Bernheim Barrel Proof & Rocky Patel ALR

Deck Therapy has been a bit chilly lately. I know what y’all are gonna say: “It’s winter dumbass! Of course it’s cold!” In my defense, I hate being indoors. I’d rather freeze my jewels off before I spend a full day in my home. 

Over the holidays, I decided to start a new tradition…Bottle Crackin’ on Christmas. What can be better than opening a fresh new bottle on Jesus’ birthday or any day for that matter. 

The bottle of choice for the inaugural Santa’s Bottle Crackin’ Szn is:

Bernheim Barrel Proof

Made at Heaven’s Hill Distillery released twice a year and aged for 7 to 9 years in an open air rickhouse. Batch: B923 with a mashbill consisting of:
51% Wheat 
37% Corn 
12% Malted Barley
Coming in at 120.4 Proof 60.2% ABV this has a bit of bite that’s perfect for a cold day of Deck Therapy! 

Aromatics of candy corn and chocolate on the nose. Cinnamon with brown sugar on the middle palate with leather and black pepper on the finish. Big bold flavors with a good kick in the jewels!

Pairing this with one of my favorite cigar brands:

Rocky Patel ALR (Aged Limited Rare) 2nd Edition

Made in the TAVICUSA factory in Nicaragua using an oily San Andres wrapper. This Box Pressed Toro consist of Honduran binder and Honduran/Nicaragua filler.

Earthy with notes of mocha and toasted wood creates a smooth draw. Subtle sweetness with a hint nutmeg on finish. 

Between the earthiness of the cigar and the spice/heat from the bourbon, both compliment each other very well. 

Until next time Kids, Remember:

Life’s Too Short to Drink Bad Booze and Smoke Bad Cigars! 

Cheers Y’all!

Give the Fat Man a follow on Instagram if you will: @crazynvirginia

Weller, Oh Weller…

…where for art thou, Weller!?

That wonderful brown water goodness from Buffalo Trace Distillery truly alludes us here in Virginia and across the country.

One of my boys kept talking about how good this bourbon is and he refers to it as the poor man’s Pappy. Y’all know, I’m all over some poor man’s booze.

Now the story I was told goes like this, they go into barrel room and selects the 12 yr. Pappy. What doesn’t make the PVW cut becomes Weller 12 yr. Of the Pappy lineup, I prefer the 12 yr. over everything else.

A few years back, Tish went to visit her momma in Ky. I gave her a list of bourbons to look for while she was in Lexington. To my surprise, she was able to find 2 of the 4 on the list: Willet Pot Still and Weller Special Reserve. Pappy & Elmer T Lee were the others and those folks laughed at her when she enquired about them.

Murph, who provided this knowledge, called me and said he had a gift for me. My 35th class reunion was coming up and he wanted me to have a proper bourbon for the event. That’s how I obtained my Weller 12 yr.

My classmates aren’t the typical whiskey sippers…hell no!! These rednecks want to swill straight from the bottle. As I kicked around the idea of sharing this hard to find elixir, deep down I wanted to keep it for my own consumption.

And I did!

A year later, I was given bottle of Weller Special Reserve and Weller Antique 107 from J.D.

Which brings us to Shortie and his connections. He gave me a Special Reserve for my birthday last year and introduced me to some college mates in another state.

He wanted to take a day trip and pick up some brown water that we can’t get in Virginia. So we made the 12 hour round trip and brought back a few bottles of Weller and other obscure items.

Finding the 1.75 L Weller was an added bonus. Now how good is this whiskey? Slap yo momma good! Since you’ve taken the time to visit this page, let’s have a horn of the Special Reserve.

Nice notes of Carmel with a touch of sweetness and malt. I can drink it neat or on the rocks. The Special Reserve is my favorite with the 12 yr. a close second. The Full Proof and Antique 107 round out my list.

This is a MUST HAVE for your shelf!

Until next time Kids, Remember:

Life’s Too Short to Drink Bad Booze and Smoke Bad Cigars!

Cheers Y’all!

Give the Fat Man a follow on Instagram if you will: @crazynvirginia

Planning Your Trip!

As most of my 10 readers know (and those numbers have been ballooned). I’ve been driving for Seven Bends Spirits Tour for just under 2 years.

My knowledge of wine, liquor, beer, food and of course, cigars benefits my groups as we travel the roads here in Virginia.

