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Cigar Rebel
Pairing Series 101: Snacks
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Welcome to the Cigar Rebel community, where indulgence meets authenticity. This is more than a podcast. It's a gathering place for those who savor life's luxuries with unapologetic passion. Here we celebrate the fine art of living through rich flavors, bold spirits, exquisite cigars, and unforgettable experiences.
SPEAKER_05Welcome, Cigar Rebels, to the podcast. I'm Mel, and whether you are lighting up on your back porch, on your way back from work, driving somewhere else besides back from work, uh sneaking away for a little peace and quiet with a cigar, we're glad you're here.
SPEAKER_06And I'm Kevin. Tonight we're coming to you with a new Cigar Rebel series. We're very excited about.
SPEAKER_05Yes, we are doing pairing series 101.
SPEAKER_06And which means we're going to talk about one of the most enjoyable parts of cigar culture, in my opinion, and we're not going to make it like a college course.
SPEAKER_05Yes, but there will be a little bit of homework.
SPEAKER_06So I knew there was going to be a catch.
SPEAKER_05Well, tonight's homework, it's eating snacks and smoking cigars.
SPEAKER_06So okay, I guess I can withdraw my complaint then.
SPEAKER_05I mean, I would. That's a great homework assignment, in my opinion. Absolutely. Pairing is a huge subject. So when cigar smokers hear that word, they often think about bourbons.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. And sometimes they'll talk about a scotch or a wine, maybe coffee, um, or an occasional cocktail, but it's really bourbon and coffee most of the time, I would think.
SPEAKER_05And those are really the classic pairings for cigars, but you can also pair your cigar with cheese, chocolate, fruits, desserts, different nuts. You can do charcuterie in there. Some people pair them with different types of teas, sparkling water. There's all sorts of sodas like root beer, and there's even entire meals that you can pair your cigar with.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and no, I really like that last one talking about the entire meals. It's why we're hosting here in just a couple of weeks a cigar dinner. It's gonna be barbecue and uh cigars and bottles of bourbon, and all these fun things, um, some giveaways. But man, the pairing of a great cigar mill with brisket is fantastic.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it's always I like that you mentioned that on here, even though that wasn't in the plan. I'm glad you did.
SPEAKER_06No, you're it's fine. Uh so yeah. Sorry, I went off topic.
SPEAKER_05No, you're good. You think that's great. I know we probably have what, 10 or 15 tickets left for that event?
SPEAKER_06Somewhere in there, and then they're gone, and when they're gone, they're gone. But I'm excited about the event coming up.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I am too. I think it's gonna be great. So back to tonight's topic. This series really is going to explore what happens when the cigar it's going to be interacting with another flavor. So sometimes that pairing is gonna make the cigar sweeter, uh, sometimes it's gonna reveal some spice, it might soften some bitterness, um, it might change the texture of the smoke of the cigars. Lots of different things it can impact.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and sometimes two perfectly good things at once is ruined.
SPEAKER_05Right, right. All right, so this is also gonna be part of that education for that. So, rebels, go ahead and cut, light, and settle in.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, but before we jump too far, Mel, why don't you go ahead and let us know what we're smoking tonight?
SPEAKER_05So, tonight we are smoking the Veiled Mutiny by HDA that has an Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan fillers.
SPEAKER_06I'm really excited to smoke this tonight. Um, and especially for the topic tonight. Yeah. Um, what are you getting on the cold draw?
SPEAKER_05So I was trying to cold draw it a little bit throughout in the introduction today because normally I wait until it's like, okay, it's time to cold draw. Um, but this cold draw for me, it's always very, very clean, very fresh. I mean, um I don't say that a lot, but it's just it's got a very easy.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so there's definitely I I could get your your freshness off of I get a sweet barnyard, I get a little bit of a faint cocoa, but just on the finish of the cold draw. Um, but so far it's been really, really good. Um, it definitely has those hints of barnyard, a little bit of sweetness, those chocolate notes, cocoa, bittersweet, whatever you want to call it. Yeah, um, definitely excited to jump into this um cigar and see where it takes us tonight.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, me too. I am as well. So we'll go ahead and we're gonna light our cigar today.
SPEAKER_06Okay, perfect. So the cigar, the lighting is brought to you tonight by the elevated humidor.
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SPEAKER_05As always, thank you to our sponsors. Now that we have our cigarlet, what are you getting off of those first initial draws?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so it really opens up predominantly with baking spice and a little light red pepper to me off the very end, just first couple of draws, and that retro hell really allows that red pepper to shine through.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I would agree with that. Um it's good. I'm excited to pair it with some stuff. I would agree with everything that you're saying on that.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. Uh Abby put in the comments that um she was getting uh light fig newtons, and I would agree with that. Yeah, dried fruit, that breadiness, which I'm excited about. Richard said, Hey Rebels, good to see you, Richard. Glad you're on. Um, now let's jump right into the topic tonight. We have a lot to cover tonight to get to kind of the theme of tonight's specific topic uh pairing series 101, and we're really talking about snacks tonight and particularly about nuts.
SPEAKER_05Right, right. So when you talk about pairing, you know, the cigar can be excellent. A lot of people think of bourbon, the bourbon can be excellent, um, but this doesn't always guarantee uh that you want them to spend 90 minutes together.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. It's one of the biggest mistakes made when it comes to pairing is assuming that two things that you love have to be even better together.
SPEAKER_05Right, 100%. So pairing's not really about putting two expensive products next to each other and then just assuming that that sophistication is gonna happen. So tonight we're actually going to introduce just really some basic language of pairing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and it gives a little insight tonight into what we're gonna cover tonight. Or why don't you give us a little insight into what we're gonna cover tonight?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, so really we're gonna kind of talk about the complement, the contrast, maybe those bridge flavors, intensity, uh, texture, temperature. Uh, we'll have some sequence in there, and then also palate fatigue. You cannot leave that one out.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and then we're going to talk briefly a little bit about bourbon, about food, about desserts, maybe a little cheese, and then we're gonna get to the primary focus of tonight. Like I said, snacks and talk a little bit about nuts.
SPEAKER_05Right. And the effect that each type can have on the cigar.
SPEAKER_06It sounds simple. Grab a bowl, grab some mixed nuts, throw them in there, light a cigar, and run.
SPEAKER_05Yes, you absolutely uh can do that for sure. But if you slow down and taste really intentionally, um, the nuts can teach you really a surprising amount about your palate.
SPEAKER_06It really is interesting. It's because cigars and nuts already share a lot of the same flavor language, and that's always interesting to me.
