Posts filed under Food Wine & Cigars

Experience: Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos. Just Like the Royal Oak, It Takes More than Money to Smoke One.

Just like an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo 5402SA, when it comes to cigars, Cohiba is a name that needs very little introduction. Savvy watchlifestylers already know that Cohiba stands for the highest quality in fine cigar making and the flagship brand of Habanos from Cuba.

Created in 1966 for Fidel Castro and handmade at the world famous 'El Laguito' factory, these cigars were originally only seen outside of the island when presented as gifts to heads of state or dignitaries throughout the world. Additionally, Cohiba is a brand with a very limited production of cigars per year making it even more exclusive.

The Cohiba name has its origins from the the ancient 'Taino' language word that was used to refer to bunches of tobacco leaves. 'Taino' is the language used by the Taino Indians that populated the islands of the Caribbean before the Spanish Conquest in the 1500s.

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Posted on October 19, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide, Audemars Piguet and tagged Cohiba Maduro 5 Magicos Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo 5402SA El Laguito Cigar Factory Cohiba Vuelta Abajo Region Taino Indians Cigar Review Cohiba Maduro 5 Magicos Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos It Takes More Than Money to Wear the Royal Oak Top Food 2014.

Experience: Iberico 'Pata Negra' Ham 5J Cinco Jotas along with a Rolex Submariner ref. 16800. When Two Classics Meet.

It's been a while since we brought you content around food, one of the key components of the good life. The Iberico acorn-fed ham from Spain is as classic and refined as an unpolished Rolex Submariner 16800 with tons of real patina. Faithful to its origins, Cinco Jotas makes one of the finest acorn-fed hams in Spain and the company has maintained the purity of the 'Pata Negra' —black hoof— Iberian pigs they use as well as the proper preservation of their natural ecosystem —in which the pigs develop— flawlessly, just like Rolex has kept its DNA intact over the last 60 years. The 'Pata Negra' acorn-fed ham Cinco Jotas, just like real patina on a Rolex Submariner is easily identified by its color, texture, overall appearance and cannot be faked as those that are true connoisseurs will be able to spot it.

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Posted on August 9, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Rolex and tagged Rolex Submariner ref. 16800 Jabugo Cinco Jotas Top Food 2014.

Experience: Omega Hosts a Special Preview of their Baselworld 2014 Novelties in Partnership with WatchCollectingLifestyle in Chicago.

A few days ago, the Omega Boutique on Michigan Avenue here in Chicago, hosted a special preview of the Baselworld 2014 novelties in partnership with our publication. This wonderful evening included all the new watches presented at Baselworld 2014 presented earlier this year —with the exception of the Speedmaster 'Lunar Dust'— and their new line of NATO straps that will become available in the month of August across the Omega Boutique network. While we have seen the novelties multiple times, we have not played with the NATO straps enough. Fortunately, this time, we were able to see the NATO straps fitted on a few of the novelties as well as on other watches from the current collection. We even put a gorgeous Omega leather NATO strap on the new Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 45th Anniversary that looked just amazing.

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Posted on July 27, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Omega, Food Wine & Cigars, Events and tagged Omega Baselworld 2014 Novelties Speemaster Professional Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 45th Anniversary Omega NATO Straps Alexander McQueen Bag Tumi Tech Bag Negroni Most Popular 2014.

Experience: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Along with the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph.

The pinnacle whisky of the House of Walker — it is the epitome of blending—, just like the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph —reviewed here— is one of the pinnacles of Montblanc timepieces. Created to reflect the style of whiskies in the early 19th century, Johnnie Walker Blue Label is created using some of the rarest casks from the Johnnie Walker stocks, the largest in the world. The casks are hand-selected and set aside for their exceptional quality, character and flavor. The character of Blue Label is truly unique; it is complex, powerful, incredibly smooth and retains the Johnnie Walker signature smokiness.

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Posted on July 25, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Montblanc, Sybarite Guide and tagged Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Automatic Johnnie Walker Blue Label Top Food 2014.