Depending on what location you are staying in, I provide many options for my day drinkers to enjoy for their outing.

We pick folks up in all regions of the Shenandoah Valley and even in the No. Va. region to visit that areas locations. But there’s one thing that I’d like to provide. A quick list to improve your travels.

1. Stay Close – This is important as visiting specific wineries can eat up a lot of your time. By looking at a map, a vineyard is 6 miles as the crow flies from your Air Bnb. In reality it’s actually 30 minutes or more away. Always choose a location that’s has vineyards within 10 miles of your overnight stay.

2. Select Wisely – Not everyone in your group likes wine, bold reds or even sweet varietals. Some may prefer to have beer or even cider. Investigate whether these stops have other options to make everyone’s visit a memorable one.

3. Dining – Even if you wish to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you will need to be close to food options as well as a coffee shop if you’re not that verse in brewing a cup of Joe. Having multiple food choices is important because at the end of a day of drinking, the last thing you need to be doing is trying to drive to get a meal, you’ll need someone to deliver.

4. Accommodation Location – This is an important one. This should factor in with which stops you wish to visit (See no. 1.) if that cabin or house in the woods looks cute, remember, you still have to drive to the site. Be sure to ask if 4X4 is required (we have almost gotten stuck on a road several times because 4X4 was required). Make sure there isn’t any seedy houses of roads that look suspicious in your area. If you happen to venture onto a wrong road, local residents may not be very happy about your mistake.

5. Travel Time – Certain regions have multiple vineyards within a few miles. Others can be 20-30 miles apart from each other. If in a busy area travel times can double. Try to keep your time between stops to 15 minutes at tops. This will allow you longer times to enjoy your tasting. Also, don’t hesitate to bring snacks and beverages with you if the distance between stops are longer. Just don’t get too hammered between these stops. If the staff thinks you’ve had to much to drink, they will not serve you and they’ll ask us to leave.

6. Your Stops – Be sure to review the places you wish to visit. Recent groups have encountered horrible customer service and failure to get served. If you wish to pack some eats for your tasting, confirm outside food can be brought on site.

The bottom line is, we want you to have a great time without delays, mishaps or unwanted surprises. We can’t control the weather but we will make sure your tour with us will be top notch, that way you will return for another visit.

So if you’re looking for a great weekend to visit some watering holes, give us a call. Who knows, I may even be your driver.

Cheers Y’all!

https://www.sevenbendstours.com

Oh My, Four Roses

It was just another day in the cigar shop and as always, multiple cigar reps make an appearance. Two of them are big Bourbon drinkers and we always have stories about bottles that we’ve found in the wild.

Brett is always grabbing store picks from establishments that are close to cigar lounges he visits in other states. It’s amazing how many he can accumulate during his travels in the tri-state area.

He hit the mother load on his most recent trip as he was able procure close to a case of these elusive store picks. And in turn, offered one to me.

Why Yes, I think I will!

Four Roses Single Barrel

Store Pick/Barrel Pick

106.6 Proof aged 10yr & 7 months

Mashbill: 75% Corn 20% Rye 5% Malted Barley

Aromatic notes of brown sugar and Carmel, kind of like my Moms kitchen when she makes her homemade Carmel Popcorn. Baking spices with dominate notes of cinnamon and vanilla on the palette. Full bodied bourbon that drinks smooth as a 90 proof.

Store/Barrel Picks are exclusively for specific stores. They visit distilleries and hand pick their barrel. Once it’s aged to the master distillers liking, it’s bottled and sold only at that particular store.

I opted to pair this brown water with an Oliva 135th Anniversary Limited Edition. If you have a Connecticut broadleaf cigar sitting in your humidor, it would pair wonderfully as well.

If you happen to not see these bottles, remember this. One of the rules I tell folks is, if it’s not on the shelf or on the tasting list, don’t hesitate to ask if they have anything in the back or open for tasting.

Until next time Kids, Remember:

Life’s Too Short to Drink Bad Booze and Smoke Bad Cigars!

Cheers Y’all!

Pappy

Here in Virginia, if we want to grab a bottle of Buffalo Trace, we wait for the e-mail to be sent that some allocated bottles have been dropped. You’re not guaranteed to get what you want to place on your shelf. Because once that email hits your inbox…It! Is! On!

That announcement of an allocated drop is just like when your partner sends you that text: “I’m wearing high heels and I have whip cream.”