SPEAKER_05I mean, they really can, and really that variety of nut descriptions um appears really regularly in cigar reviews.
SPEAKER_06It absolutely does, and roasting takes us into a whole nother group of familiar cigar note smell. Um, we start talking about toast, coffee, cocoa, brown butter, caramelization, char, all the things that a great roasting does to a nut, we often find in flavor notes or reviews of a great cigar.
SPEAKER_05Right. So, Rebels, tonight, it's not merely just about finding the best uh bar snack for your cigar. It's going to be about learning really how uh the preparation is going to change the flavors and how that new flavor is going to ultimately change the cigar.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. So jumping right to some comments for a second. Uh Richard mentioned that he was at Two Guys for their orange release. Uh, he said, I saw that your cigars are located in a great spot at Two Guys in Salem, which is awesome. Love to hear that. Um, those guys are so supportive. We have a big event coming up with them in November. Yes. Um, we have not announced it yet, but uh that news will be coming up in just a couple of weeks as we give some exciting news about that. But jumping right back into the topic here, we have several bowls or cups on the table with us tonight. Um, and this is either education or Mel finally lost control of snack night. I'm not really sure exactly which one it is, but it took me like 30 minutes to get these nuts and cups.
SPEAKER_05I mean, both things can be true.
SPEAKER_06I mean, so Mel, let's start at the beginning.
SPEAKER_05All right. So, starting out, a pairing is going to be a deliberate combination of those sensory experiences.
SPEAKER_06And that sounds way more sophisticated than the bourbon on the shelf was there when I lit the cigar.
SPEAKER_05Yes. So that can still become a pairing, really. Uh, intentional or accidental, the two products they will interact with each other. A deliberate pairing is simply means that we're going to be paying attention to the interaction.
SPEAKER_06And what are you trying to accomplish when you make an intentional pairing?
SPEAKER_05So, really, we're trying to accomplish one of several things. Uh, we may want that pairing to reveal a flavor, to reinforce a flavor, to balance an intense sensation, add a contrast, reset your palette, change the texture, or create a memorable overall experience.
SPEAKER_06And that last one really matters, Mel, because a technically perfect pairing is not much if the moment feels like laboratory work, right, or it doesn't provide an enjoyable experience.
SPEAKER_05Yes, pairing really should increase enjoyment. Education supports the enjoyment and it shouldn't smother it.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and if someone loves a particular cigar with sweet tea, they do not need any type of confirmation from a pairing chart or a cigar rebel review or anybody else. Right. If they like it, they should enjoy it.
SPEAKER_05Yes, absolutely. Your palate really is going to be the final authority, and we are always telling people and encouraging people to smoke and pair what they enjoy.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and this is an amazing hobby that is all about relaxing, about allowing the stress of your day or your week to melt away for you simply be in the moment. And Mel, that's something that as a culture, we simply do not do well anymore.
SPEAKER_05Right, right. But I think understanding, you know, these basic principles, they're gonna help predict which combinations might work and maybe provide the best uh experience or moment, and uh also maybe help you understand why something doesn't work well together or fails for your palate. Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_06And Rebels, when we're talking about pairing tonight, we're going to compare pairing to the blending process.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I mean, it's a lot like blending, really. The cigar blender is going to combine the tobaccos that perform together. And when we add a drink or we add food, we temporarily are introducing another component to the blend.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that blender didn't include pecan in the filler. We're adding pecan at the palate level, right?
SPEAKER_05And that added flavor might pull forward some sweetness already present in that tobacco. Uh, it may make the cigar seem a little bit drier, or maybe it's going to reduce that perceived bitterness. Um, it could also dominate the cigar completely.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and the cigar, guys, it's not changing at all.
SPEAKER_05Right, right. The tobacco isn't changing, but our perception of it is. So the aromas, the taste, uh, textures, temperatures, and the order that we experience them all is going to influence what we notice next.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and that's a great point because the same cigar can be very different, Mel, if you're smoking it with water, or if you're having it with a black cup of coffee or a macchiato, or having a root beer. It totally changes the experience.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I mean, that's really, really true. And I think it's why the same cigar can seem different after steak than after a lemon pie if you eat lemon pie.
SPEAKER_06I'm telling you, I'd have a cigar with steak and then lemon pie. Mel did make these amazing uh pizza wrap calzones today, as Ben would say, calzones.
SPEAKER_07Calzones, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Uh, and they were amazing. I did not have a cigar with it because I was in a hurry to leave. She made them for lunch today, but uh it was amazing. But recently we did have pizza with a cigar, and it was spectacular. So I'm all up for pairing cigars with food. And you might we'll talk about this in the notes, I'm sure, later, but I don't want to have a cigar after dinner, I want to have a cigar with dinner.
SPEAKER_05I don't mind having it with dinner if it's the right thing. I would probably skip a cigar and lemon pie personally, but that's probably someone's favorite.
SPEAKER_06A good rich Maduro and a lemon pie. I'm telling you, soon on Cigar Rebel. But, anyways, getting back to the topic, right? You know, that's um we believe when it comes to pairing, there are actual lanes that you should be aware of, right?
SPEAKER_05And so for our cigar rebel pairing series, we're really going to use four primary lanes on that.
SPEAKER_06So lane one is gonna be the complement lane.
SPEAKER_05Yes, so a complementary pairing is going to connect similar characteristics, so it's gonna be, you know, cocoa with cocoa, or cedar with maybe that toasted wood. Uh, you might get some cream and cream in there, or pepper with spice. Um, a cigar that has a roasted almond notes that's paired with roasted almonds is really complimentary.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely. And so a pairing is really about birds of a feather, right?
SPEAKER_05Yes, yes. Compliment is usually the easiest place to begin because the connection is recognizable. Um, that second lane, lane two, is going to be contrast.
SPEAKER_06Right. And when it comes to contrast, opposites attract, right?
SPEAKER_05100%.
SPEAKER_06A contrast and pairing uses differences to create an enjoyable balance.
SPEAKER_05Yes. So that creamy cheese, it might soften that peppery cigar. Uh, tart apple, it might brighten an earthy cigar. Um, bitter dark chocolate, that's gonna highlight sweetness in a Maduro, and a lightly sweet cashew that might soften a dry, woody finish.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Contrast though, is riskier when it comes to pairing.
SPEAKER_05It it really can be. Too much difference really becomes a conflict.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05But the right contrast that can reveal something really neither product showed alone. So that's the second one. Lane three is going to be the bridge.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and this is probably my favorite pairing idea, but it's somewhat difficult to understand.
