Cigarzin 2007 Zinfandel and 5 Vegas Gold Maduro The Brick Cigar

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan
Size: 5.5 x 55 box-pressed
My Strength Rating: 6

Dryness abounds in this smoking experience. The earthy quality comes across as dry soil and this dominates the profile. There is coffee bean and a dry powdery cocoa note present. The spicy notes are firm with a nice level of white peppercorn to tingle the palate. Besides the dryness the texture it also delivers a semi-smooth yet robust smoking experience. This cigar does need a quality beverage or it could get a little harsh on its own. While this stick is billed as a mild-medium bodied smoke – I give it a 6 on my strength scale because of the texture (the dryness).

I have enjoyed a few of these since I bought a box of them about a month ago. They seem to burn well with little or no correction needed. The ash holds on for an inch or so before you have to remove it. The ash is salt and pepper in color and a little rugged in appearance. I have smoked each one down to the nub with no bitterness to the finish.

I enjoyed this cigar yesterday on the way home from Grindstone City, Michigan. No wife or dogs in the car with me and a three hour drive, what is a man to do? I had it paired with my Bigby Best Coffee which is a medium roast. Tonight, I have it paired with a red wine named CIGARZIN.

The Wine
Cigarzin 2007 Zinfandel
Bottled by: Cosentino Winery, Woodbridge, California, USA.

This 15.4% abv zin has a wonderful bouquet of dark fruits, spice, and mild pepper. The taste follows the nose. Layers of dark fruit: blackberry, cherries, boysenberry, and more. The nice spice mingles with the mushroom-earthy style and the green peppercorn note is just right for me. My Strength Rating: 6. The mouthfeel is smooth and elegant. This Zin leaves a pleasing aftertaste of dark berries on the palate.

Since this wine does not have a big earthy, thick, jammy style it should have a good range to handle most cigars in the mild-medium to medium-full range. Going to the full range, on the cigar, may override the elegant style of this wine.

The Pairing
This cigar brings out the earthy quality in this wine, making the mouthfeel of the wine a little thicker. The dark berries seem a little fuller in the wine during this pairing as well. The wine does control the dryness of this cigar. This is a pretty good pairing. The A Fuente Anejo was the better pairing for this wine (see posting).