Stay out of our way folks!

Every man or woman is going to take out everyone on the ride home to get to their significant other. That’s what it’s like trying to procure allocated whiskey from a state run store.

Now extremely limited edition bottles are placed in a state wide lottery. One entry per household and you have a better chance at winning Mega Millions. That being said, I’ve won the liquor lottery here in Va. twice.

My first lottery winning will be my

first:

Coop’s Deck Therapy

Whiskey Review for NGCS:

Van Winkle Special Reserve

12 Year Old

Lot “B”

This is a unicorn that’s rarely on shelves without being charged an arm and a leg on the secondary market. The last bottle I saw in the wild had a price tag of $1,100.00!

I had the opportunity to purchase it at retail for $79.99…Snag!

It’s hard to believe that the Carmel/Amber hue of this bourbon spent 12 years in American charred Oak. I expected the color to be much more richer and darker.

Hints of white chocolate and cinnamon on the nose. Toasted stone fruit and subtle baking spice round out the palate. At 90.4 Proof, the burn is soft with hints of vanilla and a smooth, balanced finish.

Smooth is an understatement. I drink most of my bourbon with one large cube of ice, not this elixir! I prefer it neat and I think that has something to do with the mash build.

This is what is referred to as a Wheated Bourbon. It’s still 51% corn, but wheat is the next dominate grain instead of rye. Thanks to W. L. Weller for creating this mash bill and thank you Pappy for mastering this goodness.

I’m a huge fan of the Pappy line especially the 12yr. Now I don’t encourage you to break the bank on a bottle much less a pour at your favorite bar.

This is a special occasion pour and if your rich friend is offering, definitely get a pour.

My cigars of choice to pair with the 12 yr.:

Pappy Van Winkle by Drew Estate

Padron Family Reserve No. 45

Davidoff Royale Reserve

Davidoff The Late Hour

Lunatic Torch

Until next time, Cheers Y’all!

And Remember:

Life’s Too Short to Drink Bad Booze and Smoke Bad Cigars!

The Best of 2022

2022 was a challenging year but we made it through the fire. A short lived job and a return to the cigar industry. And of course, a lot of Dec Therapy.

Cigars played a huge part of my Deck Therapy as well as Bourbon, Scotch, Wine and Brewskies!

Here’s my Best of List:

2022 Cigars

Espinoza Las 6 Provincias LV Robusto

Montecristo Signature Espada

Rocky Patel White Label

Espinoza Street Taco

CAO Pilón Añejo

EP Carrillo Short Run Extended Play

Diesel Disciple Lancero

Diesel Stubborn Fool

H Upmann Heritage Corona

Gurkha by Aganorsa Leaf

Kentucky Fire Cured Flying Pig

Crowned Head Le Patissier

LFD Reserva Especial

Davidoff Royal Release

CAO BX3

Gurkha Heritage

Room 101 13th Anniversary

Rocky Patel DBS

Rocky Patel 1865 Project

Padron 1926 80th Anniversary

Rocky Patel Disciple

Davidoff Gold Band Awards

Davidoff 2022 Limited Edition

La Gloria Cubana 8th Street

The Illusione of Excalibur

Rocky Patel 20 Anniversary Edge

Aganorsa Leaf Anniversario Maduro

Beverages

Jack Daniel’s Bottled-in-Bond

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Starlight Carl T. Huber’s Cigar Batch

A Smith Bowman Cask Strength

Old Forester Statesman

Balvenie Caribbean Cask Finish

Laugavulin 11yr. Offerman

EH Taylor Straight Rye

Center of The Universe Octoberfest

Trophy Brewing Trophy Wife IPA

Glen Manor Morales Rosé

More goodies coming the fat man’s way this year. Let’s get out and enjoy the day!

Cheers Y’all!!

Whistle & Adobe

It’s late October here in Virginia and we are enjoying unseasonably warm temps. Could be the last time for shorts, flashy Hawaiian shirts and sandals. Still working on the tan as I write.

Starting the week with a leftover from Whiskey Weekend and a rebrand cigar.

Whistle Pig Homestock

This was made I place of the Farmstock due to the shutdown in 2020 due to Covid-19. The distillery sent out thousands of tasting/blending kits to selected customers. Through at virtual event, they sampled, blended and then selected what would become Homestock.