SPEAKER_05Right. So a bridge flavor is going to connect two products that are otherwise different. So if you imagine a cigar with cedar, pepper, and maybe almond, and then you have, you know, that aged gouda that's gonna have caramelized and nutty flavors. Bourbon is gonna have vanilla or caramel, maybe some oak or some spice in there. Right. Um, the nutty quality is gonna connect the cigar to the cheese. The caramel is gonna connect the cheese to the bourbon, and the oak and the spice are gonna connect the bourbon back to that cigar.
SPEAKER_06And now, with that, you have this really complicated but overly simple triangle or comparison structure where it creates a bridge from the cigar to the cheese to the bourbon.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_06And you've got that bridge.
SPEAKER_05Yes, and it keeps those three separate flavors from feeling random. Uh, the bridge flavor, it's an intermediary ingredient that connects the two distinct contrasting or otherwise really incompatible food and drinks by sharing the compound with both.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely. It really matches the two flavors directly that you introduce a third element that harmonizes and, like you said, creates this nice bridge. So all three of them pair really well together.
SPEAKER_07Yes.
SPEAKER_06Um, lane four is the cleanse or the reset, right? Um, and this one is the one that often gets ignored because people love complimentary, they love contrast, bridges just kind of work themselves into the conversation, but the cleanse just gets left out.
SPEAKER_05Right. And sometimes that best partner doesn't add another dominant flavor, it really clears space. So you think about water, think about sparkling water, um, maybe a plain cracker or maybe a crisp piece of apple. Uh that carbonation, the acidity, neutral textures, those can reduce the lingering oil or salt sweetness or the smoke, honestly.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. And a palette reset truly allows the next puff, the next draw to feel a lot closer to the baseline or the cigar itself.
SPEAKER_05Right. Not every sip or bite needs to perform that duet. Some are just stage hands.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Those stage hands, I like that idea because it's kind of like quietly moving furniture in the background for the next scene. Yeah, it's getting everything prepared for the next pairing.
SPEAKER_05Yep. Um, so now that the lanes really are established, we uh can talk about one of the pieces of advice that's really good but should not always be followed.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and the advice that we hear most often is this is the mash the body of the cigar with the body of the parry.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_06That's a little bit of a problem at times.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it can be a really helpful starting point. You know, a delicate cigar can disappear behind that barrel-proof bourbon, the blue cheese, maybe the smoked meat, or if you have a very aggressive seasoned nut, but a very full cigar that may flatten the mild cheese or be subtle white chocolate, you know.
SPEAKER_06Right. But as we've talked about before, strength and body are not the same thing.
SPEAKER_05That is correct. We have covered that um in our darker wrapper episode, which, if you haven't seen that, go back, give that one a look. The strength describes really the nicotine impact, and the body is going to describe the weight and the texture of the smoke. So flavor intense. Intensity describes how pronounced the flavors are. And when pairing the body and flavor intensity, it usually matters more than that nicotine strain.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. So Krista put in the comments, I'm getting a bitter mint or bittersweet in the first third in drinking water. Um, I definitely agree with that. I think that's that freshness that I was getting on the cold draw that is definitely the here in this first third as I'm progressing. And I'm smoking fast tonight uh for some reason. But jumping back into the topic, you said a strong cigar could still have a relatively focused flavor profile, right? Yes. And a lower strength Maduro could deliver rich cocoa, earth, and molasses that can stand behind a substantial snack. So comparing where it has to be body for body doesn't always make sense.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_06Um, a strong cigar and a strong bourbon is often too simple, and they begin to mute each other in a way that's not complementary or contrasty.
SPEAKER_05Right. That high-proof alcohol, it can numb or fatigue the palate. Uh, spirit can overpower the cigar, even when that cigar has substantial nicotine. Um, match sensory intensity, not strength or boldness by itself.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. Um, and that's really good insight for you rebels out there is you can also intentionally break the intensity rule if you want to.
SPEAKER_05Yes, 100%. Uh crisp, sparkling water with a full-bodied cigar is contrast and reset pairing. Uh, a small amount of creamy debris that may soften that medium to full cigar. And that rule gives you a safe starting position, but it's not a prison when you're pairing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. And I mentioned earlier that a cigar always makes me want to drink a root beer. Right. I kind of hinted at that earlier, and so tonight I'm drinking a uh zero sugar root beer with this because the vanilla and the dark cocoa that I find in the cigar, almost that freshness I was talking about, mixed with the root beer, almost create this spicy effervescence type of experience that's enjoyable. Um, that I really do enjoy that kind of energetic sensory.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, and I think that root beer that you picked is gonna pair really well with what you're saying, it's pairing well with the cigar, but also with all the nuts we're gonna try. And I'm interested to see if you get more just nut on all of these.
SPEAKER_06I am saying I still have water, I just took a drink of water to kind of reset my palate. Yeah, um, but yeah, absolutely think it's one of those things that's gonna be interesting to see.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Um, okay, it's time to move on to how to taste a parry. All right, why don't you dig into that for a moment?
SPEAKER_05So, this is the method method that we are gonna use throughout the series. So, first we're going to taste every component by itself.
SPEAKER_06So, you're gonna so really you're gonna have the cigar alone, you're gonna have the drink alone, you're gonna have the food alone, right?
SPEAKER_05Yep, and second, that we're gonna establish a baseline. So, what is the cigar giving before the parry? So you can consider you know the sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, acidity, maybe pepper, um, wood, earth, nuts, cream, fruit. Um, you think about the body and also the finish.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and then once you're done with that, take a small bite or sip, and small is important.
SPEAKER_05Yes, so it's very important. We are tasting, we're not eating dinner over the ashtray here. So you want to chew completely, you want to notice those flavors and textures. Then you want to allow yourself a brief pause and take another puff.
SPEAKER_06And then you want to ask yourself, Kevin, what changed?
SPEAKER_05Yes. Did the cigar become for everyone? So it can be everybody's palette for you. It changed this.
SPEAKER_06Um, but no, you always want to ask yourself what changed, what's different, right?
SPEAKER_05Yep. Is it sweeter? Is it drier? Is it creamier? Maybe spicier? Is it more aromatic? Um, is it less complex? Maybe it's a little more balanced.
