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Not long ago, a friend recommended Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon to me. Knowing we share a similar appreciation for well-crafted bourbons, it seemed like a recommendation worth following. During a recent it out of state road trip, I made a quick shopping stop and spotted a bottle on the shelf. Even though it’s readily available at home, I picked it up while the recommendation was still fresh in my mind.
I cracked open the bottle one evening last week and enjoyed a pour while relaxing indoors. After an evening with the bourbon on its own, the question became which cigar would best complement its rich toasted sweetness.
We’ve enjoyed a brief respite from the summer heat over the past few days, making time on the porch with a cigar and bourbon especially enjoyable. It also provided the perfect opportunity to pair the Elijah Craig with an E.P. Carrillo Pledge Purple.
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon uses the same mash bill as several of Heaven Hill’s other bourbons. The change occurs in the finishing process. After the usual maturation process, the bourbon spends additional time in a second, custom-toasted new oak barrel. The lighter toast is said to emphasize sweeter, dessert-like flavors rather than the deeper oak influence associated with a heavier char. The bourbon is bottled at 94 proof.
The aroma from the glass is quite rich, with delightful notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, and even some chocolate. The first sip brings baking spices. They soon give way to toffee and caramel, along with lightly toasted wood. The finish lingers with cocoa, oak, and a pleasing hint of smokiness. From the start, I was thinking not only of suitable companion cigars, but also that the toasted bourbon would make a great Old Fashioned.
The E.P. Carrillo Pledge Purple has been sitting in the humidor since I purchased a box in March. The Purple was created to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the highly regarded Pledge line. It uses the same Havana-seed Connecticut wrapper from that original crop which has now been aged an additional five years. Beneath that well-aged wrapper lies a Mexican binder and Nicaraguan fillers from Estelí, Condega, and Ometepe. The Toro vitola is sharply boxed and measures 6 x 54.
The Pledge Purple profile is complex yet refined and balanced. Throughout the smoke, a blend of cedar, roasted nuts, espresso, cocoa, and mild spice treat the taste buds. The overall impression is creamy and earthy, with a mild natural sweetness to balance the bitter notes.
Enjoyed together, the caramel and toasted notes of the bourbon seemed to accentuate the natural sweetness of the cigar’s aged wrapper. Each leaves a lingering finish that complements the other. Though the bourbon and cigar offered contrasting flavor profiles, they remained remarkably balanced. Neither dominated the pairing, allowing each to complement the other while retaining its own distinct character.
Throughout the 90-minute smoke, I also delighted in the welcome weather. A July evening with temperatures below 80° and humidity under 50 percent provided the perfect backdrop for the pairing. It proved to be one of those evenings where neither the cigar nor the bourbon demanded center stage. Instead, each quietly elevated the other, making for an exceptionally relaxing summer evening.
Cheers!
Lord, I hate it when my blog turns into an obituary column.Two good friends are no longer with us. It was just belatedly announced that Tom Marx had passed away this past February. Tom was one of the true “industry insiders.” He began as a Chicago cop and then focused on the gun world, working […]Quote of the Day Workman has been involved in the gun rights movement since the mid- to late-1970s. That is about 20 years more than me. So, if he thinks we still have a long way to go before declaring … Continue reading →
While driving toward the district, police believed that the man intentionally rammed the women’s car.
The women were able to enter the parking lot; however, the man’s car hit theirs again.
Police said the two women got out of the car with the child and tried to enter the police station when the man got out of his car and approached the women.
During the ensuing encounter, shots were fired, and the man was shot multiple times, according to the police release.
One of the women entered the district building and notified officers.
Officers then came out to investigate the incident, detaining the woman and rendering aid to the man.
A 70-year-old man was also taken into custody and officers recovered a firearm from the man's right front pants pocket.
Police say the shooting stemmed from a physical altercation inside the home.
Officials believe this may have been self-defense.
Any kid in my neighborhood when I was in elementary school would have cheerfully murdered people in their beds to get their hands on this USS Enterprise bridge playset.
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Today is Utah's Pioneer Day, honoring the establishment of what became the State of Utah, and part of a terrible but fascinating history of liberty and tyranny. Continue reading →
Eric B. already ran a solid first look at the Shooters Global SG Timer 2 last year , so this isn't going to be just a rehash of his review, although I largely agree with most of his initial assessment of the timer. After spending real time with it over the last couple of months, especially through the Drills Application and its Shotisize AI shot-analyzing client , what stands out to me is less about the hardware and more about how much of a system you're actually buying into. That's what I want to focus on here.
