Posts filed under Food Wine & Cigars

Experience: Edmundo Dantes 'Exclusivo Mexico'. As Rare as Finding a NOS 5711/1R.

Named after ‘Edmond Dantés’ the main character in the novel ‘Le Comte de Monte-Cristo’ —The Count of Montecristo— by Alexandre Dumas, the Edmundo Dantes El Conde Belicoso —the belligerent Count— cigar is the last regional edition exclusive to Mexico that was released by Habanos S.A. at the end of 2016.

Experience: Cohiba Exquisitos. When Time is of Essence and You Need a Quick Cigar.

Cohiba is a brand that enjoys a formidable reputation in the world of cigars and is considered to be the 'crème de la crème' when it comes to Habanos —Cuban cigars. Created in 1966 for Fidel Castro and handmade at the world famous 'El Laguito' factory, these cigars were originally only seen outside of the island when presented as gifts to heads of state or dignitaries throughout the world.

Posted on January 15, 2024 and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, IWC.

Experience: Ardbeg 10 Years Old. Scottish Tweed, a JLC Reverso Tribute, and a Fabulous Single Malt.

Scotland gives the world some of the most beautiful landscapes and two things they excel at, their tweed and their scotch. Honoring the green luscious landscapes of Scotland and the deep green bottle of Ardbeg 10 Years, we decided to pair this Islay Single Malt with the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Green. Ardbeg Ten Years Old was launched in 2000 as an extraordinary balance of peaty notes and floral sweetness that makes it one of the best single malt whiskies in the world.

Experience: Tapis Rouge Cocktail. Inspired by the Red Tip on the Seconds Hand of the Piaget Polo Date.

Every once in a while we talk about legendary cocktails but this time, we have created one inspired by the red tip on the seconds hand on the Piaget Polo Date with a black dial. The perfect harmony of flavors in a glass with a tantalizing blend that will captivate your taste buds. This sophisticated libation begins with the bittersweet notes of Aperol, lending a refreshing citrusy character to the drink. The addition of Cynar, a delightful artichoke-based liqueur, adds a subtle herbal complexity, teasing the palate with its unique blend of botanicals.

Experience: Davidoff of Geneva Chef's Edition Cigar 2021 Limited Edition. As Rare as a Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto.

When it comes to luxury cigars, one name that stands out is Davidoff. With a rich history dating back to the early 1900s, Davidoff has become synonymous with quality, craftsmanship, and an unparalleled smoking experience. Known for their meticulous attention to detail, Davidoff cigars are meticulously crafted using the finest tobacco leaves sourced from around the world.

Experience: Aguasol Tequila Blanco. As Understated and Captivating as a Royal Oak Offshore Perpetual Calendar Chronograph.

Aguasol Tequila Blanco is our latest discovery in the world of fine spirits, because ultimately who wants to drink overrated vanilla-tasting tequilas like Clase Azul and Don Julio 1942? For sure, not us here at WCL. Aguasol is the product of four generations of unparalleled tequila producers since 1904. Produced and bottled in México in El Arenal, Jalisco, this premium tequila is made from just three ingredients —sun, spring water, and agave.

Experience: Licor Cuarenta y Tres 43 'Carajillo'. As Tasteful as a Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton.

If you follow WCL’s journey on the gram or you are from Mexico or Spain, the Carajillo —pronounced kaa·ra·hee·yo— is no stranger to you. The Carajillo is one of the most popular after-dinner drinks in Mexico and has quickly gained popularity throughout the U.S. Licor 43 is a Spanish liqueur that originated in Cartagena, Spain in 1946 when Diego Zamora along with his brother Angel, his sister Josefina and brother-in-law Emilio Restoy created the famed liquor off of local ingredients —fruits and herbs— and by following a recipe dating back to the year 300 AC.

Experience: Hendrick's Flora Adora Edition and a Hublot Big Bang

Flora Adora is the latest release within the Cabinet of Curiosities line from Hendrick’s Gin. Hendrick’s Gin is produced by the family-owned William Grant & Sons distillery in Scotland and their gin is distilled at the Girvan distillery which mainly focuses on distilling whiskey. Here at WCL, we’ve talked about other limited editions from Hendrick’s Cabinet of Curiosities including Orbium, Lunar, and Midsummer Solstice.

Experience: Vegas Robaina Famosos. Introduced the Same Year the Patek Philippe Aquanaut was Born.

Introduced to the Habanos. S.A. portfolio in 1997, the same year the Patek Philippe Aquanaut was born as reference 5065A and 5066A, Vegas Robaina cigars are a tribute to the Robaina family who had been cultivating tobacco since 1845 in the region of Vuelta Abajo in Cuba. The name 'Vegas Robaina' is composed of two words where the word 'vegas' is the Spanish word commonly utilized in Cuba to refer to plantation fields and the word 'Robaina' is Don Alejandro Robaina's —descendent of the Robaina family— last name.

Experience: KI NO BI Kyoto Dry Gin. Giving Gin a Twist Like the Overseas Chrono Gives a Panda a Twist.

The Kyoto Distillery was established in 2014 and KI NO BI Kyoto Dry Gin was born. This gin is the very first Dry Gin created in Japan and is fully inspired by Japanese culture while blended and bottled in Kyōto —the former capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years. Using water from Fushimi, where the Fushimi Inari shrine is located with its thousand orange torii gates in the south of Kyoto, the water from Fushimi is renowned for its purity, softness, and flavor, giving this gin a unique flavor.