SPEAKER_06Um, and when you look at all those things, once you have those notes, then you want to do it in the reverse order. First, take a draw, excel the smoke, wait a few moments, taste the snack. And sometimes the cigar actually changes the food more than the food changes the cigar. We're always talking about how does this change my cigar? Yeah. But the reality is just as often the cigar actually changes the food. Right. That's what I love about a steak. Yeah. Is when you're having a steak, I feel like having a cigar, the kind of char and the savoriness of the steak is just so exponentially increased. Um, I feel the same way with barbecue. If you're smoking the right cigar, you can also totally crash it with the wrong cigar, like a light, mild Connecticut or a sweeter Cameroon, probably not the right choice.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, 100%. Um, and then after that, you want to go ahead and you want to reset with water and repeat. Uh, we do usually do our pairings with sparkling water. We don't tonight. Tonight we're just doing regular water, that works too. Um, but I love sparkling water. I shouldn't bring any tonight.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. And so this is honestly, guys, this is where people get impatient is in the tasting and pairing mode.
SPEAKER_05Right. If you are rapidly cycling through eight snacks, bourbon, cheese, chocolate, and a full cigar, you really will learn one thing, and that's everything eventually tastes like the last thing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and intentional pairing is all about slowing down, enjoying the flavors, and tasting the variants.
SPEAKER_05Yes.
SPEAKER_06Or lack thereof.
SPEAKER_05100%.
SPEAKER_06But before we get to food, we have to acknowledge the giant oak barrel in the room, bourbon.
SPEAKER_05Right. So bourbon and cigars, they are natural companions because they often share those flavor families.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and there are plenty of bridges in the whiskey and bourbon world as well, when you're talking about chocolates or pretzels or cheese that can create a really great bridge pairing.
SPEAKER_05Right. A softer weeded bourbon that might work with a creamy, mild to medium cigar. The balanced traditional bourbon that can complement the medium-bodied habano, cameroon, or Sumatra cigars.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely. And a high-ry bourbon may connect with peppery or spicier blends. A double-oaked bourbon can complement with a cigar with dark cocoa, charred wood, coffee, or Maduro sweetness. There are so many options.
SPEAKER_05Right. And when it comes to bourbon and to whiskey, the proof matters. That high-proof alcohol, it can dominate aroma and create heat on the palate. So you want to use small sips, uh, give the spirit some time, keep water nearby, uh, a few drops of water in the bourbon sometimes help open up that aroma and reduce the proof while expanding some of those flavor notes.
SPEAKER_06And I want to touch on that for a second. So many times, bourbon drinkers just almost get angry over somebody putting a few drops of water in a high-proof bourbon. What that does is it will actually open up the bourbon and kind of take the burn down a little bit so you can taste the flavors. Um, I've heard um kind of bourbon or whiskey somaliers talk about how um some of them think that it mutes the proof, and so that opens up. And I've heard another Somalier that really talk about it doesn't mute anything and it doesn't allow the flavors to come out. What it does is it takes the burn away so your palate can experience them. Yeah, and so I'm not saying add a couple of drops to every glass of bourbon you pour, but if you taste it and it doesn't taste well with the cigar, put you a couple of drops in there and see if it makes the experience better. It might enhance it. Yeah, it might not. You already were not liking it. What's it gonna hurt?
SPEAKER_05All right, very true. Um, and also there really is no requirement that you have to drink bourbon or whiskey with a cigar.
SPEAKER_06Um true. We're not tonight.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, we're not tonight. So bourbon, wine, champagne, these are all great pairings. Um, Kevin and I usually pair, we'll do coffee. Uh, sometimes you'll do some tea. Um, I'll do a hot tea with it every once in a while.
SPEAKER_06I love a chai with a cigar. Yep. And if the weather forecasts are accurate, it's starting to think about thinking about that season in Texas.
SPEAKER_05Don't scare it away. It's cooler weather.
SPEAKER_06We're actually gonna finally hit low 90s. I mean, the sweaters might need to come out.
SPEAKER_05Um, but you could also do, we do a lot of sparkling water, we do mineral water, and we all we do sodas that all produce those are all excellent pairings for cigars.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, because the cigar experience is not less sophisticated because the glass contains something other than alcohol, right? Or it contains water, right? It may actually, in fact, be more informative. Water allows the cigar to remain the clearest voice in the pairing.
SPEAKER_05Yes. So tonight we are pairing water, we're doing root beer, um, this HDA, and a variety. We have nine different kinds of nuts as well. So we want to isolate what the nuts do with our cigar. So if we added bourbon, the oak, the vanilla, maybe the proof or the sweetness, that would create a whole other variable. Yeah, but in a future episode, yes, bourbon is gonna get plenty of time.
SPEAKER_06We are planning a bourbon and cigar pairing episode that we're gonna tell you which five bourbons you should absolutely pair with which five cigars to try at least once. Yep. And so we're excited about that, but it's a few weeks away. Yes, so back to tonight.
SPEAKER_05Yep.
SPEAKER_06Um, so for tonight, that I totally got off track and getting excited about that.
SPEAKER_05I know you were. That's all right.
SPEAKER_06Um, I think we should briefly cover some general food pairings before we jump in the nuts because we want to give you guys a few other options to try this with when you're thinking about pairing as a whole.
SPEAKER_05Right. So pairing food with a cigar that can mean two different things. That can be smoking during the meal, which is one of Kevin's favorite things to do for sure. Um, or you can choose a cigar based on the meal that you just ate.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, for full meals, think about the meal's dominant characteristics. A rich steak or a smoked brisket may prepare the palate for a fuller cigar with earth, leather, charred wood, pepperiness, some sweetness that you might get from a Maduro. All of those have great complementary or contradictory pairings.
SPEAKER_05Yes. Um, maybe a lighter fish or a chicken dish that might suit a more restrained cigar with maybe some cream or cedar, maybe some citrus or maybe some herbs in there.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and then barbecue creates several different possibilities. And I intentionally put barbecue here, Mel, because I would say grilling things like burgers or pork or whatever, but Mel grew up in Oregon, and so that's barbecue. If it was cooked outside, it's barbecue.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Yeah, grilling and barbecuing are the same thing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. So that's because she did not grow up while she is a good Texan at heart today. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest.
SPEAKER_05I mean, I feel like so. To be real, one of our first and probably biggest arguments was you said you were going to grill. And so I thought you were gonna do burgers, but you were doing like brisket or something. I don't remember.
SPEAKER_06So no, I was going to smoke, and we're gonna do barbecue for dinner. And so I smoked a brisket, and Mel was expecting hamburgers, which is her favorite food.
SPEAKER_05Where are the burgers at?
SPEAKER_06So 16 hours of work.
SPEAKER_05No, I was still excited about it once we got past. The thing, the thing that we got into a tip about was that you said that they were completely they are completely separate things, and for me and growing up, they were not. It was grilling and barbecue was the same thing, and you didn't believe me, but we've talked to some other people that didn't grow up in Texas, and they have confirmed what I have said. Not saying that either of us are wrong, to your point.
