely satisfying.

One evening, we enjoyed dinner at Batzen Häusl, a local brewery and restaurant — not exactly the experience we had expected to find in Italy. I ordered a Batzen Bräu Bock alongside a South Tyrolean bratwurst platter. The beer was rich with dark caramel malt flavors and a mild sweetness.

The sausages were equally delicious, served with roasted potatoes and sauerkraut. I especially enjoyed the creamy sauerkraut, which struck a pleasing balance between sweet and sour flavors.

The food, the beer, the architecture, and the dramatic scenery of the Dolomites towering above the town — not to mention the ever-present German dialect — often made it easy to forget we were in Italy at all. Yet that unique blending of Italian and Germanic cultures is precisely what makes Bolzano and South Tyrol such a memorable destination. It’s a place where Alpine traditions and Italian hospitality coexist seamlessly, creating an atmosphere unlike anywhere else we visited during the trip. For this beer enthusiast, it was like two vacations in one.

Cheers!

The Celebration That Almost Slipped By

The day almost slipped by unnoticed. Monday marked the second anniversary of my retirement. Unlike that first year, which was heavily shaped by back problems and the surgery that followed, this past year has felt much more normal. The routines have settled in, and retirement has begun to feel less like an adjustment and more like a way of life.

To mark the occasion, I opened a bottle of Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked Bourbon that I recently picked up. I’m a longtime fan of the standard Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, and this special expression takes an already excellent bourbon to another level. After the regular Double Oaked bourbon has fully matured, it spends an additional year in a second heavily toasted, lightly charred new oak barrel, creating a whiskey with remarkable depth and richness. Once available only as an annual distillery-exclusive release, this special bourbon now enjoys limited national distribution.

The bourbon’s deep, maple-syrup color immediately reflects the influence of that extended oak aging. Rich aromas of maple syrup and caramel rise from the Glencairn glass, while notes of butterscotch emerge as it opens up. The dark, inviting profile continues on the palate. Waves of caramel and maple lead the way, followed by hints of dark cherry and gentle spice. Taken as a whole, Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked is dessert in a glass.

After savoring the bourbon for a while, I lit a Rocky Patel DBS. The 5 x 50 Robusto features dual Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania Broadleaf binders along with dual Honduran and Nicaraguan Broadleaf fillers. “DBS” stands for “Double Broadleaf Selection,” an appropriate name for a blend built around broadleaf tobaccos. Completing the package is a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper.

The DBS opens with black pepper layered over bold cocoa and nut flavors, supported by subtle wood and vanilla sweetness. This cigar had been resting in my humidor for nearly a year, and while it remained full-bodied, it seemed slightly less intense than earlier examples I smoked closer to release. One characteristic that remained unchanged, however, was the draw. Although the cigar never appeared overly packed, every DBS I’ve smoked has drawn like a thick milkshake through a straw until about the first third, when airflow finally begins to improve. Draw issues aside, it remains a cigar I consistently enjoy.

The Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked and Rocky Patel DBS proved to be fitting companions. From the start, the bourbon’s caramel and maple notes complemented the cigar’s vanilla and wood flavors. As the pairing progressed, espresso, cocoa, and dark fruit characteristics from both began to intertwine, creating seamless transitions across the palate. Near the finish, the cigar seemed to coax additional pepper and baking spice from the bourbon, adding another layer of complexity.

The evening of slow sipping and leisurely smoking provided plenty of time for reflection. It has taken a while, but it feels as though we’ve finally found our rhythm in retirement. The freedom to set our own schedule, whether for travel, social gatherings, household projects, or simply relaxing, is a reward earned through decades of work.

Perhaps the best indication that retirement suits me is that it took two days to find the time to sit down and write these thoughts. Boredom, it seems, is not a problem.

Cheers!