Wine of Adyar Monastère de Rechmaya 2012

Lebanese Wines: Adyar Monastère de Rechmaya

Name: Monastère de Rechmaya 2012
Type: Red Wine
Grapes: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet-Franc
Year: 2012
Country: Lebanon
Region: Chouf
Date Consumed: December 9, 2023

It was cold outside,
not as cold as it should have been,
but cold enough for wine to be drunk
to warm our spirits.

“Such a lovely restaurant,” one of us said
as we let the waiter lead us to our table.
Our table faced the fireplace —
“Such a lovely fireplace!” —
where the gentle fire performed
a belly dance.

We ordered arak first,
and then wine,
and then mezze.

And we talked until
our stomachs were full.

I must say,
This is the kindest December I’ve ever met.
It has rained a few times
but not enough times to convince people
that a new season has come.


Smoking an Oliva Serie V Melanio Double Toro cigar at Whisky Live Beirut.

Have a Cigar: Oliva Serie V Melanio Double Toro

Name: Oliva Serie V Melanio Double Toro
Country: Nicaragua
Shape: Box-Pressed
Size: Double Toro (6 inches x 60)
Strength: Medium to Full

I remember smoking my first Melanio, and I remember it like it was yesterday. What a cigar! It really deserved its place in my Top 10 of 2022.

As for this one, the big and beautiful Oliva Serie V Melanio Double Toro, what can I say about it? It is as good as any Melanio I have ever smoked.

Even burn, great draw, creamy smoke, and a harmony of notes. It’s a masterpiece produced to be burned.

Moreover, as I was at Whisky Live Beirut when I was smoking it, I also got the chance to pair it with amazing whiskies: Teeling Blackpitts, Talisker and Mortlach from Diageo’s Special Releases, Super Nikka, and Chivas Extra 13 Tequila Cask Selection.

What more can a dilettante ask for?

Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas El Embargo Cigar Review

Have a Cigar: Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas El Embargo

Name: Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas El Embargo
Country: Nicaragua
Shape: Parejo
Size: Gordo (6 inches x 60)
Strength: Medium to Full

A cigar on a Sunday evening to conclude a long week.
A big cigar for a big week.

It’s the first time I try the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas El Embargo, and now I like it very much. It’s bold, spicy, and complex. But we’re not dealing with the Gordian Knot here. Its complexity is ready to be deciphered.

I paired it with espresso and sparkling water. But if I hadn’t had arak with lunch, I would have gone with a good single malt. Maybe next time I will.