SPEAKER_06She just found experts or other confirmations that I was wrong. Y'all just heard that, right?
SPEAKER_05Not that you were wrong, just you didn't believe me when I said that.
SPEAKER_06Anyway, when it comes to barbecue, smoke can complement a smoky cigar, sweet sauce can contrast pepper, vinegar-based sauces can really brighten a heavier tobacco. Um, but overly hot spice can actually exhaust the palate and really mute everything. And so the cigar needs to be paired appropriately. And then if you're having a cigar after the meal and you're gonna continue the evening with it, you want to choose a cigar that's not fighting those leftover flavor notes that are left on your palate.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, and that's that's a really good way to put it. And so now we can talk about one of my favorite pairings, which is going to be dessert in cigars.
SPEAKER_06In desserts, Mel, that truly is the easiest pairing when it comes to cigars, in my opinion.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, so many cigars they already contain perceived notes that really resemble desserts, you know, the the cocoa, coffee, the cinnamon, uh, caramel, nuttiness. Um, if you some people, you know, talk about that butteriness or um cream, maybe some toasted bread. Um, those are all things that point to desserts.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. Richard asked if we'd try the liquid death canned water. Um, I have absolutely um, and I had two different ones with a cigar recently. I had the Arnold Palmer with a cigar with a really great habano, and it was fantastic. It was a hundred degrees outside at midnight. Um, and I followed that up. We're sitting on the deck of Chris, who y'all have met on the podcast, and I followed up with the new their newest release, which is just called soda. Um, and so it actually is like a really great, almost coke. I mean, it tasted a lot like Coca-Cola, but without the sweetness. Um, and it paired really well with a Maduro that I was smoking. I did. The auto palmer doesn't have carbs, so I can drink that one. Yeah, the soda has carbs, so I was it was a really big treat. I only drank about a quarter of it. Mel finished off the rest, um, but it was really good. Getting back to desserts, though, a Maduro with dark chocolate is an obvious example that is just absolutely fantastic to pair together.
SPEAKER_05Yes, that dark chocolate, it can complement cocoa and coffee while its bitterness reveals the tobacco sweetness. Um, milk chocolate is a little softer and sweeter, and that makes it a little bit more approachable for those medium-bodied cigars. And then vanilla ice cream that can cool the palate and really contrast with pepper or warm baking spices.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and bread pudding I do like with a cigar, um, it brings a really nice vanilla cinnamon notes, the breadiness that you really get. Um, smoking one of our cigars, the Smot Royale, that has that rye bread and spice. Um, that cigar smokes really, really well with a bread pudding. Um, and just love that pairing um when you begin to kind of compare those together. And there's so many other desserts, right?
SPEAKER_05100%. I mean, there's pecan pie. I love pecan pie, but I very rarely eat it for one, because it's pretty much just you know, straight sugar. Um, but also sometimes it's almost too sweet for me anymore. But it's when I have paired it with a cigar, it's gonna connect to those roasted nuts, the brown sugar, you know, that buttery pastry um with the cigars, and that's gonna have the cocoa coffee and those natural sweetnesses in there.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and um you jump to like a cheesecake that really provides a lot of fat, tang, um, and sweetness, but a very delicate cigar may really disappear behind it because that richness of the cheesecake just overcomes or overwhelms it, right? Yeah, so Mel, what's the biggest dessert mistake someone can make?
SPEAKER_05That's gonna be too much sugar in there. Um, that extremely sweet dessert, it can make the cigar uh seem maybe dry or bitter or maybe just empty, flat. Um, you can use smaller portions. That's always recommended when you're working specifically with pairing, like we talked about earlier.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05And the goal is not to finish that giant piece of cake between every puff, um, but it's really to slowly enjoy it while you're also enjoying that cigar.
SPEAKER_06And if you'll notice, she didn't say small piece of cake, she said slowly enjoy the giant piece of cake. Yeah, Mel is a dessert thing.
SPEAKER_05Dessert is my favorite food group, probably. Oh, that's tough. I can't really write to just one.
SPEAKER_06It's probably burgers or cake. I like dessert a lot. You do like pizza a lot. I don't know. I can't choose this one. Mel, I think it's time that we need to get jump into talking about nuts, what roasting does, and the best part of the night actually tasting and comparing them.
SPEAKER_05Yes, so before we get to all of that, we are going to take a quick break.
SPEAKER_00We fell in love with cigars, not because of the flavors or smoking experience or perceived status, but because it allows barriers to fall between other humans and build deeper connections. For that reason, we've been super intentional to curate a space where people can find community and enjoyment with others, and cigars just happen to be the way we're doing it. For that reason, we are thrilled to be the one and only cigar retail store and lounge in downtown Loving. A good story is one of the most powerful tools used to connect with another human. Sharing stories fades out differences and highlights similarities found in the details or with the storyteller. Over the years, we have seen some of the best stories told over cigars, and thus new friendships are made, passion shared, encouragement here, and so much more. The impact storytelling has on the human connection is why we've decided to name our store and lounge our story. Because behind every good cigar and conversation is an even better story.
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SPEAKER_05As always, thank you to our sponsors. Uh, before we get too much more into tonight's topic, let's go ahead and take a look at upcoming shows.
SPEAKER_06We have some great shows coming up for you guys next week on September 7th. We have Flavor Note Series Creamy Cigars. And we're gonna be smoking the Velvet Gold.
SPEAKER_05Yes, I'm excited about that one. September 4th, we are doing Daily Smoke, What Makes a Great Everyday Cigar. And on that one, we will be smoking the Maduro Grothlow.
SPEAKER_06On September 21st, we're gonna be doing What's Next or What's Next, What's New Exciting Updates. We're really excited about this. And we're gonna be smoking the Fall Limited Edition Autumn Night by the Elevated Humidor.
SPEAKER_05Right, September 28th. We are doing Experience Excellence, five cigars. Everyone should smoke at least once. And on that show, we will be smoking the Bandolero Series C.
SPEAKER_06And Mel, there's something that might be a little unique. About that show because that's going to be the first of several shows that we actually do from Europe.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it'll be an adventure.
SPEAKER_06It will be an adventure. So Cigar Rebels, we are going to be traveling to Europe for a few weeks, and you'll learn a whole lot more about that coming up on September 21st in the What's New episode, along with a few other things. But we are going to be doing that episode. And because we are going to be talking about the five cigars you should smoke, we are smoking one of those that night. And that whole lineup of cigars we just mentioned, Mel, is in the Cigar Rebel pack.