Experience: Davidoff Cigar Shop at the Paradeplatz in Zürich. A Must for Cigar Aficionados.

Nestled in between Blue Lemon and the Galerie Gmurzynska at Paradeplatz 3 —just across from the Credit Suisse headquarters in Zürich— lies one of Zürich's oldest cigar shops now displaying a huge Davidoff sign. This cozy and intimate cigar shop, is located just a few steps away from the Blancpain boutique and Türler featured in our Zürich Watch Shopping Guide here. The shop opened its doors in the 1800s and offers a wide selection of Davidoff cigars, Habanos, loose tobacco, accessories and some very fine liquors. To get to this shop, just get on the VBZ —Zürich Tram System— from the Bahnhof SBB towards the Paradeplatz and in three minutes you'll be there. Now, if you prefer to walk, just follow the Bahnhofstrasse towards the lake but we aware of the fact that you might end up not getting to the cigar shop as you will be doing some serious watch shopping on your way there.

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Posted on June 21, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide, Travel, Audemars Piguet and tagged Davidoff Cigar Shop Paradeplatz Savinelli Pipes Davidoff Cognac Santis Malt Whisky Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Safari Top Food 2014.

Experience: An Evening with Kona Brewing Co. at the Omega Boutique Chicago. Pairing Craft Beer with Timepieces Works Brilliantly.

Earlier this week, we had the pleasure to be invited along with a select group of watch collectors and watchlifestylers, to an intimate beer tasting evening with Kona Brewing Co. at the Omega Boutique in Chicago. As usual, our friends from the Omega Boutique put together a very classy and fun event surrounding us by amazing timepieces in their showcases. As expected, the star of the night was the highly coveted Speedmaster 'Dark Side of the Moon' that several collectors were already sporting. Considering the huge beer connoisseurs that we are and our passion for timepieces, there was no way we would've missed this event.

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Posted on May 24, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Omega and tagged Kona Beer Co. Omega Boutique Chicago Omega Semaster 600 Planet Ocean XL Big Wave Golden Ale Longboard Island Lager Most Popular 2014.

Experience: WatchCollectingLifestyle Hosts Luncheon for Chicago Members of The Rolex Forums.

If watch forums like The Rolex Forums, Timezone, ThePurists or Watchuseek had never existed, it is very likely that the boom of digital watch publications —like ours— would've never taken place and we probably would've not been around at all. Little to no credit is given to some of these most visited watch forums in the world regarding the significant amount of consumer generated content that is hosted by them nor the amazing knowledge and expertise that some of their members possess.

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Posted on May 11, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Events, Rolex & Tudor, Food Wine & Cigars, Rolex and tagged The Rolex Forums 2014.

Experience: Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2. Classic, Elegant and Understated Like an Audemars Piguet.

What better way to relax and enjoy the good life than smoking a good Habano just 90 miles away from Cuba. As we are getting ready to finally welcome the warm weather here in Chicago, we had no other option than to travel to warm weather destinations while it's still cold here in the Windy City. While Key West, Florida is not necessarily the most upscale beach destination in the U.S., it is for sure a very interesting and nostalgic place for Cuban Americans or anyone of Cuban descent. While we were down in Key West, we decided to smoke one of the Cuba's finest and understated cigars, Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2.

A couple of weeks ago, as we found ourselves walking around the picturesque streets of Key West, and specifically along the popular Duval Street, we stumbled upon one of the most beautiful and most important landmarks in Florida, especially for those of Cuban origin. We are talking about The San Carlos Institute, founded in 1871 by Cuban exiles of Key West as an educational, civic, and patriotic center.

Today, The San Carlos is a multipurpose facility that serves as a museum, library, art gallery, theater, and school. Located in the heart of Key West's historic district, the San Carlos is considered to be the cradle of Cuba's independence movement. It was at the San Carlos that Cuban poet and patriot José Martí united the exile community in 1892 to launch the final phase of his campaign for Cuba's independence from Spain. José Martí loved the San Carlos building so much that he called it "La Casa Cuba". Frankly, there's no better place to light up an Epicure No.2 and then walk around the streets of Key West in search for the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset.

