Cigar and Wine Review – Don Cervantes Masterpiece Platinum

Don Cervantes MasterPiece Platinum on Ash

We recently did an interview with Max Myers of ACC Holdings, the owner that produces Don Cervantes Cigars. This brand is making a debut in the US on the West coast sometime in November, starting with the Bay Area (lucky me!) and if you have the opportunity, make sure to pick up a few sticks.

First off, let’s set the scene. I met Max at The Occidental in San Francisco hoping to get a quiet spot for an interview for Pure Indulgence. That sort of happened. Thank goddess for a quality mic. Anyway, I ordered the Chateau Souverain 2009 Merlot.

First off, the wine.

This Merlot starts off with fruit with just enough tannins though I prefer more. It’s a light bodied yet easy drinking merlot that reminded me of velvety smooth refinement perfect for the cigars which I were about to smoke. With a medium finish, the wine is clearly a winner.

It gets better.

I lit up the Don Cervantes Masterpiece Platinum, a maduro wrapped cigar that has been fermented for almost a year and aged another 7-10 years (depending on variety of breed within the cigar) before rolling. The proper care of the tobacco makes a huge difference in all aspects of the cigar and it’s blatantly evident in the Masterpiece Platinum. Upon lighting the cigar, I noticed instantly pleasant aromas of tobacco and spice that welcomed themselves without being overly aggressive. The En Tubado bunching method of rolling cigars makes for an impressive picture but more importantly, a tight ash that holds well enough together that the cigar can literally stand on ash. I’ve only done this with the NUB cigars as they’re short and stout. A tight white ash compliments the look by holding onto the cigar for at least an inch if not more.

Flavor profile on the first third developed into a little more complexity as the cigar burned. It had an easy draw compared to the Tres Maduro (review to follow) also by Don Cervantes. The cigar paired beautifully with the Chateau Souverain such that the flavors of both the cigar and wine melded together to enhance my experience and enjoyment of both.

During the last third of the cigar, hints of pure cinnamon appeared, adding a delightful taste to the deepening chocolate and cocoa taste of this cigar.

Over the course of the next few weeks we’ll be discussing more wines and returning to Don Cervantes cigars to discuss their cigars. I hope to have pictures soon and when the interview with Max Myers goes up on Radio Dentata you’ll be the first to know!

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