SPEAKER_07Yep, that's sure.
SPEAKER_06The Cigar Rebel Pack is available at the Elevated Humidors website. You can click on Cigar Rebel, click on subscribe. And the last week of every month, a cigar pack gets sent out. You get five cigars every month for $43. So far, the average value is roughly around $68 a month. That $43 covers your tax, your shipping, everything's included. And so it's a great deal for those that want to smoke along for the show.
SPEAKER_07Yes.
SPEAKER_06Also, if you're watching for the first time, go ahead and click that subscribe button below. If you're an Abbott follower, don't forget to click notify or follow us on social media at Cigar Rebel. So, Mel, let's check into this HDA. I actually have two because I just add uh one of our tobacconists to grab me another one. So I'd have enough to pair with the nuts because I'm smoking a little fast tonight.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_06But what are you getting on this cigar?
SPEAKER_05So for me, I'm getting a little bit of cocoa on there, just the little bit of that bitterness from cocoa that you would get. Um there's um maybe a buttery smoothness in there, a little bit of maybe cedar, maybe, or yeah.
SPEAKER_06So I was really getting a lot of that butteriness, a little bit of that dried uh fruit right there at the end. The retro hell on the pepperiness had really died down, but it was really good. Yeah. Um, so far I'm really enjoying it. Like I said, I lit another one. I'm gonna be smoking as we finish out the podcast and do this next couple of sections. Uh and then I'll finish this before we drive home here in a little bit.
SPEAKER_07Yep.
SPEAKER_06Um, but back to the topic tonight, Mel, why don't you tell us why nuts work with cigars?
SPEAKER_05So, nuts are gonna work especially well because they interact with the cigar through um the flavors and the textures. So they're gonna provide their own, you know, natural oils, they're gonna have their own fats, proteins. Some of them are gonna have that mild sweetness, the earthiness, bitterness, salt, and then of course, you're gonna have that crunch.
SPEAKER_06And the crunch really contrasts with the texture of the smoke.
SPEAKER_05Right. And that is the texture is part of the pairing.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05So the smart the cigar smoke, uh, it's gonna be aromatic and weightless, but the smoke may feel creamy or dry, could get oily or maybe a little bit dense. That solid crunch of the nut is going to give the palate a very physical contrast.
SPEAKER_06Right. And then the oils of that really coat your mouth as well, changing the overall mouthfeel to the cigar.
SPEAKER_05Yes. So that coating, it can soften the dryness and really change how the pepper or that bitterness is received. Uh, too much oil, it can also mute a subtle cigar. Um, that one, that's also one of the reasons we always recommend use the smaller portions.
SPEAKER_06It is. And then there's these shared flavors that all come into reality when you're talking about the flavor notes of all these various nuts, the roasted nuts, the cigars. And that's one of the reasons why we particularly chose the Beld Mutiny by HDA tonight. Yes, because it's a medium-bodied Maduro that's got a lot of those same flavor notes that we feel like will really pair well.
SPEAKER_05Yes. And you know, cigar reviewers very commonly are describing tobacco using nut terms because the aromas uh they genuinely remind the palate of those familiar foods. So almonds, walnut, maybe a cashew in there, a pecan, hazelnut, maybe a peanut. Um, the cigar, like we talked about earlier, doesn't contain those ingredients, you know, hopefully. Yeah. Um, but the aroma compounds and sensories, uh, the associations remind us of them.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and the pairing with a cigar with the actual nut really gives the brain a really good reference, right? And allows us to begin to pull out some of those flavors or notice when they go away. And one of the most common comparisons when you look at nuts is almonds because there's so many almonds. Yes. There's just natural, light roasted, dark roasted, cocoa covered. I mean, there's a mixture of them.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_06So we're actually only using one almond tonight because that's so common we wanted to kind of shy away from it.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, there's the MM almond. Well, almond MMs are good.
SPEAKER_06You get your chocolate and your nut all in one.
SPEAKER_05Right. Uh, it can really make that vague impression suddenly very recognizable. So you might have had the thought there's a dry, slightly bitter nuttiness. Then you taste the walnut and you realize that that's the family that you were trying to describe before you could put a name to it.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely. And nuts can really help build a tasting vocabulary without pretending that you swallowed an entire dictionary.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_06Um, but here's the science part. Mel, when you roast nuts, what does that do to the overall flavor and why does it taste different?
SPEAKER_05So heat changes the nuts, chemistry, the aroma, the moisture, the color, and the texture. So one major process is called the myod reaction, and that broadly describes reactions between amino acids and reducing the sugars under heat.
SPEAKER_06Which is wildly interesting to me because the same family of browning reactions involved in searing a steak or toasting bread, roasting coffee, and browning foods all impact nuts the same way.
SPEAKER_05Yes. Roasting is going to create a new volatile aroma compounds. And research comparing raw and roasted nut, roasted almonds found that the Maillard reaction products they make a major contribution to roasted almond aroma.
SPEAKER_06Which is, I know that's a little science geeky, but it's interesting, right?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, roasting is also going to reduce moisture and it's going to make the texture crunchier.
SPEAKER_06And I love those roasted nuts. You can get it like at Bucky's. I mean, we get those often for driving late at night because you can just crunch on them and it keeps me awake. Because normally I smoke cigars when I might need a break from cigars if it's a long drive. Yeah. And then I start crunching on those nuts. Um, absolutely.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_06So roasting does not merely warm the almond, it creates a completely different sensory product.
SPEAKER_05Right. That's correct. It's also the same reason that you rarely get that same flavor note when you are cold drying a cigar versus a cigar that's really been nicely toasted and lit.
SPEAKER_06And that makes complete sense to me.
SPEAKER_05Right, 100%. So the raw almond that could feel very fresh or mild, maybe slightly sweet, uh vegetal or creamy, uh, maybe a little marzipan-like.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and then what is it like once it's roasted?
SPEAKER_05It's gonna be deeper, it's gonna be toastier, more aromatic, more bitter, uh, more coffee-like, um, obviously more nutty.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and as you talk about that, the roasted almond really falls and comes a lot more in common with those cigar flavor notes that we often talk about um when we're smoking a cigar.