Sweet, Vanilla and hints of smoke on the nose. Smooth flavors of citrus and baking spices. This is a great pour and wish I had a full bottle.

I paired that Rye with a Nica Rustica Adobe by Drew Estate.

Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)

Binder: Brazilian

Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: Robusto

Soft leather notes with a smooth, nutty draw. Burn time about 45 minutes.

A perfect combination for a perfect day!

Old Man Winter is around the corner, gonna take full advantage when I can

Cheers Y’all!

The Boss Man Knows Best!

I’m pretty good at recommending cigars to friends and customers. So far, no one has been disappointed but I have a lot to learn. And the best teacher I can learn from is The Boss Man.

T.B.M., has been in the cigar industry since he was 19. His knowledge exceeds that of anyone who’s been in the game for 50+ years. He’s always telling me to try different brands that way I can have a nice repertoire under my belt to suggest to my customers.

He’s impressed with my knowledge of wine, bourbon and beer. Pairing a cigar with any adult beverage is a personal preference. I’m always saying everyone’s palate is different and drink what you want with your stogie.

That being said; The Boss Man recommended this stogie with a lower proofed bourbon. And just like a loyal employee, I listen to his every word.

Let’s see if he know what he’s talking about!

JFR Lunatic Corojo Torch Gordo

Binder: Nicaraguan

Wrapper: Corojo Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Manufacturer: Aganorsa Leaf

6.5 X 60

Mild to medium cigar with earthy and subtle spices. Nice draw and a 2 light stick with a 45 minute duration.

My brown water of choice for this cigar: Eagle Rare

Distilled by Buffalo Trace Distillery, aged for 10 years. It is made with Mash bill #1 which is a low rye concoction. Complex flavors of orange peel and a nice sweetness on the finish.

Overall, a great combination! Since Elmer T Lee is at 90 Proof but different Mash Bill (higher rye) I’ll try that pairing next.

Until next time kids, let’s get after it and enjoy Deck Therapy everyday.

Cheers!

A Quick Trip

Shorty mentioned about a weekend trip to Akron, Ohio soon. We did our version of Smokey & The Bandit two years ago to Akron driving up, grabbing bourbon and returning the same day without getting busted by Sheriff Buford T. Justice. A whirlwind trip that had me wanting to revisit the following week but y’all know…Covid.

After a long wait, Shorty, myself and 2 other good guys (Mr. Goulash & B-rad) made a weekend outing to visit one of their frat brothers, Beckett. One of the coolest dudes on the planet with a bourbon collection that rivals some of the best in America.

He was a most gracious host sharing plenty of open bottles and giving us a culinary tour of Akron. With LeBron being the number one citizen of Akron, I believe Beckett is a close second.

He wanted us to experience an AYCE Sushi bar. Being the raging redneck that I am, I was thinking; it’s bait, I can eat 25 rolls…Nope!

This was a place that didn’t want novices in their midsts. I ordered 3 rolls and my chest was all puffed out. Beckett bitched slapped me back to reality. These rolls weren’t the quarter size I was used to in Va., these bastards were the size of silver dollars.

An impromptu stop on Saturday had the group visiting a new watering hole in the 330, Smoke On The Water. A BBQ joint with a modest cigar selection and an impressive bourbon/rye selection.

Our bartender Drew was absolutely amazing! She made each of us feel like royalty and we enjoyed her banter.

One of the bourbons we were hoping to find in Ohio was from New Riff Distillery. This establishment had a nice line up along with a unicorn, New Riff 6 yr. Malted Rye.

After getting a sample, the bulk of us got pours and truly enjoyed that distilled goodness. This rich beverage maybe one of the best distilled products I’ve ever tasted.

That lasted about 15 minutes until Shorty opened his pie hole.

Shorty feeling generous asked about a fancy bottle on the shelf. Turns out it was a high price bottle of tequila – Gran Patron Burdeos Tequila Añejo.

He and B-rad got a pour and shared with the group.

DAMN!

I had no idea tequila could taste that smooth!

I would have never guessed in a million years that I would sample 2 of the best distilled products on the planet that day.

The Cast of Characters

We retreated to Beck’s basement and enjoyed his open bottles. B-rad suggested that we walk down to the local cigar shop, The Cigar Lodge.

I’m always ready to burn one so he and I walked (or stumbled) to the local shop. A very impressive lounge with a private area and spots for newcomers. They had pool tables, a full Bar as well as a golf simulator.

