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.
An exploration of complementary sweet and spicy craftsmanship
When two thoughtfully crafted products—each aged in bourbon barrels and made with meticulous attention to detail—are brought together, the result can be more than the sum of its parts. The pairing of Penelope Toasted Bourbon with the Perdomo Bourbon Barrel Aged Sungrown Robusto cigar is one such harmonious experience, rooted in shared flavor foundations and contrasting character that enhances both.
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Penelope Toasted Bourbon: A Toasted Twist on Tradition
Penelope Bourbon’s Toasted Series starts with their signature four-grain straight bourbon, typically aged 4–5 years and finished in a variety of custom-toasted barrels. The toasted barrel finish imbues the whiskey with added layers of sweet char, spice, and baked confection notes.
Flavor Profile Nose: Vanilla bean, warm marshmallow, baking spice, and light oak. Palate: Caramelized sugar, cinnamon roll, nutmeg, graham cracker, and toasted almond. Finish: Medium to long with a gently drying warmth, hints of toasted coconut, and a lingering brown sugar sweetness.
What stands out is its balance—sweet but never cloying, warm but not overly oaky. The toasted barrel finish lends a mellower, smoother character that makes it both sippable neat and ideal for pairing with rich tobacco.
The Perdomo Sungrown Robusto is a Nicaraguan puro, aged for a total of six years—five in traditional aging rooms, then an additional year in spent bourbon barrels. This secondary barrel aging process infuses subtle caramel and oak undertones into the tobacco without overwhelming the robust Nicaraguan character.
Flavor Profile Size: 5x54 Visual: dark oily Habano wrapper, tight seams, minimal veining Pre-light aroma: Earthy with a hint of spice and faint molasses.
The wrapper, exposed to significant sun, brings natural oils and strength, delivering medium-full body and consistent flavor evolution throughout the smoke.
First third: Black pepper, roasted coffee, and charred wood.
Second third: Transitions into cedar, cinnamon, and nuttiness, with emerging sweetness.
Final third: Leather, dark chocolate, and a touch of smoky bourbon oak.
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Pairing Dynamics: A Balanced Dance
The appeal of this pairing lies in the shared bourbon DNA. Both the whiskey and cigar benefit from contact with charred oak barrels, offering complementary flavors of caramel, vanilla, toasted spice, and charred wood. Yet, they diverge just enough to create an engaging contrast.
Togerher The toasted sweetness of the Penelope Bourbon mellows the cigar’s earthy spice, particularly during the first third.
As the cigar deepens into its cedar and pepper core, the whiskey’s nutty and marshmallow tones act as a soothing counterpoint, never overshadowing the cigar’s bold Nicaraguan base.
During the final third, where the cigar gains complexity and a hint of cocoa and char, Penelope’s long finish provides continuity, adding a buttery sweetness that echoes the cigar’s richer notes.
This pairing is a fine example of parallel aging techniques leading to flavorful harmony: each elevates the other without domination. The bourbon draws out the cigar’s sweeter nuances, while the cigar gives the whiskey an earthy anchor.
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Final Thoughts
This pairing works not simply because both the bourbon and cigar have seen time in charred oak barrels, but because of how each interprets that influence. Penelope Toasted Bourbon leans into softness, confection, and layered warmth, while the Perdomo Sungrown Robusto delivers sun-drenched strength, earth, and spice.
Together, they tell a story of tradition modernized,...
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.
