Before Hammer + Sickle got into the cigar business they were in the spirits business. Hammer + Sickle Vodka begins their process in the Black Earth region of central Russia where arctic temperatures produce an excellent crop. Every spring the wheat is harvested and shipped to their distillery in Klin where small batches of ultra smooth vodka are created.
With the addition of Ginger Beer with lime to their arsenal the ingredients for a Moscow Mule are readily available and the cigar we are going to pair it with today is the home of the Moscow Mule, Moscow City.
Best served chilled in a copper mug, Eric Hanson of Hammer + Sickle stopped by 2 Guys Smoke Shop to take us through the process.
Size: Petit Robusto (4.75 x 52)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Full
The Look: The Moscow City features an oily looking Connecticut Broadleaf that is seamlessly rolled with some significant tooth. The slightly oversized red band, with silver foil denotes the brand Hammer + Sickle, and the line Moscow City. Firm in hand, the foot is slightly porous with a nice weight.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Moscow City reminds me a lot of a Henkle Kelner blended cigar with barnyard notes of hay and grass. The foot serves up notes of hay and wheat.
Once the cigar is lit the primary focal point of the cigar is dark earth and a slight sweetness. Once you sip the Moscow Mule with the Moscow City the cigar changes becoming sweet, and refreshing like the drink itself. The nose the cigar has a slight pepper note.
In the second third of the cigar, the Moscow City begins to take on a dark chocolate note that screams Connecticut Broadleaf and there is still a base note of earth, specifically wheat which works well with the Moscow Mule. As the second third comes to a close the chocolate notes dazzle the palate and I pour myself another Moscow Mule> Through the nose the cigar takes on a citrus like note bordering on lime.
The last third of the Moscow City from Hammer + Sickle becomes one with the Moscow Mule, the Ginger Beer and Lime goes puff and pour creating an enjoyable experience with a subtle pepper through the nose.
The Burn: A slow burning cigar, the Moscow City has a thin carbon line with light color firm ash. The draw offers a subtle resistance and burns very cool. The cigar from Hammer + Sickle remained lit from first light to last puff.
The Finish: Pairing is often a difficult as finding a cigar to compliment the components of a drink isn’t as easy at seems. The Moscow Mule helps bring out the earthy components in the first half and helps enhance the sweetness of the second half. The best thing about the Moscow City is the cigar smokes like an exceptional Broadleaf even on its own and has become my go to cigar for Broadleaf at the time of this posting.
Score: 92
Price: $8.99 Single / $152.99
Moscow City
Moscow City Foot
Moscow Mule & Moscow City