SPEAKER_05Right. And that's really why roasted nuts pair more naturally with that medium to full-bodied cigar. Uh, but the roast level on these almonds matters as well, or nuts. The lightly nosted nut that can emphasize the sweetness. Um, the darker roast may emphasize toast or bitterness or char, maybe. Um, that heavily smoked, seasoned nut, it may overpower the cigar.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and so that's where preparation really becomes a part of the pairing because raw almonds and smoked almonds are not interchangeable changeable simply because they started as almonds, right? Right. And so, Mel, why don't we go ahead and get to some of the pairing science? You said we had, I thought we had eight. We have nine different pairings. Um, and we're gonna try them with a cigar, we're gonna try them without. Um, but before we leave you tonight, I do want to let you know that Mel's gonna give you a little bit of a rebel snack building guide so you can think through how you should build out the perfect snack guide when you have guests over. Because we can't leave a pairing series and not give them a little bit of how to invite five or six people over and enjoy some snacks. Right. So, what are we starting with?
SPEAKER_05So that we are starting first with the salted cashew, salted cashew, okay.
SPEAKER_06We probably should start talking, but first we don't have so much dead air.
SPEAKER_04That's true.
SPEAKER_06So, right off the bottom, this is salty and it's creamy, right? Yeah, what are you getting on the almond?
SPEAKER_05This the cashew on the cashew, yeah. Same thing. Salty, creamy.
SPEAKER_06Okay, so as we do this before, I'm gonna bite and smoke while you introduce the nut so we can keep the air flowing. Okay, that way we don't keep you guys with dead air, especially if you're listening on your drive to work and you're not suddenly thinking we just fell off or you lost the connection. So, what's really interesting is the creaminess really muted the creaminess aspect of the cigar, it really muted the spices to me, other than the white pepper, which took a huge tick up for me, and it also enhances the sweetness a little bit.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, for me, I get a lot more of the oiliness from the cashew when you pair it with this.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it's definitely coated my entire mouth.
SPEAKER_05All right, so number two is cinnamon cashews. So be our second pairing. This one has a little bit more of an outside to kind of suck off if you're letting it sit for a minute.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely. So this is these are amazing. I didn't even know these things existed till I ordered them for tonight. Um, but these are coming part of the regular rotation. Uh so just so you guys know, you don't just need regular cigar rotations, you should also have regular snack rotations, okay? Um, there was a show for a while called the Snack Authority, um, and it's sad that it's gone, but you go find it's got some great episodes.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Uh on this particular one, that spice, the cinnamon's there. Um, I haven't taken a draw of the cigar. Have you taken a draw yet?
SPEAKER_05Yeah. So for me, after trying that cinnamon, um, I don't even necessarily on the cashew get cinnamon off the bat, but I get a spice, and then taking a draw off of this, I immediately just get heat. Not necessarily a spice, but a but a heat for sure.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, an absolute heat. Almost like I drank some jalapeno juice right from the jar.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_06There's no flavor to it, it's just heat.
SPEAKER_04Just heat.
SPEAKER_06Um, one thing that's interesting on the finish, the sweetness of the cashew came out way more.
SPEAKER_04Did it?
SPEAKER_06Um, like there's this lingering sweetness on the palate after I took a draw on the cigar. All right, so what are we doing next?
SPEAKER_05Next is the roasted pecan. Which has a little bit of roast on there, but not a ton. Just to clarify for everyone, you could almost pass as a regular, it's not, but it's got just a little bit on there.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, slightly swapping. So the pecan is extremely buttery. It's got a little bit of saltiness to it, very little.
SPEAKER_05A little bit of salt. A lot, the pecan, like a raw pecan, even though that one is roasted after the saltiness on the nut, it is very much just like raw pecan to me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. And so, really, on this cigar, we had talked about a little bit of that fig early on that really comes out. Of course, I'm back at the beginning because I started another cigar, and the cigar feels much, much sweeter to me, Mel. Much sweeter.
SPEAKER_05I get a very nutty finish on the end for me. I don't get a lot of sweetness, so that is number four, which is the cinnamon pecan. So I'm interested to see if this is kind of like the cinnamon cashew we did, in that it has kind of the same notes or not.
SPEAKER_06Okay, so this one on for me, the butteriness and the cinnamon of the pecan completely mute the cigar. This is a terrible pairing.
SPEAKER_04So I get no cinnamon off of this, yeah, pairing it with the cigar. Yeah, I just get sweetness.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I get nothing. It almost makes them both just cardboarding.
SPEAKER_05Sweetness, and it is very burnt at the end or very charred on the finish.
SPEAKER_06Richard said um Tina's chocolate covered Oreos are always great to nibble on when Joina tastes a cigar. I agree, Richard. We ate those cookies y'all made for us. Um, we've got to get some ordered. Um, I might have to reach out to you. I don't know if there's still time to get some ordered by the time of the expo. If not, we'll have to get some and have them shipped after that. But uh, that was not those parents.
SPEAKER_05It was not. This is the honey roasted.
SPEAKER_06Honey roasted. All right. So tell us what you get after you take that. So it's a honey roasted pecan. We're using a lot of pecans tonight.
SPEAKER_05So for me, that outside honey roastedness is almost like a thick syrupy. I don't necessarily get honey off of it, but the texture of it is almost like when you have them like dipped in, dipped in like a caramelized.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05And then you get almost I get a burnt pecan at the end on the finish for the nut.
SPEAKER_06With the cigar, the interesting thing about this, and I really like this pairing, is you get very natural tobacco tastes. Um, Chris is saying she's not liking any pecan with this cigar. Okay. Uh, for those of you watching or listening, um those live with us in the studio tonight are actually tasting along with us. I need to reset my palate for a second.
SPEAKER_05Next is the maple pecan. I'm a little nervous.
SPEAKER_06Like I said, lots of pecans tonight. We did a lot of pecans tonight because we get a lot of variety in pecans. It's pecan season in Texas. I don't think they're falling right now, but I think they're finally getting them out.
SPEAKER_05It's on the pecan for me, it's not very sweet. It's a very oily, very buttery.
SPEAKER_06Completely. Totally coating the mouth like that initial cashew did. So I'm gonna just see what it does to the cigar.
SPEAKER_05And on the cigar, again, I get heat from the cinnamon. Or like we did, like we did with the cinnamon.
SPEAKER_06Just pure heat.
SPEAKER_05And it's all on the front of my tongue, all of that heat. It doesn't go back throughout the rest of my mouth or anything, it's just on the front of my tongue.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, Richard said he loves the new DBL cinnamon-flavored cigar. I've not tried that one. Um, Richard, I'd have to ask, I don't know if you've tried the Cinestic by Elevated Humidor, but that's one. If you like cinnamon, you might have to try.
SPEAKER_05So this just says almonds, but it might be, I don't know if it is a salted.
SPEAKER_06No, it's a this is a roasted almond.
SPEAKER_05To me, it's very sweet.
