I was part of a historic stock market crash, and so were you. You see how people still talk about “The Great Depression” and people jumping out of windows? Well that’s what our next generation will say 20 years from now about today, except we no longer jump out of windows when things don’t go our way. Instead we drink wine and smoke cigars. With an over 777 point drop in the Dow Industrial Average and about one trillion dollars in market value disappearing into thin air, I decided to drink a 2002 Vintage Crianza from Spain. Crianza wines are kept in oak barrels for over a year before being bottled. I let it sit out for about 30 minutes and wanted to air it for an additional 15 minutes but the market kept dropping so I just had to start drinking. It went well with a Don Kiki Brown Label Toro. It probably was not the best wine match for this cigar. The Brown Label Toro is a must for anyone who enjoys a rich and smooth tobacco taste. It has a dark and shiny Criollo wrapper and is extremely well made. For the price, it’s one of the best deals out there.

The first half was very good and extremely smooth.  Rich in chocolate notes and earthy tones with a naturally sweet tobacco taste. The second half was incredible and highlighted the chocolate but with an extremely smooth leathery tobacco taste surrounded by cream. I just couldn’t put it down, except to drink the Crianza wine that had by now properly aired its 6 years of aging.

Now I know why the Don Kiki Brown Label got a 9.4 rating by Smoke Magazines’ tasting panel. I’m not sure if the Crianza was the perfect wine for this medium to full bodied cigar. A Merlot may have been better as it felt that I was missing those berry tones that Merlot wines have. It would have complemented the Brown Label better, but that could just be in my mind. Next time I smoke a Don Kiki Brown Toro, I’ll try it with a nice Merlot and report back. Hopefully it’ll be a celebration cause the stock market bounced back and the economy is back on track.

Tonight I finished setting up the blog. My hat is off to WordPress. Setting up and making customized changes to the code is fairly simple, even for me. As a cigar smoking (chomping sometimes also) wine drinker who is not a programmer, I was surprised at how easy it is. 

Interestingly enough, as I did the setup, I had an opportunity to smoke a Don Pepin Garcia My Father cigar. Mild to medium with a smooth smoke. After an inch down, it did not build up but had a nice cocoa and earthy cream taste that grabbed you. About half way down the creamy and smooth flavors started to develop into a richer smoke. Smoked it with a beer from Lithuania called Gedimino. This Pale Lager is about 4.7% alcohol.

While not a wine, it’s what I drank so here’s some info about Gedimino beer. It’s got a golden yellow color and when served in a chilled tall glass it has a decent white head that stuck to the rim.  It smelled slightly fruity with malt scents that hit the nose. A mild beer with a refreshing taste that was partly sweet with laces of corn malts. Definitely a mellow beer that complemented the Don Pepin Garcia My Father Toro. Now mind you that the beer’s bottle is larger than normal as it is based on European standards so it is 1/2 a liter, about 16.9 ounces. It’s enough to last throughout the cigar smoking session.

The Don Pepin was very good and delightful towards the three quarters mark. Since I tend to chew the head of the cigar while I smoke (I like the juices), I was able to get additional flavors that get trapped in the moist head. The cigar is very good and has a taste that lingers for a few hours. The cream definitely stays with you, even after drinking the last of the beer in my glass. I did not want the cigar to end but then I did not want the beer to end either. Both complemented each other and the smoothness and light crisp notes of the beer made the experience extremely enjoyable.

My recommendation is that if you smoke a Don Pepin My Father cigar, that you do it with a beer that complements the creams, such as the Gedimino or Sam Smith’s Pale Ale from the UK. I don’t think that it would go well with a white wine as any sign of citrus would have ruined this wonderful experience.

Welcome cigar smokers and wine drinkers. I’m a drinking and smoking Python. After searching for websites that perfectly match cigars with wines and beers, I came to the conclusion that the only way I’ll find one is if I created it myself. Some of us enjoy drinking wine and beer as we smoke our cigar. I have noticed that the wine or beer you are drinking has a direct impact on the taste of the cigar that you are smoking. Interestingly enough, it does not work the other way around. I have not noticed that the cigar affects the wine’s taste or that of a beer that much. Maybe it’s just me and my taste buds, but try it and let me know what you experience. Anyway, if you smoke handmade cigars and like to drink wine and beer, share your experiences with me and the rest of the world.