Vitola: Robusto- 5” x 52 ring gauge
- $10.50
- Cigar provided by Cornelius & Anthony Cigars; Beverage provided by Quest Brands
Background
It’s been a couple weeks (in real time…probably less between published installments on these electronic pages) since I did a pairing with one of the cigars Cornelius & Anthony Cigars sent me late last year. Time is flying already in the new year!
This time around, I chose the Venganza, a cigar released in 2016 and which I originally reviewed HERE. Venganza is made in La Zona, Eric Espinosa’s Nicaraguan factory. It uses Nicaraguan filler and binder leaves, along with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Funny enough, at the time I reviewed this cigar I remarked that it could be one of the last that manufacturers sent to bloggers because of FDA regulations. Further interpretations of the regulations have allowed for the continuation of the practice…although the economics of the industry have indeed reduced it a bit.
The beverage I’m pairing it with is Marquis de Montesquiou Reserve Armagnac, imported from France by Quest Brands, Inc., of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The company’s website declares that this Armagnac is a blend containing “eaux-de-vie having at least 5 years of maturation, forming a unique and robustly balanced Armagnac.” For those not familiar with Armagnac (I wasn’t until a few years ago), it is a brandy (not unlike Cognac), but specifically distilled in the Armagnac region of France. There are specific types of grapes normally used to make it and they traditionally use column stills instead of the pot stills more common in Cognac production. This particular expression is 43% ABV, comes in a 750 ml bottle, and costs about somewhere in the neighborhood of $40. I was given a bottle by one of the fine folks at the import company.
Venganza is available from Leaf Enthusiast sponsors, Small Batch Cigar or Cigar and Pipes.
Notes
The Armagnac had a very pleasing dark amber color in the bottle and in the glass…no less so than many of the Bourbons I’ve been enjoying, which is a bit surprising. Usually spirits that use second-use barrels (which includes some of the blend here…some is virgin-barrel use) don’t get as much color. The aroma was reminiscent of some Bourbons, as well, with notes of vanilla and oak coming through very strongly on first sniff. Subsequent nosing brought out more floral and sweet aromas.
Giving the Armagnac a sip, I found the liquid to be thick and viscous and very sweet. There was a definite roundness to the sweeter notes, instead of the sometimes grainy character of a bourbon. I picked up some molasses and vanilla, along with smooth floral notes. It seemed almost like a tame, very smooth Bourbon with just a slightly altered profile in the sweeter notes. Since the company’s website has a recipe for a “Marquis Old Fashioned” I guess I’m not the only one who sees the similarities. It would also explain why I enjoy this particular brandy so much.
The C&A Venganza fired up with notes of cedar and earth and hay, backed up with black pepper on the palate and red pepper on the nose, and finished with a thick, syrupy sweetness. Taking a sip of the Marquis after a puff on the cigar brought a little more spice to the finish and a brighter fullness to the sweetness. It helped to tone down the vanilla and oak notes in the Armagnac, while playing up the floral and molasses flavors.
It’s been ages since I’ve had a Venganza and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. This is simply an excellent cigar and one of the best from Cornelius & Anthony’s catalog. I’m also pleased to say the pairing with the Marquis de Montesquiou Reserve Armagnac was excellent. This brandy would be an excellent pairing with nearly any Nicaraguan cigar, in my opinion, although it might be a little overpowering for some Dominicans.