There's something distinctly appealing about pairing a modern red dot sight with traditional wood furniture. This Ruger PC Carbine build showcases that balance beautifully, trading the polymer look of a typical 9mm pistol-caliber carbine for a custom walnut stock that gives the rifle a more classic aesthetic without sacrificing contemporary functionality. Let’s take a closer look at the build, Cinematic Arms’ style.
When Winchester gutted its product line in 1964, buyers and gun writers were appalled—but they shouldn’t have been. They should have seen it coming, because for decades, Winchester had been making iffy business moves that should have prophesied the future.
Samson Manufacturing continues to expand its range of stocks for the Ruger Mini series of rifles. The SAS-14 is a modernized folding chassis system that adds many of the features common on the current generation of carbines. And best of all, it is available for purchase right now.
If you’ve still got bald eagle and patriotic vibes coursing through your veins following the 4th of July, then we’ve got another 250th anniversary firearm to show you. Chiappa USA has announced a Chattanooga Shooting Supply exclusive handgun dubbed the 1911 Field Special 250th Independence Edition that will surely increase your patriotism and street cred.
So whats the plan for the weekend? Well, I’m planning on two things. First, I need to select a spot for the 20′ conex and convey that info to the conex people. Second, I need to experiment with the Milwaukee … Continue reading →
They also cash checks. 7/21/26 New York Post:
The Treasury Department has blocked nearly $100 million in taxpayer money from going to dead people since implementing a government-wide payment verification process last year, The Post has learned.
The department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service discovered the money set to go to ghosts after a review of an eye-popping 885 million payments worth a total of nearly $2.7 trillion.
Smith & Wesson is a household name for many reasons, but something even gun owners might not realize is that they have a military and law enforcement division that is quite popular. To add to that side of their business, they have recently announced an M&P15 SBR (short-barrelled rifle) in .300 Blackout (300 BLK). Then, for us civilians, Smith & Wesson has also announced an M&P15 Pistol in 300 BLK , too.
Between 1990 and 1993, Aimpoint experimented with a red dot optics that was pretty ambitious on several fronts. It used a rectangular window to maximize field of view for hunting rifles and shotguns (this was [...]
The post Aimpoint Square: An Ambitious Failed Prototype first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.
Carry all your range gear in style and never forget your ammo or mags again! A good range bag can help in many ways, here are our top recommendations!Welcome back to Front Line Friday. This week is an editorial, and the topic is the gap between how law enforcement dies and how the profession talks about dying: more officers end their own lives every year than are killed by suspects, and almost nobody trains for that number. Front Line Friday is brought to you by Dead Air Silencers , whose support keeps this column going every week.
A juvenile green sea turtle named Girl Power returned to the Atlantic Ocean Friday after overcoming injuries so severe she wasn't expected to survive.
Quote of the Day We used to believe — still see this in comments — that the left (and their distant patron the USSR) were ultimately good at one thing: propaganda. And for a long time, they seemed to be … Continue reading →
The Houthi announcement that they'd blockade Saudi tankers from transiting the Bab-el-Mandab has sent oil prices back toward the $100/barrel mark again.
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Earlier this week, the Iran-aligned Houthis announced they had expanded their campaign against maritime traffic by targeting Saudi oil shipments through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the key chokepoint on the Red Sea, through which Saudi Arabia has re-directed most of its crude oil shipments to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
China-bound tankers appear to move through Bab el-Mandeb, but some others, including Denmark-flagged products tanker Torm Innovation, have made U-turns in the Red Sea and are now heading north toward the Suez Canal.
Despite the Houthi blockade, “two China-crewed, China-bound tankers loaded at Yanbu and cleared Bab al-Mandeb apparently untouched,” maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Thursday.
A Girl & A Gun welcomed 107 women from 12 states to the 6th Annual Women’s Clays Extravaganza, held July 17-19, 2026.
Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend. Running A Pistol Slide: Clam Shell, Sling Shot, or Slide Release? Or Who Cares? At one point in time, I had very strong opinions about this topic. Now I’m firmly into the “Who Cares” […]
In addition to being a pilot and an all-around Renaissance man, B is also a fantastic cook. I am very blessed to have both dinners and breakfasts cooked to order and to my tastes. Sunday mornings are our usual homecooked breakfast days and B created something that he refers to as Princess Pancakes (because sprinkles) […]
The anti-gunners at the Trace want AR permits, other lunacy.
