“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it!”
~Roald Dahl
Rock-A-Feller Owner Kevin “Gold” Schweitzer
What Makes It Special
Rock-A-Fellar cigars brand owner and New York native, Kevin “Gold” Schweitzer, is a lifelong magic enthusiast. His entire Rock-A-Fellar cigar line pays homage to magic, including Chicago’s legendary card magic expert and “Cigar Deal” creator, Ed Marlo, aka “The Cardician” (1913-1991). Kevin, who’s favorite cards are the Four of Clubs and King of Diamonds, also sponsors the globally rebranded Great Cigar & Pipe Show. This is a hilarious weekly cigar, tobacco, and spirits focused podcast that has absorbed me, “Joey G,” as their monthly pairings co-host. Be sure to subscribe free on the fun greatlakessmokeshow.net website.
I’m a huge fan of robusto size cigars; something about them provides a perfectly flavor-packed and perfectly-timed smoking experience. This Vintage blend’s Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper leaf is grown in the volcanic soil of the San Andres Valley, and can be traced back to ancient Mayan carvings in Veracruz. Known as “Morron” or “Negro,” for its dark brown color, this tobacco is stalk-cut (entire plant) versus primed (leaves picked off the plant two or three times). So it is thicker, naturally sweet, and earthy. Its fourth and fifth priming of multi-regional Nicaraguan Viso leaves and thicker Pennsylvania broadleaf fillers will provide some bold spicy-sweetness. Finally, its rich and spicy Nicaraguan Habano binder will provide some nice hints of chocolate.
Vintage Robusto Maduro
Brand: Rock-A-Feller Cigars
Vitola: 5×52
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli, Ometepe, Jalapa) & Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Body: Medium Plus Boldness
Price: $9
Visual / Pre-light Draw
After one day of dry-boxing the cigar, the dark coffee brown maduro wrapper is very rough to the touch, almost like sandpaper, with very visible toothy veins. The red and gold band is very elegant with two horses up on the hind legs, with their front hooves resting atop a large capital R. Circling the large R is Rock-A-Feller Cigars over Maduro. The side sniff is faint with light hay over creamy cocoa. The dry foot odor is moist fresh hay with some grassy earthiness on the finish. There is no spice on the palate when prepping the head for a nice straight guillotine cut, to allow all of the flavors of the blend to hit the entire palate. The dry draw produced a fruity dark fudge brownie note, which is incredible!
First Third
While toasting the foot I noticed a big bold smoky barbeque flavor with hints of chocolate in the background. The first puff is bold as ever with notes of smoked dark chocolate. Then some heavier charred and leathery vanilla notes arrive on the palate. Before I knew it, the cigar transitioned to my favorite marzipan note, which is a light candy-like mixture of finely-ground almonds, sugar, corn syrup, and egg whites. The burn did require a few minor touch ups but the cigar’s white ash is perfect as can be. The retro-hale is bold with heavily charred vanilla notes and bold spice on the finish. Approaching the second third, that leathery vanilla note started to dominate the experience.
Second Third
The foot smoke odor has calmed down and has become creamier with notes of sweet vanilla swirl. The vanilla notes become creamier and continue to dominate the smoking experience with a nice char on the finish and aftertaste. The retro-hale remains bold with leathery vanilla and a softer spice on the finish. Time to take off the band, which came off no problem, and introduce this magic Maduro to the best our northwest has to offer, Westward’s American Single Malt Whiskey finished in Stout casks. Whoa! I simply can not believe my palate, but this pairing makes me feel like “I can do magic.”
Final Third
That perfect ash finally falls off with dignity and I’m 35 minutes into this Robusto. Some leatheriness starts to dominate the smoking experience, which I love. Another quick touch-up to one side of the burn and we are good to go. The burn slows down and I’m entirely relaxed now, enjoying the sweet leathery vanilla notes of this medium plus bold blend. The retro-hale has really settled down to creamy vanilla, with little to no spice on the finish. I am very impressed with the flavor and slow burn of this Robusto, which lasted over an hour. The slow burn remains even while the cigar’s amazing flavors and second incredible ash lasted to the nub.
Definitely get on this magic Robusto and all of Kevin’s magical cigars at rockafellercigars.com.
The Pairing
American single malts are growing in popularity in the whiskey world, and Portland Oregon’s Westward Distillery is leading the way with its northwest style single malts and reinvented craft barrel finishings. Master Blender, Miles Munroe, describes Westward as, “we are brewers making whiskey.” The Westward Distillery station is a must stop at every whiskey festival, as its bottlings are unique and different every time. I am a huge fan of the cask strength expression, but knew without a doubt that the Stout cask finished original single malt would pair perfectly with a nice Maduro, also recommended by Miles.
This unique stout cask finished single malt has crazy amazing notes of roasted barley, stone fruit, toasted pecan, milk chocolate, with a unique green minty and herbaceous earthiness on the finish. It is a true expression of the elements of the northwest, which I anticipate to be a mystically perfect match for this magic stick.
The leathery vanilla sweetness of the cigar marries very well with the earthy sweetness of the whiskey. It’s magic!
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Cigar to the whiskey:
The vanilla char of the cigar turns this American malt into an orangy candy-like creamsicle. This a perfect marriage of flavor as everything is toned down to tingly and creamy orange marmalade. All of this is mellowed out and creamier in the final third. The leathery vanilla sweetness of the cigar marries very well with the earthy sweetness of the whiskey. It’s magic!
Whiskey to the cigar:
Sweet fruity mandarin orange notes are covered with fudge. It’s like popping a nice piece of tingly orange candy in your mouth and it melts to dark chocolate. The pairing becomes bolder, more candy-like, with bolder notes of charred dark chocolate in the final third. Absolutely delicious!
Overall, this is an incredible marriage of magic and the best our northwest has to offer. We are definitely like a kid in a candy store with this pairing. We get to experience the true magic of being American with this pairing, and we should all be thankful!
Acknowledgment & Live Pairing
Thank you Magic Man Kevin “Gold” Schweitzer, for this amazing chocolate bomb Maduro Robusto.
Thank you to Westward’s Master Blender, Miles Munroe, for your innovative distilling and willingness to break barriers with your amazing American single malts. Visit westwardwhiskey.com to locate these amazing bottles near you.
Thank you Adam Guard, of dreamercigars.com, for your determination to educate the next generation of cigar enthusiasts.
Hear from all three of these amazing industry specialists on this hilarious pairing episode of The Great Cigar & Pipe Show below.
Photography By: James Archie