SPEAKER_06Very, very sweet. It might be a honey roasted almond.
SPEAKER_05It might be. Which it's funny that this one is I'm getting that sweetness, which I did not get any sweetness on the maple that we tried. It's bringing that heat down a little bit for me.
SPEAKER_06I agree. The heat's definitely different. Um, it's milder, it's still there.
SPEAKER_05All right, we're moving on to salted peanuts.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, two more, right?
SPEAKER_05This one, and yes, one more after that. So two more.
SPEAKER_06So salted peanuts, everybody's favorite snack. If you're allergic to tree nuts, please don't eat this one.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. And I think from the almonds as well, it leaves a charred finish for me.
SPEAKER_06So with the peanut, the bitterness of the chocolate notes of this cigar come out drastically for me. You really get that bitteriness of the chocolate off of this peanut because it mutes all of the really good earthiness of the cigar, is just gone. And so you just get the bitteriness. Um, again, this one and the I mean the cinnamon or the maple pecan, not good pairings.
SPEAKER_05So I actually I don't get a lot off of the cigar pairing it with this, but I actually really liked for me, it made the saltiness because these are just lightly salted peanuts, I believe. It made it very salty, which I enjoyed because I love a peanut that is very salty. Uh, I don't know which one has been my favorite that has paired with the cigar, but my favorite nut so far that has paired might be those peanuts. So this one is gonna be the honey roasted, and this one's very sweet, like the almond.
SPEAKER_06It's interesting for you rebels out there watching live right now, or if you're watching this on replay, go ahead and hashtag replay fam and answer the question: what is your favorite nut to pair with a cigar if you've done that, or let us know that you haven't, or if you have another snack that you love to pair with cigars, we may do a future episode and talk about that snack family.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. So for me, the finish on the peanut with the cigar was very good. It was just very peanut to me. Yeah, and in this more than the salted, you don't really, I didn't really get a lot of like, oh, this is a peanut, but on this one, it definitely tastes very peanut y to me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so Chris said put in the comments that very bitter after the honey roasted peanut. I get that off the almond and off of both of the peanuts. I just get a bitterness that I don't really enjoy.
SPEAKER_05There is a bitterness hitting me now. It wasn't while I still had enough of this coating to mix with the cigar. But once that dissip dissipates, you can kind of I can feel the bitterness a little bit.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. So, Mel, we've kind of gone through this. Let's begin to wrap up a little bit. We're over on time already by about six minutes, which Dwayne will be happy. He always wants a 90-minute episode. Uh, and let's talk for a minute about how do they build a cigar pairing kind of guide or pat or grouping if they're having some friends over for a cigar. And let's kind of do this quickly and let these rebels head out tonight.
SPEAKER_05So, as you saw, what we did, we started really with a range, not a quantity. You don't need this giant pile of food, you'll need the smaller pile. Portions that really create the different pairing paths. And so for a simple board, that could include one creamy element. So that could be cashews or brie, maybe some mild gouda or a creamy spread of some sort. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And then you want some kind of roasted element, maybe a dry roasted almond, toasted pecans, some cashews, or even some plain toasted crackers.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Uh you'll want a savory element. So that's going to be pistachios or a mile-aged cheddar, maybe some uh olives, and maybe a lightly salted nut.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. And so then you might want to enter in a sweet element: dried fig, a fig's um jam, dark chocolate, candied pecans, dried cherries, something that brings that sweeter element to the table.
SPEAKER_05Yes, and then you're going to want that reset element. So you'll have your plain crackers or maybe your sliced apple, you're going to have sparkling water, or maybe still water.
SPEAKER_06And then what should you avoid in building this kind of pairing?
SPEAKER_05So you're going to want to avoid anything that has a very dominant flavor. So that's going to be something like heavy garlic or something with an aggressive chili powder, maybe an artificial smoke, um, something that is extremely salty, uh, maybe those very sweet candy coatings, um, something with a strong onion seasoning. These are very enjoyable snacks, but that makes it kind of hard to evaluate if you're pairing it with a cigar.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and there you have it, Rebels, a simple rebel pack building guide. In our next pairing episode, we're going to cover another pairing category, the common mistakes to avoid when building the perfect pairing and a re and a rebel pairing method that you can have some friends over and you can lead them through a tasting night, not to try and develop their palate, not to, but just a simple, enjoyable night among friends to see what they can pull out from different pairings or what gets muted.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_06Um, but Mel, what is your final thought on the Veld Mutiny by HDA? You're right at the end. I finished mine, I'm entering the second third.
SPEAKER_05So now at this last third, which is probably if I was had not paired all these things, would have been similar to what we were talking about before. But now that I've paired all these things with it, um, I'm still getting a lot of that heat from when we paired it with the nuts, um, getting a little bit of you know char on there, uh, some woodiness.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, when I finished the other one before we got to the nuts, because I was really transitioning from that one to this one, there was a little bit of that roasted coffee notes, there was a little bit of that bitterness that was actually enjoyable because it was kind of mild hints of that. Um, but it was really difficult to kind of focus in on those notes while we're pairing it. And that's when we talk about that pairing almost becomes a lot like blending because we added other elements to the cigar, and we probably did the wrong thing tonight by pairing so many different nuts, is it actually made it a little difficult to pick out which one? Um, but I do know I'm going back to the cashews when the episode's over.
SPEAKER_05I'm gonna try all of them again.
SPEAKER_06Oh, I'm not gonna try all of them, I'm going for the cashew.
SPEAKER_05You don't have to. Um, but thank you guys so much for joining us today. If you liked this episode, please leave us a review, share with your cigar friends, and hit us up with any topics you would like for us to dive into in future episodes.
SPEAKER_06And if you're watching us live um, watching us live, hopefully you are. If you're watching us or listening on replay, go ahead and drop us a hashtag replay fam in the comments. Let us know your thoughts about tonight's episode. Let us know what you are smoking and pairing with your um cigar while listening. And go ahead and click that notify button right there on YouTube or anywhere on social media so you are notified of the upcoming episodes. Um, next week we have a great episode for you, Rebels. Um, we are going to be jumping into the flavor notes series, and this is different than the pairing or tasting your palette. This is a series where we're going to talk about specific flavor notes and which cigars you should smoke to enjoy those flavor notes. And so next week is creamy cigars.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I'm excited about that.
SPEAKER_06But for tonight, this has been our show.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, thank you guys so much for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review and share with your fellow cigar lovers. We will see you guys Monday at 7 p.m. Central Time. Until then, keep your cigar lit, your ash long, and your palette curious.
SPEAKER_06Good night, Rebels.