I have always enjoyed his music. Seeing this 6/23/26 Variety article makes me respect him more. He explained that he was offered seven figures to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival:
"But I’m doing enough that I don’t need to take any amount of money if it makes me feel icky, and that kind of did.”
Saudi Arabia is slowly inching towards the 16th century. It still needs to sign the Abraham Accords and treat women as equals.
Professional organizations in league with government agencies cannot be trusted to do what is right, or tell us the truth about anything. Continue reading →
I found that Home Depot's Heavy Duty Large was big enough for the absurdly large Canon PRO-300 and a much more modest Canon MG2522 with lots of bubble wrap. We are almost done packing and I will be glad to be done
According to victim and witness statements, the suspect yelled "Allahu Akbar" during both attacks, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The NYPD is currently evaluating whether this is a potential hate crime, she said....
While the perpetrator has no known mental health history with the NYPD, the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor, the commissioner said.
Last year, when I was working on my book about Zastava AKs , me and fellow TFB writer Lynndon Schooler visited Zastava factory in Kragujevac, Serbia. Since then, Lynndon has published several comprehensive articles about new Zastava weapons, but there is one more firearm we saw that certainly deserves another article - a .50 Cal sniper rifle called Black Spear.
Photo Of The Day: Norwegian Coast Guard personnel aboard the icebreaker KV Svalbard executed a small arms training exercise (GUNEX) in the Barents Sea in mid-June, qualifying with both the Glock 17 P80 sidearm and the HK416N rifles in the harsh Arctic environment. The photographs capture crew members conducting live fire with the Norwegian standard-issue firearms, one component of comprehensive readiness training conducted regularly aboard the vessel as it patrols the remote waters north of mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago.
Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about how to carry concealed on a motorcycle. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to take a deeper dive into some of the issues we all seem to run into when traveling and where these issues are most common when carrying a concealed handgun. Let's take a closer look at navigating unwelcoming gun areas.
It looks like Bertha will soon limp into Texas, dragging a leg and will soon reach remnant status. She has suffered with wind shear since forming and that suits me fine.
Currently, we have a light rain with 89F temps. Wind out of the southeast at 5 with gusts to 10. Heat index is 99F. Not exactly pleasant, but a lot more tolerable than it has been. In another 12 hours we will put Bertha in the history books and await the rest of the tropical storm alphabet.
By Dave Workman Almost true to form, New Jersey Democrats are reeling in the wake of last week’s Third Circuit Court en banc ruling striking down the state’s ban on so-called “assault weapons” and “large-capacity magazines,” and are already trying to figure ways to skate around the court decision. Politico is reporting that Garden State […]
The post Panic Mode? Report Says NJ Lawmakers Consider Next Moves on Gun Control appeared first on Liberty Park Press.
We’re in the middle of summer, it's hot, and yet you’re still carrying your EDC like a champ (good job, pal). But when was the last time you changed out your carry ammo? 5 years ago? Never? This is your sign that you need new hollow-points, and a slew of our favorite companies have rebates occurring now. We share all three of them below so you can participate in everyone if you like.
The American spirit is strong in innumerable firearm companies this year as we celebrate our 250th anniversary as a nation. Another company that is getting in on that action is MTM Case-Gard with their America250 collection of products that includes a 4-can and 5-can set for any of your unique firearm storage needs.
A screen grab from a YouTube short, it seems that this bear has climbed a utility pole and is resting on the cross bar.
The ‘tism is strong with Check-Mate Magazines with their most recent announcement… patriotism, that is! They have announced a limited-edition magazine set of 1911 double-stack magazines featuring red, white, and blue base plates as they participate in honoring our nation’s 250th anniversary.
A blast from the past with some outstanding modern upgrades. Can the "right hand of the free world" make a comeback?"It appears that Juliun [Stokes] was standing beside the open driver's door reaching into the vehicle when Carl [Loubeau] approached him from that same side of the vehicle and opened fire on him," Chief Niemczyk said. "Dwayne [Walker] was in close proximity, probably around the trunk of the Mustang when he was approached."