Posted on February 20, 2023 and filed under Watchlife, Food Wine & Cigars, Gourmand.

Experience: Happy New Year 2023. Our Best Wishes in Style with the Art of Sabrage.

Wishing all of you the best wishes for the year 2023 that is about to start. We couldn’t be more grateful for your readership and loyalty. Because of you, our readers, we strive to do better every day. How about a little feature on Sabrage to welcome the new year in style. The act of Sabrage refers to the act of opening a bottle of champagne by sliding a saber over its neck. Now, while many believe that the saber slices the neck of the bottle or pushes the cork out, what in reality happens is that the slight impact of the saber on the seam of the bottle creates a chain reaction that makes the bottle release its pressure by breaking its top cork included.

Experience: Three Exceptional Aladino Robustos by JRE Tobacco. Honduran Cigars with Cuban DNA.

JRE Tobacco is a family-owned company, founded by Julio R. Eiroa and his son Justo M. Eiroa. A fully integrated operation from crop to shop. The history of the Eiroa family goes back to the time when Julio Eiroa, a Cuban exile from Pinar del Rio, moved to Honduras to flourish the Cuban cigar-making tradition at the JRE Tobacco Farm specialized in handmade Cuban seed cigars and to become the premier ‘Corojo’ grower in Honduras.

Experience: Hibiki 17 Years Old Kacho Fugetsu Limited Edition Japanese Whisky. Unique, Harmonious and Ultra Rare.

Hibiki was introduced in 1989 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Suntory Distillery and since then, this whisky has been the paragon of the Art of Japanese Whisky. Not only it is one of Japan’s most highly awarded blended whiskies, but it is also among the most prestigious whiskies in the world. Hibiki 17 years old was first introduced in 2015 as a harmonious blend blessed with the riches of Japanese nature and craftsmanship.

Experience: Blanton's Original Single Barrel Bourbon. The Interesting History Behind the Stoppers.

We discovered Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon more than 13 years ago at The Benjamin Steakhouse in New York City. Perfectly suited for those cooler nights during the fall, the warm notes of this bourbon paired with the warm tones of a Rolex Sky-Dweller Everose with slate dial ref. 326935 makes a more than a perfect combo. While the law does not require bourbon to be made in Kentucky, the Bluegrass state produces approximately 95% of the world’s supply.

Experience: Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Sardinian Citrus. Perfectly Paired with a Bulgari Diagono for the Autumn.

We’ve talked about Drumshanbo before but this time we are bringing you the latest Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Infused with Sardinian citrus for the last days of summer. Infused with twelve botanicals like the twelve months of the year, the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is a well balanced gin unlike any other. Distilled at the edge of a lake in a shed in a small Irish town called Drumshanbo, the ordinary is made extraordinary.

Experience: Macán Rothschild Vega Sicilia. An Understated Wine Like a Platinum Offshore.

Much like watches, some amazing wines are not necessarily those that everyone knows and only those that really know will recognize certain names, just like they’ll point out watch references or the metal composition of certain particular timepieces. When it comes to the AP Royal Oak Offshore 44 in platinum, only if you really know, you’ll be able to call out its platinum nature and the same happens with the Macán wine by Vega Sicilia.

Experience: Cinco Jotas Iberico Ham & Alion. The Patek of Jamones and the Small Child from Vega Sicilia.

Just like Patek Philippe is at the pinnacle of watchmaking, the same goes for Iberico hams and Cinco Jotas —the five Js. With Joselito ham only a small notch above Cinco Jotas, when it comes to the pinnacle of Iberico hams from Spain, Cinco Jotas is the authority. Faithful to its origins, Cinco Jotas makes one of the finest acorn-fed hams in Spain and the company has maintained the purity of the 'Pata Negra' —black hoof— Iberian pigs they use, flawlessly.

Experience: Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin. Influenced by World Travel, Like a Vacheron Constantin Overseas.

Infused with twelve botanicals like the twelve months of the year, the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is as well balanced as the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar. Distilled at the edge of a lake in a shed in a small Irish town called Drumshanbo —like the Vacheron Constantin manufacture founded at the edge of a lake—, the ordinary is made extraordinary.

Experience: The Hakushu 12 Years Japanese Whisky. Refined Like a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony.

While Japanese whiskys have increasingly become more popular lately, there are still a few whiskys that still remain understated and very refined just like a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony on the wrist. The Hakushu 12 Years Japanese Whisky is distilled by the Suntory Distillery in Japan, the same distillery that gave the world the exquisite Yamazaki whisky, the Hibiki and the Suntory Whisky Toki.

Experience: Montecristo Línea 1935 Dumas. A Bold and Beautiful Cigar Like a Panerai Radiomir 1940 PAM 662.

The year 1935 marks a big milestone for Panerai as they landed their first contract to supply the Italian Navy with professional diving instruments, but it also does for the world of cigars, as the iconic Montecristo Cuban cigar brand was founded that year. The Montecristo Línea 1935 celebrates the founding of Montecristo and it was released last year as a ‘totally by hand long filler’ line of cigars. The Línea 1935 cigars are available in three different vitolas and packaged in a very distinct presentation box unlike other Habanos. The beautiful box is dark brown matte Carmelite lacquer finished and uniquely shaped with beveled edges and the traditional fleur-de-lis that has distinguished the Montecristo brand since its founding.