Hoyo de Monterrey is an Habano produced in the town of San Luis y Martinez, in the heart of the Vuelta Abajo tobacco region. The Hoyo de Monterrey plantation can be reached through a gate in the town’s main square with the following inscription: "Hoyo de Monterrey. José Gener. 1860". The Spanish word ''Hoyo' —which means 'hole’— in the name of this cigar, refers to the the low lands where the plantation is located by the banks of the San Juan y Martinez river.

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 is an Epicure type of cigar —a short and thick cigar— measuring 4 7/8" in length with a 50 ring gauge. With hints of coffee, chocolate and leather, this cigar is very smooth and even burning with a nice dark ash that holds nice and long. The only downside to this cigar, is the fact that it is so short that one needs to remove its beautiful ring in order to be able to enjoy the cigar till the end.

As we were getting ready to enjoy one of the most beautiful moments of the day at Mallory Square, we decided to accompany our cigar with one of Cuba's most traditional drinks, a refreshing 'Mojito'. The mint in our 'Mojito' was perfectly mashed and the drink perfectly mixed that we can say that this 'Mojito' was at the level of those served at 'La Bodeguita del Medio' in Cuba. Next time you are enjoying the sunset celebration at Mallory Square, you need to make sure you stop by The Westin Key West Resort & Marina to enjoy a few of these Cuban 'Mojitos'

This cigar is always a very attractive choice for those watchlifestylers seeking a delicate yet aromatic Habano that is not too strong but still has a lot of character, elegance and complexity. The flavor profile doesn't change much throughout the first two thirds of the cigar, but it becomes increasingly stronger on the last third. A very common characteristic of fine Cuban Habanos. It provides around 35 minutes of burning time in a perfectly rolled cigar with the best even burn you'll experience.

The Hoyo de Monterrey is so nicely rolled that even the most inexperienced smokers can keep it well lit and burning strong with every puff. For sure a cigar that is as classic and understated as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Safari on our wrist.

Now, pretend you came along and enjoy the sunset with us as we finish our cigar and sip down our 'Mojito'.

For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.  

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide and tagged Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Safari Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26170ST Hermes H Belt 2014.

Experience: Vega Sicilia Tinto 'Valbuena' 5° Vintage 2007. A Superb Wine Just as Good as a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Perpetual.

When it comes to wines from Spain, 'Ribera del Duero' is one of our favorite wine regions and when you think of 'Ribera del Duero', Vega Sicilia is the first name that comes to mind as this is one of the most amazing wineries in that region. Just like when one thinks about one of the best perpetual calendars in the market and the first name name that comes to mind is Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Vega Sicilia Tinto 'Valbuena' 5° vintage 2007 is an spectacular wine mainly made from 'Tempranillo', Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and it is one of the best examples of what great wines are supposed to taste, smell and look like. Vega Sicilia is without a doubt the best and most refined wine made in Spain. In 1864, Eloy Lecanda founded the winery that symbolizes the golden legend of Spanish red wine. Throughout its long history, it has belonged to different owners, although it has always maintained an unquestionable personality, making concentrated, mature, generous and extremely elegant.

Vega Sicilia only makes three different wines under the Vega Sicilia winery brand name: 'Valbuena' 5°, 'Reserva Especial' —with no vintage as this is a blend of different vintages— and 'Único'. Vega Sicilia is also the owner of Pintia, Alion —often called the poor man's Vega Sicilia— and Tokaj Oremus which are not sold under the Vega Sicilia name; however, they still happen to also be some of the best wines in the world.

