Like an M. Knight Shyamalan movie, we’re throwing a hard twist into our boozy cigar pairings: a pale, fruity Pinot Grigio, combined with our swarthy Romeo y Julieta Montague by AJ Fernandez & Plasencia. I know what you’re thinking: White wine with a dark cigar, does that even work? Yes, it does; and not just because I said so. Read the pairing info below to see how!
AJ Fernandez has the hot hand right now, the cigar maker of choice for many of the market’s new blends…and by some miracle, he found the time to partner with Plasencia to work up a new Romeo y Julieta for us that’s absolutely out of this world. This Romeo lunges for the taste buds with a full-bodied combination of heavy Dominican and Nicaraguan long fillers; parries with a flavorful Nicaraguan binder and goes for the kill with a hefty Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. That wrapper is what sets this pairing up for bliss, as it introduces an acidity you won’t find in many cigars: while most cigars are alkaline, which pairs with acid like a tube of toothpaste with orange juice, this acidic Broadleaf holds the crisp, nutty flavors to complement this acidic Pinot Grigio just right.
Blend
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Body: Full Customer Rating: 94
Wine: Kris Pinot Grigio
From the high vineyards of Veneto, Italy comes Kris Pinot Grigio: a mellow wine that bursts “with colorful aromas and flavors.” Floral and citrus aromas open the palate to a bold but clean tasting array with notes of tangerine, orange blossom and honey with hints of apricots and almonds. Easily sipped and refreshing, this pairing cleanses the palate in between puffs while the exuberant flavor profile gently complements the heavier flavors of the Montague.
ABV: 12.5%
Rating: 4.4/5
That’s it for this week’s edition of Happy Hour – post your comments below. Stay tuned for next week and stay thirsty! Saludos!
Copywriter
Fred Lunt was discovered to be the youngest cigar smoker in his family shortly after setting his crib ablaze; today, he's added an avid whiskey and craft beer appetite to his lineup. Fred has worked in marketing, blogging and communications at boutique PR agencies across New York and has personally had the pleasure of witnessing over four breakdancing shows in a single commute on the NYC subway. Prior to his work in marketing Fred was a student of communications at Temple University and still holds illusions that Temple has a better football program than Penn State.
Show all Fred Lunt's Articles
Reading Time: 3 minutes Earlier this year Erik Espinosa released a third wrapper blend to his collaborative effort between AJ Fernandez and Mayor of Flavortown, Guy Fieri, with the Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut. Catch Gary’s review of the Toro here.
Reading Time: 6 minutes Have you been choosing your cigars the wrong way all along? Senior Famous Smoke Shop Purchaser, Humberto Gonzalez thinks so. See his method of using food to determine what you should be smoking…and why we think it’s a better way to start smoking.
Reading Time: 4 minutes We’re reviewing Villiger Miami 2022 Laguito No 1. Is this blend another in a string of impressive recent releases by Villiger? Watch the review to see if it’s worth a try!
Reading Time: 4 minutes We talk about cigars for a living, but when it comes to what’s best, we wanna hear what you have to say. That’s why our Top-Rated series focuses on customer reviews only. See the list of consumer picks and discover Camacho’s best rated cigars!