Walker, who investigators say is a close friend of Stokes, was also in the driveway. Detectives say he immediately returned fire, shooting Loubeau in what they believe was self-defense.
Investigators say Stokes never fired his weapon. Detectives also believe Loubeau may have mistaken Stokes for Walker, who police say was involved in some type of relationship with Loubeau's girlfriend.
"A lady was saying, 'He's got a knife, he's got a knife," a witness who wished to remain anonymous told CBS LA. "Then he started dipping and dodging in between the lines, and then you hear two shots."
LASD officials say that the suspect, who remains publicly unidentified, was confronted by the customer, who was "lawfully armed and possessed a valid concealed carry permit."
"The customer ordered the male adult to drop the knife. The male adult then charged toward the customer while still armed with the knife, and the customer discharged their firearm," the release said.
Like with all guns, there is a learning curve with the Lodestar Technology LNK9. However, it’s easy and fast to learn the lights that tell you the condition of this personal defense firearm.
On today's episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast, I'm happy to welcome Earle Pope, founder and owner of Chestnut Mountain Manufacturing, a brand-new company out of Brevard, North Carolina, that made quite a splash at GunCon 2026. Chestnut Mountain caught a lot of attention at the show with their OKP-7 reproduction optic, a faithful recreation of the classic Russian-pattern reflex sight built for real AK-platform use. Please give a warm welcome to Earle Pope!
More TFB Behind the Gun Podcast Episodes:
TFB Behind the Gun #209: Ryan w/ Atrius Development Group
TFB Behind the Gun #208: Vortex Edge's Chris Urrutia
TFB Behind the Gun #207: Hot or Not w/ TFB's Doug E
TFB Behind the Gun #227: Earle Pope w/ Chestnut Mountain Manufacturing
[blockquote]On today's episode of TFB's Behind the Gun Podcast, I'm happy to welcome Earle Pope, founder and owner of Chestnut Mountain Manufacturing, a new company out of Brevard, North Carolina. Earle founded Chestnut Mountain in 2024 with a goal of bri...
Quote of the Day We are unpersuaded by the State’s argument that LCMs are not “Arms” covered by the Second Amendment because they are not necessary to operate a firearm. The State reasons that firearms can operate with smaller capacity … Continue reading →
Perhaps I’ve been feeling nostalgic about our visits to Italy, or perhaps the warm summer evenings have simply had me reaching for lighter, shorter cigar and beverage pairings. Whatever the reason, I’ve been enjoying sipping various amari and other digestif-style beverages after dinner. On one recent evening, I reached for a bottle of Amaro Nonino Quintessentia. Fittingly, I paired it with a Toscano Antico.
Amaro Nonino is an Italian herbal liqueur built on a base of grappa, the grape-pomace spirit for which the Nonino family is renowned. The grappa is infused with a wide assortment of herbs, flowers, bark, and roots before being refined with aged Nonino grape distillate.
The amaro offers a pleasing balance of sweetness and bitterness, with the sweeter notes holding a slight edge. Orange peel, honey, alpine herbs, and a gently bitter marmalade note lead the profile. Though most often served as a digestif, Amaro Nonino is also consumed as an aperitif, most often in a cocktail such as the Amaro Nonino Spritz or a Paper Plane.
Whenever we visit Italy, one of my first stops is a tabaccheria to pick up a few Toscano cigars. Inevitably, a handful make the trip home with me. The Toscano Antico featured here has been resting in my humidor since our Fall 2024 visit.
Toscano Antico is one of the bolder smokes in the Toscano lineup. The wrapper is made from select North American Kentucky, fire-cured for over 30 days using hickory and oak. The binder leaves are a blend of Italian Kentucky, primarily from Tuscany, and North American Kentucky grown in Kentucky and Tennessee. The North American wrapper and extended aging produce a more assertive smoke than classics such as the Toscano Classico.
A Toscano Antico enjoyed alongside Amaro Nonino Quintessentia makes for more than a harmonious pairing. It feels rooted in tradition. Sipping an Italian amaro while smoking Italy’s iconic fire-cured cigar evokes a shared heritage that extends well beyond flavor.
Neither is particularly sweet, nor aggressively bitter. Instead, each occupies the broad middle ground where wood, herbs, spice, and restrained sweetness overlap. Together, they create a pairing that feels unmistakably Italian.