Bodegas Vega Sicilia is located in the town of Valbuena de Duero between Peñafiel and Valladolid in the wine region of Ribera del Duero in Spain. Since 1982, the company is owned by the Alvaréz family. What makes this wine so unique and well balanced, is the aging process. For the 'Valbuena' 5°, the duration of the aging process in wood is three and a half years and during this time, the wine is rotated form new casks to heavily used American oak casks with the only goal in mind of obtaining the perfect balance between the wine and the wood. Once this has been achieved, the wines finally rest in large wooden vats, which prepares them for later bottling to then end their journey with a calm rest in the bottle in specially acclimatised installations. The time they remain there, depends on the format of the bottle: Vega Sicilia 'Único' —750ml bottle— takes three years or more to age in the bottle, while for the 'Valbuena 5°, the period for aging in the bottle is around a year and a half.

Considering the time that it takes for a certain vintage to make it to the stores you are guaranteed a wine with certain level of maturity and perfection that will be ready to be drank. Now, when it comes to Vega Sicilia wines in the U.S., be prepared to look for it as hard as you can as this winery has a very limited production and only 100 stores carry it in the country.

This wine is characterized for its strong notes of black cherry and oak on the palate and a superb delicate finish with almost no acidity or alcoholic taste on the throat. Best paired with some 'Ibérico' ham, lamb or venison.

Sticker Price $180-230 USD. For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here and for Vega Sicilia here.

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide, Jaeger-LeCoultre and tagged Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5 Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual ref. 1302520 2014.

Experience: Spain's Winebota. The Perfect and Most Stylish Way to Carry Wine.

If you have been to Spain or grew up in a Latin American country, you already know what we are talking about and we are bringing back to life some very fond memories while drinking wine or partying around. A winebota is a leather pouch commonly used in Spain to carry wine and other beverages. The winebota was created centuries ago as an alternative to breakable containers and as a more convenient way to carry wine around. These leather pouches are either lined with latex or with a tree resin —named pez in Spanish and only suitable for wine— to prevent liquid from seeping through. The latex lined winebotas are always the best option as you can carry all sorts of beverages and they are maintenance free. Another great think about them is that you can fit a whole liter of wine in them —a bottle of wine is 750ml.

Now, if you decide to get one of these winebotas to take with you on your next skiing trip to the Swiss Alps or on a hunting trip to the heart of the Appalachian mountains, make sure you drink from it the right way. Once you remove the top cap shaped like a bell from the double endpiece, you need to lift the winebota and stretch your arms as far as possible to then squeeze the wine out and create a long stream shot just like Spaniards do when running with the bulls in Pamplona. These winebotas come in a variety of cool designs, colors and types of leather. The one pictured here is from their Iconography line featuring a wild boar.

Sticker Price $80 USD. For more info on Winebotas click here.

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide, Jaeger-LeCoultre and tagged Winebota Wild Boar Iconography Winebotas 2013.

Experience: H. Upmann Edición Limitada 2009. A Perfect Habano for the Winter Just Like This Girard-Perregaux on the Wrist.

Some people say that cigars are a summer treat and not meant for the cold months, we think that cigars can be enjoyed year round, especially when it comes to perfectly rolled Habanos rich in history and paired with a good whiskey or a nicely aged port.

Just like the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 XXL Large Date Moon-phases, the H. Upmann cigars are full of history. H. Upmann cigars take their name from the German banker named Herman Upmann who loved Cuban cigars so much that decided to move to Havana in 1844 to work as a banker and also became a cigar maker. His bank closed in the early 1920s but his cigars live on as a fine example of an elegant light to medium-flavoured Habano.

This exceptional cigar brand is only made with leaves from the renowned region of 'Vuelta Abajo'. The H. Upmann Edición Limitada 2009 is a limited edition 'vitola' slightly shorter than the H. Upmann Connoisseur No. 1. While the Connoisseur measures 5" long with a 48 ring gauge, the Edición Limitada 2009 is shorter measuring 4.25" in length with the same 48 ring gauge. This delicious cigar presents notes of leather, caramel and some pepper. Exceptionally rich but medium flavored. The flavor profile stays even for the whole cigar. Around thirty minutes of burning time in a perfectly rolled cigar with perfect draw and extremely even burn. 

