Whiskey Review: OYO Whiskey

Have you ever had something so good, you didn't even want it anymore? Like you don't deserve the awesomeness? I am not worthy of this whiskey. Seriously. It's that good.

First a little back story. We travel to the magical land of Columbus, Ohio. Okay so nothing magical but still a really cool place to visit if you're in the area. Middle West Spirits is a new addition to the city and a very popular one at that. They are part of the boutique distillery movement that you're seeing all over the country. Middle West offers vodkas sold under the OYO name but they also dabbled in whisky, as seen here.And to be frank I think it's the shit.

This whiskey is made with 100% red Ohio wheat and then carefully aged to perfection in oak. It's only aged about a year but that's all it takes for something this amazing. Now for the tasting notes:

Color: deep gold
Nose: syrup, and dark cherries
Palate: heaven, but for real- brown sugar, fruit, cinnamon
Body: full and syrupy
Finish: long and spicy, more of that cinnamon

I really can't speak highly enough of this whiskey. It is truly one of my favorites. I also think that half the fun was trying to find a bottle. I am a Cleveland native and it's really hard to find a bottle all the way up here. I had to have friends go down to Columbus and get it for me. Best gift ever. In conclusion, I give this Ohio born whiskey a strong 9.5 out of 10.

Questions for YOU: What is your favorite local distillery?

Cigar Review: Thurman Thomas Hall of Fame Maduro

What would you do if you were an NFL Hall of Famer? Start up a cigar line of course!

That is exactly what Thurman Thomas did with this Stogie Boys exclusive. After a career of beating up your body, sitting down and smoking a nice cigar seems like just the ticket. With this modestly priced cigar you can do that on more than one occasion too.

These Hall of Fame sticks run for $4 . They are a staple of the retailer and not a bad go-to cigar. The construction is decent on this slightly oily maduro. Nice draw and lite evenly despite not being in my humidor for long. Upon burning, you notice its mellow, wispy smoke. Not very strong but pleasant  The cigar was smooth and creamy, making it very easy to smoke. It had a mellow sweetness like the savory taste of a pecan. It was mild overall, with a nice clean finish. Not a lot of flavors in there, but there was a little spice at the end.

The cigar was a decent smoke and burned great the whole time. It didn't have as much flavor as one would hope, but still good. I would not quite call this a medium-bodied cigar, but also not a lightweight either. It is a tweener. If you are looking for a good anytime smoke, here is your man! Figuratively…well I guess literally too. Give the Thurman a try. This economical cigar gets a decent 7 of 10. Enjoy!

Questions for YOU: What will you be smoking during the Superbowl? A Thurman maybe!?

Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Fusion

A shmorgishborg of tobacco. When I saw a cigar called “Fusion” I knew this was going to be a whole bunch of leaves and different tobacco varieties. But would it be any good?

Rocky P is my cigar buddy and he would never steer me wrong, right? I mean when is the last time you have had a bad Rocky? Rare indeed.

Well good news, this cigar was is no dud. The Fusion uses a tasty Habano wrapper over a Connecticut wrapper and Ecuadorian binders. These are then blended with a mix of Nicaraguan, Honduran and Cameroon fillers.

So what does all that mean?! A sweet and well rounded taste. As soon as you light this cigar, a sweetness takes over. The woody and earthy tastes come in after and finish out. This medium bodied cigar has a long, smooth finish with a sort of tangy taste. It isn't mind blowing, but surprisingly complex and tasty.  

I was impressed with the Fusion and RP seems to have put out another great cigar. At $6 a stick, it is a great cigar. I would have rated it higher if it was a little stronger actually. The flavor was great, just not enough of it! I gave this a stick 7.5 out of 10. 

Questions for YOU: Have you had the Fusion? Or another stogie with many different leaf varieties, thoughts?