Good Pairings for Great Times
Cigars and Brews at Cigar Life
PHOTOS BY JON SIERRA
After more than four decades in the grocery business, a friend lit the flame of a new passion for Mario and Patty Medina, and that flame ignited into a passion that was the catalyst for the couple opening Cigar Life in South Lakeland in 2017.
They joke they traded in the keys to their Corvettes for the keys to the lounge, but their dedication to cultivating an exquisite experience where locals can connect, kick back and enjoy some of the world’s finest flavors and aromas proves there is no second guessing that decision.
Cigar Life is a Diamond Crown Lounge, meaning they are part of a network of J.C. Newman Cigar Company approved lounges that carry the exclusive and limited edition Diamond Crown Julius Caesar 1895 cigar.
The lounge also offers up an impressive variety of craft beers and fine wines that pair delightfully with the large selection of cigars.
They host a weekly poker night, and Cigar Life is actively involved in and supports a number of community endeavors.
“My favorite thing about owning Cigar Life is the customers, the camaraderie—and that’s not a tagline, I mean that sincerely,” Mario says. “We’ve developed relationships here that transcend relationships we’ve had for years and years.”
As a way of inviting Lakelanders in for a time of relaxation and connecting with each other, the Medina’s shared with us a few of their most recommended pairings for having a good time and making great friends.
Diamond Crown Classic #4 with Zundert Trappist
The Diamond Crown Classic features a five-year-old Connecticut Fermented Wrapper and has full aromas of cedar with a fair share of citrus freshness in this luxurious smooth cigar. Floral aromas and a little white pepper are particularly well suited in the silky transparent texture of smoke.
This pairs perfectly with a European tripel ale brewed by monks within the walls of Zundert Trappist Monastery. This beer has an aroma of caramel, herbs and spices—initially floral and slightly sweet— and its character develops from light caramel to a lovely, dry, mellow hoppy bitterness as the flavor opens.
Julius Caesar Robusto
This pairing is for java lovers. The Julius Caesar Robusto’s rich, bold and distinctive flavor comes from the especially flavorful Ecuadorian Havana-seed wrappers combined with a blend of fine Dominican binder and select Dominican and Central American filler tobaccos, carefully aged for five years. Lots of rich, coffee-laden smoke layers the palate with each puff. The bold coffee is balanced by sweet and spicy woody flavors and a savory finish.
Hop Life Brewing Company out of Port St. Lucie offers up an ideal mate with a beer that uses locally roasted coffee that include hazelnut, coconut and southern pecan bourbon flavors. The coffee is cold brewed and then blended with milk porter to create a medium bodied beer with a hint of chocolate, cream and roasted nut flavor.
Diamond Crown
Maximus #5 with Cigar City Maduro
The unique and remarkably smooth, full-bodied flavor of the Diamond Crown Maximus is unparalleled, featuring the richest, hardiest and darkest tobacco from the top priming ‘corona’ of the plant. Dark and aromatic, this cigar features superb construction and a balanced profile. It delivers pleasant notes of fresh brewed coffee and roasted nuts throughout the powerful but refined smoke.
The Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale, produced out of Tampa, is a low alcohol content and moderate body drink that offers aromas reminiscent of toffee and chocolate macaroons. Semi-sweet chocolate, almond, and brown sugar flavors fill the palate but quickly dissipate into a dry, clean finish with notes of coffee grounds.