I chose Davidoff Signature Toro to burn. I got a pour of the Willet Rye and B-rad got Weller Antique.

B-rad did enjoy the Davidoff and I’m sure he will buy more after this outing. We stumbled back to the house and sampled more whiskey. However, the next day, we head back to The Old Dominion.

My Haul.

Virginia Wine meets The Green Fairy

It was early December when I visited District Winery in Washington D.C. and posted an image from their tasting room. A comment had me a bit perplexed about a possible visit. Then I realized it was that time of year and Greg was coming home for the holidays.

He expressed interest in visiting the D.C. winery but I had other plans. To my “Rookie” mistake I had forgotten about the winter hours at most Virginia vineyards and had to make a late adjustment.

Linden Vineyards wasn’t open that Friday so I opted to take Greg to another vineyard not to far away, Arterra Wines.

Sandy and Jason are the owners and we were lucky enough to have Jason pour our wines. Here was the list and my notes along with Greg’s humorous feedback.

’16 Dry Riesling

Me: Herbaceous, light and bright with low acids. A touch of sweetness on the palette with a subtle dry finish.

Greg: D.U.I made easy (drink with great care).

’15 Chardonnay

Me: Soft golden colors, a touch of minerality on the front of the mouth with buttery textures to round out the finish.

Greg: Not Cali – But still has the fornication.

’15 Cabernet Franc

Me: Dark red fruit on the nose, black currants and stone fruits on the back of the palette with a touch of white pepper on the finish.

Greg: Relax campfire wine to talk to a bunch of woulda been coulda been.

’15 Petit Verdot

Me: My favorite varietal! Bright concentrated fruit with a hint of leather on the nose. Bold rich fruit flavors with a cigar smoke on the finish. This is the perfect deck/porch sitting wine.

Greg: Official seal of Virginia! Seriously run with this one! Thomas Dolby reading Edgar Allen Poe!

’14 Reserve

Me: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. An intense nose with dark fruit flavors. Gorgeous tannins with a bright finish. Another true deck/porch sipping wine.

Greg: The Harold Baines, Coco Crisp and Johnnie Damon All-Star Team wine.

’15 Tannat (bonus pour)

Me: Robust dark fruit essence on the nose. A well rounded mouth flavors of stone fruits – great balance. Bright acid with nice tannins on the finish. Beautiful wine!

Greg: Mystery Wine – Ask Coop! Joan Jett, Rage Against The Machine and Beatles Mash-up.

Blueberry Apple Wine

Me: This wine reminds me of the old field party days drinking fruit wines of my childhood. Bright berry and fruity flavors with a soft acidic finish. Refreshing flavors.

Greg: Not cobbler, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!

Apple Wine

Me: Refreshing fruit flavors from start to finish.

Greg: What really hit Sir Issac Newton on the head and made him giggle. Strong gravitational pull!

Overall wonderful wines and Greg truly enjoyed them.

Lunch at the Hunters Head Tavern followed. French Dip Sandwiches and craft beer were paired with the meals (Greg, Legends Brown Ale Me, Devils Backbone Black Lager). Then I mentioned that Absinthe was being made a few miles down the road and Greg was on board to visit with the Green Fairy.

Off to Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery we went.

To his surprise Virginia is making top notch Absinthe as well, or as he put it:

From the moment I entered this fine establishment I knew… I just knew… on the bar it was there. The fountain of the Green Fairy herself. My inner child of La Belle Époque knew I had a chance for a moment of real Steampunk Van Gogh in the Shenandoah Valley.

The slow drop of this magical fountain set the stage for the suspense and anticipation to build. Indeed… could this magic potion bring me somewhere near Aix-en-Provence?

With the first sip it was indeed the kiss of the Green Fairy… adding a new bit of surrealism to my expanding Absinthe Adventures.

Absinthe began as an all-purpose patent remedy created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Couvet, Switzerland… to this day I’m not sure what it really cures, but I can say this glass I found under this magic fountain made me quite happy to have the appropriate disease.

Thus far he has not been disappointed with any of the Virginia watering holes I have introduced to him.

His next visit I’ll try to get Greg to the Godfather of Virginia wine, Jim Law at
Linden Vineyards.

Until next time my friend…Cheers! Prost! Slainte! Cin Cin! And my favorite…Bottoms Up!