If you consider yourself a real cigar aficionado and watchlifestyler, this is a cigar that you need to try at least once in your lifetime.

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Girard-Perregaux, Sybarite Guide and tagged H. Upmann Edición Especial 2009 H. Upmann Connoisseur No. 1 Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 XXL Large Date Moon-phases 2013.

Experience: Chivas Regal 18 Pininfarina. A Partnership Between Two Perfectionists and a Great Limited Edition.

Chivas Regal 18 Pininfarina was launched earlier this year throughout the world but it is still scarcely available throughout the U.S. market. This limited edition, product of a collaboration between two perfectionists, will satisfy your luxurious palate to the fullest.

Pininfarina, the acclaimed auto designer that has worked for Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Peugeot and Rolls Royce amongst other car brands and that has also dabbled into the waters of watchmaking in a special partnership with Bovet, has now decided to join forces with one of the top whiskeys in the world in order to create this special edition that gets the best from both brands and blends into a unique experience for watchlifestylers that like the finer things in life. The video below will tell you more about the essence of Pininfarina.

Click on the video only if you are of legal drinking age in your country.

In this special partnership, Paolo Trevisan —Design Manager of Pininfarina Extra— wanted to create something that represented the essence of both brands and we think he did pretty well. A perfect symbol of collaboration. Liquid shaped by air. Pininfarina’s mastery of aerodynamics, combined with the peerless whisky of Chivas Regal 18. Uniting and embodying the passions of both icons, it is the inspiration behind three limited edition expressions of their partnership. Trevisan paid a visit to Chivas' home Strathisla to meet Master Blender Colin Scott, where the two shared their vision for the exclusive Chivas 18 by Pininfarina. Here's a video that explains the design process behind this limited edition. Just fascinating and inspiring.

Click on the video only if you are of legal drinking age in your country.

This partnership is perfectly executed in three different amazing products. The first one —named Limited Edition One— is a gorgeous drop-shaped blue container lined with wood, the second one —Limited Edition Two— is a larger individually numbered drop-shaped container that contains a bottle of whisky, two drop-shaped glasses and where the top part of the container can be used as an ice bucket and lastly the third one called the 'Mascherone', which is a special order free standing wooden and aluminum sculpture display. To round out the special edition, Pininfarina also created a specially designed bottle of Chivas 18 with Pininfarina’s design notes visible on the metalized crest and the Italian company’s logo, proudly emblazoned on the capsule and neck wrap to reflect the streamlined metallic finish of a classic car.

The 'Mascherone' standing display was inspired by the original wooden frame that was used to design cars in the old days and is a sculpture where the product is properly displayed around wood and blue aluminum. The Chivas Regal 18 Mascherone by Pininfarina marks the pinnacle of their partnership. Hand assembled in Cambiano by Pininfarina, it features an oak internal structure and clad in aluminium. Mirroring the elegant precision of Pininfarina's celebrated automotive innovations, only five of this collector's pieces will be on display globally and individual pieces will be made to order on request. A light, found at the base, brings this artistic piece to life. Here's a video that talks about the beauty and story behind the 'Mascherone'.

If you are a whisky drinker and someone that enjoys life to the fullest always searching for the ultimate luxury, this limited edition won't disappoint you. Now, if you really want to go for the whole nine yards, you can place a special order for one of the 'Mascherones' and continue to live life to the fullest. One thing we know, is that the 'Mascherone' will look great inside your beautiful home at the New York by Gehry on 8 Spruce Street.

Sticker Price for Limited Edition 2 $500 USD. For more info on Chivas Regal 18 click here and for Pininfarina here.

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide, Audemars Piguet and tagged Chivas 18 Pininfarina Chivas Regal 18 Pininfarina Limited Edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Mascherone by Pininfarina Cambiano Cambiano Italy Paolo Trevisan Colin Scott Strathisla Scotland Paolo Pininfarina 2013.

