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 E12 Bourbon & Cigar Pairing Bliss Holladay Soft Red Wheat BiB Bourbon & LADC Mi Amor
Sticks-n-Stonez
58 minutes
1 month ago
S5 E12 Bourbon & Cigar Pairing Bliss Holladay Soft Red Wheat BiB Bourbon & LADC Mi Amor
When it comes to pairing bourbon with cigars, balance is everything. The right match highlights each element’s strengths without overwhelming the palate. The Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled in Bond bourbon and the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor cigar come together in a way that delivers both harmony and intrigue, making for an elevated tasting experience.
The Bourbon
Ben Holladay’s Soft Red Wheat Bottled in Bond is a small-batch wheated bourbon crafted in Missouri, adhering to the Bottled in Bond standards: distilled in one season, aged a minimum of four years in bonded warehouses, and bottled at 100 proof.
On the nose, it opens with warm vanilla, honeyed oak, and orchard fruit, layered with subtle baking spice and caramelized sugar. The wheat mash bill softens the edges, offering a smoother introduction compared to a high-rye bourbon.
The palate is silky and rounded, bringing flavors of toasted caramel, ripe stone fruit, and soft wheat bread with a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon. At 100 proof, it carries enough structure to stand up to a cigar without becoming overly aggressive. The finish is long and mellow, with lingering notes of vanilla cream and gentle oak spice.
The Cigar
The La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor, blended by José “Pepín” García in Nicaragua, is a medium-to-full bodied cigar wrapped in a dark Mexican San Andrés Maduro leaf. It is known for its depth, richness, and smooth delivery of flavors.
Size: 5.2″ x 56 “Duque” Robusto Country of Origin: Nicaragua Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan
Nose: The Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper gives off a rich, earthy scent with notes of dark chocolate, barnyard/hay, cedar, hints of molasses a dried fruit, A classic tobacco scent, slightly sweet and organic, often associated with well-aged tobacco.
Cold Draw: Cocoa and coffee, sweet tobacco, mild peppery spice, and some nutty undertones.
First light draw, the Mi Amor offers earthy espresso, dark cocoa, and pepper spice, with hints of sweet cedar and roasted nuts weaving through. The San Andrés wrapper contributes a natural sweetness that rounds out the more robust notes, while the Nicaraguan fillers provide backbone and complexity.
Retrohale: Rich, roasted notes that mirror the espresso and chocolate found in the retrohale once lit.
The Pairing
The beauty of this pairing lies in how the bourbon’s soft wheat sweetness complements the cigar’s dark, earthy richness. The vanilla and caramel notes from the Ben Holladay bourbon play beautifully against the Mi Amor’s cocoa and espresso, creating a dessert-like synergy reminiscent of chocolate-covered toffee or mocha latte.
Meanwhile, the cigar’s San Andrés wrapper, with its natural sweetness, highlights the bourbon’s stone fruit and honey tones, giving the pairing an unexpected vibrancy. The bourbon’s proof ensures it won’t get lost beside the cigar’s strength, while the wheat foundation smooths out any rough edges, preventing palate fatigue over the course of the smoke.
Half: As it progresses, the cigar develops layers of dark chocolate, leather, and subtle fruit undertones, maintaining excellent balance without overwhelming harshness. The retrohale adds a peppery zing that keeps the palate engaged.
The finish is where the magic lingers: the bourbon leaves behind vanilla-oak spice just as the cigar closes with chocolate and pepper, creating a layered, evolving aftertaste that keeps the taster coming back for more.
Final Thoughts
Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled in Bond bourbon and...
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.
