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Chateau Purcari — Freedom Blend Tribute Edition

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Chateau Purcari — Freedom Blend Tribute Edition “The heart of Georgia, the terroir of Moldova, the free spirit of the Ukraine.” 65% Saperavi, 20% Rara Neagra, 15% Bastardo Indigenous grape varieties from each nation: Saperavi— Georgia— late ripening, high yield, high altitude, hardy grape Bastardo (cross of Trousseau & Saperavi)- -Ukraine Rara Neagra— Moldova Aged for 12 months in French oak barrique Color- ruby Viscosity- high Nose- leather, ripe red berries, Acid- low medium Body- medium Tannin- soft, medium Flavors of overripe strawberries, blackberries, vanilla The History At the end of the 12th century, the region surrounding the Moldovan village of Purcari and the Agon Zograf monastery vineyards were already recognized as favorable land for viniculture. This land, being in the heart of the special terroir, made Moldova’s wine industry a major sector of Southern Europe’s economy.  French settlers recognized similarities with Bordeaux in France in climate and soil. They then partnered with the monastery and began producing special vintages from Purcari in the 18th century. In 1827,  Emperor of Russia Nicholas I issued a special decree that gave Purcari special status as the first specialized winery in Bessarabia. It took two decades for Purcari to win its first gold medal in the competition. The Paris World Expo saw Negru de Purcari win its first gold medal in the International Exhibition, surprising French wine experts with a dry wine with an intense ruby color that was NOT from Bordeaux. For a long time after this, Purcari wines were as popular as wines from Burgundy or Bordeaux, being served to European Royalty such as Emperor Nicholas II, King George V, and Queen Victoria of Great Britain. In 1950 (after World War II), Purcari entered a new era with the Moldovan winemakers restoring classic production techniques. Wineries were rebuilt, new…

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Cigars

Providencia Hostage Cigar Review

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Providencia Hostage Cigar Review Behind every name is a story, whether it is the name given to you by your parents, the name of a corporation, the name of the wine, or, in this case, the name of a Cigar. The Story Jim Faber, a professional soccer player/coach and a missionary, was in Honduras from 1997 – 2011. During this time, he had the opportunity to help build the community around Soccer, teaching the kids, coaching teams, and creating a soccer field for the community to come and enjoy the game. Drug gangs and cartels also surrounded the community. This posed a danger to Jim and the community, but that didn’t stop them from their work. Jim and his partner Ray can tell the next part of this story much better than I, so if you ever have the opportunity to meet them, ask them. Jim speaks about one particular day that he was taken at gunpoint and forced into the car of a drug gang. He reminisced about the part when the fathers of the kids he taught and coached soccer came to his aid. Amidst all of the gunfire, he was able to escape to safety. The police spoke with Jim afterward and told Jim how the Mexican gang had moved into the area and heard about his work improving the community, and felt the need to stop him. Had Jim not escaped, thanks to the community, he likely would not be here. While Jim was in Honduras, he grew to learn more about cigars and love them. The cigars line started with the El Padre and El Santo in 2016 and began their reputation for quality blends in the boutique market. The Hostage is their fourth cigar in what is now an excellent portfolio of incredible blends…

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Cigars Shops n Lounges

Underground Cigar Shop

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Underground Cigar Shop

Underground Cigar Shop Every now and then in life, you will come across a “hole in the wall” type shop that leaves you with lifetime memories and a desire to revisit many times over. Often these types of shops are “mom-n-pop” restaurants, antique shops, gift shops, and craft shops. This time for me, it is a cigar shop called the Underground. Matthew, a friend of mine, had recommended the shop to me as I asked him about some cigars he was smoking. I was familiar with some of the boutique lines, such as Providencia and Rojas, but little did I know what I was getting myself into until I walked in through the doors. When you first visit the Underground, you will notice their unique parking lot, surrounded by barbed and razor wire fences. This didn’t phase me; instead, it added to the intrigue about what I would find inside. When you walk into the door, you will likely find “Chef” Todd behind the counter helping a FOTL, family of the leaf, or in the lounge area talking up with the other family members. Now a brief detour before we get back to the shop. When I say, family members understand that when you smoke a cigar, you are a Brother or Sister of the Leaf. We will get back to this in a moment, so let us get back to the shop and its humidor. While small, the humidor is packed with labels you will not find in most cigar lounges. The Underground specializes in the boutique market of cigars and has made its name known because of this. With a client list across the globe, selling cigars to clients in Ireland, Alaska, Hawaii, and all across the continental, this is the place to find the boutique cigar. Chef…

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Cigars

Rojas KSG Lancero Cigar Review

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Rojas KSG

Rojas KSG Lancero Cigar Review Noel Rojas has established himself as the King of the Small Gauge regarding cigars. He has several vitola and blends already in his line, including the Statement and Bluebonnet. When I heard he was releasing a new cigar for his reputation namesake called the KSG, I knew I had to try it. The King of Small Gauge cigar (KSG) is a Lancero in shape and Maduro in type. The KSG opens up with a sweet hint of chocolate with the first dry draw and draw. This flavor is only enhanced with my first retro draw, which was around my fourth draw of the stick. Throughout the entire post, I picked up on the chocolate’s sweet notes and some floral notes about halfway through the smoke. When a cigar presents a change in aroma note and s, and you can pick it up on your pallet, you know that you have a complex stick from a master blender. Noel has lived up to his reputation as a blender and a roller with this particular blend. Because it is a Lancero, a small gauge only brings out that flavor sooner and is more robust than larger gauges. The KSG lasted for over an hour, and in the last third of the stick, I noticed that the flavor began to shift to your standard leathery, earthy notes, but also with a bit of spice which is a great way to finish a smoke. My pairing for this smoke was with a George Dickel small batch Tennessee Whiskey, which complimented the sweet notes of the cigar for an enjoyable experience. If you have never had the opportunity to enjoy a Rojas Cigar, then I encourage you to check out Underground Cigar Shop. Recommendation I recommend adding the KSG by…

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