Vitola: Toro Box Press- 6” x 54 ring gauge
- MSRP $10.60
- Cigar & spirit provided by Villiger Cigars
Background
When Villiger sent me samples of La Meridiana several weeks ago, they also sent what I referred to in my review of the cigar as a “pairing supplement.” (Also, they sent this same package to other reviews…check out Jon’s review of the cigar when you get time.) That pairing supplement was a bottle of 1804 Grand Imperial Orange Liqueur. If you are immediately stumped by that, think of Grand Marnier or Cointreau. These are commonly used in margaritas or sidecars, but they can be nice to sip all by themselves, too. I saved out one of the cigars to pair with some of this 1804 Grand Imperial.
I couldn’t find an exact duplicate of the bottle sent online. Basically I am going on the description of the “Grand Imperial Orange Liqueur” which several places list online (and in stores nationwide), and would assume that this is some kind of variant of that…perhaps a higher end version? It is a “Product of France” and weighs in at 40% ABV (80 proof), so it is as high in alcohol content as most other spirits I would pair with a cigar. The back label reads:
1804 Grand Imperial is a handcrafted orange liqueur made in France according to a 200 years old traditional recipe. It is made in honor of Napoleon, a French hero who was crowned Emperor in 1804 at a time when the court was enjoying great libations such as this very fine Orange Liqueur.
It is imported by the Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits company, although I could find no mention of it on their website. Several websites note that the (non-1804) Grand Imperial is made by Cognac Ferrand which is in the “heart of Grande Champagne.” This is a blend of their cognac with orange essence.
Notes
In the glass the 1804 Grand Imperial was a light amber color like a good cognac. Swirling it around in my snifter, I found it to be quite thick with extremely thick and slow legs that trailed down the inside of the glass…eventually. The aroma was straight up orange at first, but then there was some backing of oak and honey.
Sipping the liqueur, I found it to be thick and very sweet, with the orange notes exploding up front before allowing the notes of smooth cognac, oak and vanilla in. As it went down there was a slight burn, but nothing to make the experience harsh.
As for the pairing, I liked the amount of sweetness that the Grand Imperial added to the proceedings, but after a while I wanted a little something else. I couldn’t help but miss a good complex bourbon that would have sweetness, along with spice and higher flavors of oak and vanilla.
1804 Grand Imperial might work very well in a cocktail and that might be very good with a cigar, but if you are going to pair it neat with a cigar, I would recommend something on a smaller size. This pairing would be good for 30 to 40 minutes but an hour and a half was just too much.