The Toscano Antico opens with the unmistakable aroma of fire-cured Kentucky tobacco. Campfire smoke, toasted oak, black pepper, and dry earth establish a rustic foundation that is bold without becoming harsh. As the cigar settles, notes of leather, roasted walnuts, bitter cocoa, and espresso emerge, adding depth while retaining its characteristically savory profile.
The initial flavors of this particular cigar were softer than I remember from freshly purchased examples. That gentle rounding of the profile is exactly what I expected after two years of rest, as the flavors have had time to meld and mellow.
The first sip of the Amaro Nonino introduced orange peel, honey, alpine herbs, and warm baking spices to the mix. The honey lends just enough sweetness to soften the sharper edges of the Kentucky tobacco.
One of the more surprising aspects of the pairing is how it changes both components. The cigar becomes slightly rounder and more refined, while the amaro loses much of its perceived sweetness, revealing additional layers of herbs and spice.
As with my earlier pairing of Southern Draw Evening Primrose and Amaro Montenegro, I found that those moments are what make pairing cigars with amari so enjoyable. Neither simply accompanies the other; rather, each subtly reshapes the experience of the other. Discovering those changes is part of the pleasure.
Midway through the smoke, the cigar truly hits its stride. Deeper cocoa and espresso notes emerge. The interplay of bitter cocoa and espresso from the cigar complements the orange marmalade, toasted oak, vanilla, and herbal complexity of the amaro. Even in the finish, the flavors linger on the palate with lasting wood smoke, herbs, citrus, and sweet nuts.
As the cigar neared its end, nearly ninety minutes after lighting, roasted wood and black pepper reached their peak. The warm herbs and bright citrus of the Nonino refreshed the palate, keeping the final third from becoming heavy.
I found myself slowing down, allowing several minutes between draws and small sips. The Toscano Antico burned slowly and steadily, requiring little attention beyond simply savoring the flavors.
Toscano Antico and Amaro Nonino proved to be an exceptionally satisfying after-dinner combination. More than simply complementing one another, they captured something of the relaxed rhythm of evenings we’ve enjoyed in Italy.
As the sun slowly disappeared beyond the trees, I found myself thinking once again of the sunsets over the canals of Venice. While I may have been sitting on a screened porch in rural Virginia rather than beside an Italian canal, for an hour and a half, the pairing brought those memories pleasantly back to life.
Cheers!
One of the things that drove me absolutely nuts about The Walking Dead was how these people are running around in the summer, in Georgia, wearing the same clothes day after day, getting covered in sweat, dirt, and entrails…..and no … Continue reading →
Is the Data Center Controversy as artificial as the artificial intelligence that supposedly is pushing it? Or is there something else going on? Continue reading →
The iconic American rifle of World War 1 is the 1903 Springfield, but most of the Doughboys were issued a different gun. The US Rifle, Model of 1917, also known as the Enfield or P17, thanks to the vagaries of history, was the most prevalent US rifle by far. Over two million were made in a two-year span. So how does it stack up today?
In 2020, the French Armed Forces selected the Glock 17 Gen5 as their new standard service pistol, naming it PANG for Pistolet Automatique de Nouvelle Génération. Over the next two years, Glock delivered 74,596 examples in coyote-colored polymer frames and black slides, each marked with Austrian coat-of-arms engravings and fitted with luminescent U-notch sights. This single procurement modernized a force still carrying MAC 1950s and license-produced Beretta 92Fs - a four-decade equipment gap finally closed.
Founded in the early 20th century, Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin, aka Manurhin, has done a lot of things. They made food processing machinery and scooters. But after World War II, like much of reindustrializing Europe, they were keen to try new things, so they started making semi-auto pistols. First they licensed the Walther PP, PPK, and PPK/S designs, and built a reputation for solid quality. Then, the French government did something that many would find surprising: They asked Manurhin to build them a .357 Magnum revolver.
Plaquemine Parish is bracing.... well, acknowledging that TS Bertha is about to come ashore. It ain't much as tropical storms go, but if you're going to be hit, this is the one to get hit by.
Otherwise, it is just Wednesday. We had some friends drop by after lunch and it is too damned hot to work outside anyway. Current atmospherics are 96F with 60% humidity and a heat index of 115. It's warm out there. Wind is out of the NE, steady at 8, gusting to 13 and feels like a blow-drier.
I think I'll stay my butt indoors.