Sticks-n-Stonez is a weekly podcast that pairs fine cigars with premium spirits. Each week a premium hand rolled cigar is paired with just the right spirit to enhance the palate and profile of each offering. During the episode Brent, the host, will share details about each offering and then present his opinion on the visual aspects, nose, and palate of the cigar and spirit and detail his opinion and rating of the pairing. He will also sprinkle in some of his own offbrand humor. Between each episode you can catch Brent on Instagram at @sticksnstonez1. The show's Insta account is approaching 20,000 followers so you should really jump in now.
Brent is a retired combat veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He picked up cigars while deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in 2004 and has been developing his nose and palate ever since. With two decades of experience in cigars and 3 decades in fine spirits his senses are acutely tuned to provide the best possible advice.
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Sticks-n-Stonez is a weekly podcast that pairs fine cigars with premium spirits. Each week a premium hand rolled cigar is paired with just the right spirit to enhance the palate and profile of each offering. During the episode Brent, the host, will share details about each offering and then present his opinion on the visual aspects, nose, and palate of the cigar and spirit and detail his opinion and rating of the pairing. He will also sprinkle in some of his own offbrand humor. Between each episode you can catch Brent on Instagram at @sticksnstonez1. The show's Insta account is approaching 20,000 followers so you should really jump in now.
Brent is a retired combat veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He picked up cigars while deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in 2004 and has been developing his nose and palate ever since. With two decades of experience in cigars and 3 decades in fine spirits his senses are acutely tuned to provide the best possible advice.
S5 E17 What Happens When You Pair Knob Creek Smoked Maple With La Aroma De Cuba Pasion Cigar
Sticks-n-Stonez
56 minutes
1 month ago
S5 E17 What Happens When You Pair Knob Creek Smoked Maple With La Aroma De Cuba Pasion Cigar
Pairing Review: La Aroma de Cuba Pasión & Knob Creek Smoked Maple ⸻
SPIRIT PROFILE
Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon • Distillery: Jim Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, Kentucky • Proof: 90 (45% ABV) • Mash Bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley • Age: NAS (typically 7–9 years before maple finishing) • Finish: Natural smoked maple flavor infusion
Appearance: Deep amber with honey-gold hues and a syrupy viscosity. The legs trail slowly down the glass, hinting at its maple sweetness and robust body.
Aroma: On the nose, Smoked Maple opens with caramelized sugar, toasted oak, and rich maple syrup. Beneath the sweetness lie soft hints of vanilla bean, roasted pecan, and faint campfire smoke. The nose balances dessert-level sweetness with an earthy undertone that keeps it grounded.
Palate: Sweet maple coats the tongue immediately, followed by vanilla cream, nutmeg, and oak char. The mid-palate carries a rich blend of brown sugar, molasses, and smoked toffee. The rye’s subtle spice appears late, adding lift to an otherwise buttery mouthfeel.
Finish: Medium-long, fading from caramelized maple and oak to gentle smoke and spice. A warming, dessert-like close that invites another sip.
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CIGAR PROFILE
La Aroma de Cuba Pasión • Origin: Nicaragua (My Father Cigars Factory) • Wrapper: Shade-grown Nicaraguan from Namanji Valley • Binder: Nicaraguan • Filler: Nicaraguan (Estelí, Jalapa, and Namanji regions) • Body: Medium to Medium-Full
Appearance: The Pasión’s wrapper glows with a silky chestnut sheen, almost rosado in tone. Smooth seams, minimal veins, and a double cap showcase the hand-rolled precision typical of Pepin Garcia’s production. The band—emerald green and gold—complements its artisanal presentation.
Pre-Light Aroma: Notes of sweet hay, cocoa, and cedar mingle with a faint floral spice. A cold draw reveals almonds, light pepper, and the earthy sweetness of sun-dried tobacco.
Construction & Burn: Draw is effortless with creamy smoke output. The burn line stays straight with a firm white ash. The blend’s slow, even combustion mirrors the discipline of its Nicaraguan craftsmanship.
Flavor Progression: • First Third: Opens with creamy cedar, toasted nuts, and faint pepper. The wrapper’s natural sweetness adds balance and depth. ⸻
PAIRING EXPERIENCE
Nose to Nose: The bourbon’s maple aroma complements the Pasión’s natural sweetness. When nosed side by side, the pairing evokes caramel-dipped nuts roasting over wood smoke—decadent yet refined.
First Sip & Draw: Take a small sip of Knob Creek first; the maple sweetness preps the palate with silky warmth. Then light the Pasión—its cedar and nutty tones immediately temper the syrupy sweetness. The smoke acts as a counterbalance, grounding the maple in spice and earth.
Midway Harmony:
• Second Third: Introduces richer cocoa and baking spice alongside caramelized wood tones. The retrohale brings warm spice and toasted almond.
As both settle in, the pairing finds its rhythm: • The bourbon’s maple and oak enrich the cigar’s cocoa and roasted nut character. • The cigar’s Nicaraguan spice pulls forward the bourbon’s hidden rye zest, revealing cinnamon and clove. Together they create a sweet-smoke interplay reminiscent of pecan pie beside a campfire.
Finale:
• Final Third: Intensifies with espresso, oak, and a gentle mineral finish that cleanses the palate without bitterness.
Toward the end, the cigar’s espresso and woodsy finish draw out the bourbon’s lingering charred oak and vanilla. The sweetness softens, replaced by toasted caramel and spice that linger harmoniously.
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PAIRING NOTES •...
Sticks-n-Stonez
Sticks-n-Stonez is a weekly podcast that pairs fine cigars with premium spirits. Each week a premium hand rolled cigar is paired with just the right spirit to enhance the palate and profile of each offering. During the episode Brent, the host, will share details about each offering and then present his opinion on the visual aspects, nose, and palate of the cigar and spirit and detail his opinion and rating of the pairing. He will also sprinkle in some of his own offbrand humor. Between each episode you can catch Brent on Instagram at @sticksnstonez1. The show's Insta account is approaching 20,000 followers so you should really jump in now.
Brent is a retired combat veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He picked up cigars while deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in 2004 and has been developing his nose and palate ever since. With two decades of experience in cigars and 3 decades in fine spirits his senses are acutely tuned to provide the best possible advice.