Experience: Three Fairly Unknown Long Filler Habanos Alongside Three Very Well-Known Jaeger-LeCoultre Watches.

If you like good cigars, you definitely can appreciate the difference between Habanos and cigars made outside of Cuba. These three fairly unknown Habanos pictured here —Diplomaticos 'No. 2', Juan Lopez 'Coronas' and Quai d'Orsay 'Coronas Claro'— are as amazing as any of the most popular Cuban brands that even non-connoisseurs know about.

While these cigars are not as well-known as Montecristo, Cohiba, Partagas or Romeo y Julieta, these three cigars can play at the level of those very well known brands. Unfortunately, today only refined Cuban cigar connoisseurs know them well. Alongside, these fantastic Habanos, we have three very well-known classic Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces that embody the essence of their manufacture as well as these Cubans embody the essence of Habanos S.A.

Let's start talking about Diplomaticos 'No. 2'. This brand fairly unknown outside of Cuba and hard to find is somewhat of a recent brand dating from the 1960s. It bears a marked resemblance to Montecristo and it uses numbers instead of names to describe its sizes. This delicious cigar is completely handmade with long fillers a.k.a. 'tripa larga' using leaves from the renowned region of 'Vuelta Abajo'. This is a long cigar measuring 6.14" in length with a 52 ring gauge. With hints of leather, pepper and coffee this cigar is rich and medium to full flavored. The flavor profile stays even for the first two thirds of the cigar and becomes stronger on the last third. Around one full hour of burning time in a perfectly rolled cigar with perfect draw and very even burn. 

Juan Lopez 'Coronas' is a full-bodied cigar that evokes the notes of a Partagas. This is another brand fairly unknown outside of Cuba as it is considered more of a local brand and very limited amounts of it are ever exported. This cigar is named after its founder, Juan Lopez Diaz, a Spanish businessman that founded the brand in the 1870s. This superb cigar is also handmade with 'tripa larga' from 'Vuelta Abajo'. This cigar measures 5.6" in length with a 42 ring gauge. With hints of cocoa and leather this cigar is quite rich but not overpowering. The flavor profile is very even throughout the whole cigar and it provides around 45 minutes of burning time. A nice long white ash characterizes this delicate cigar.

Lastly, let's talk about Quai d'Orsay 'Coronas Claro', another very local brand that owes its origin to the refined taste of the French market. Created in the 1970s, the name is taken from a well-known street in Paris right next to the left bank of the Seine river. This brand has become increasingly popular among French connoisseurs that visit the island and among those that can find it in limited quantities outside of Cuba. This mild cigar measuring 5.6" in length with a 42 ring gauge is made of a light tasting blend of long filler leaves from 'Vuelta Abajo' and its wrappers are mainly distinguished by their 'Claro' — light brown— and 'Colorado Claro' —mid-brown— colors. Hints of caramel and leather come to mind when smoking this cigar with a very creamy flavor profile. The flavor evolves after the first half and the burning time is approximately 35 to 40 minutes. This is a perfect cigar for the inexperienced cigar smoker or for the ladies that enjoy the good life.

If you have the refined taste to appreciate fascinating timepieces like these three Jaeger-LeCoultre, you definitely understand that certain things in life need to be experienced at least once. Therefore, find these three Cubans and have yourself a wonderful evening in the company of your timepieces and your favorite drink. 

For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here.  

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Sybarite Guide and tagged Quai d'Orsay Coronas Claro Juan Lopez Coronas Habanos Diplomaticos No. 2 Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar 2013.

Experience: Two Classic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshores Meet for Lunch at Freds at Barneys. A Photo Essay.

This time we headed over to Freds at Barneys New York for lunch. This hidden gem is one of our favorite restaurants in the city and a perfect place to talk about watches, enjoy some great food and shop at the store on your way out. 

Barneys New York started their business back in the early 1920s when Barney Pressman opened his very first store in the lower Manhattan area. Today, the Barneys New York flagship store is located on Madison Ave. between 60th and 61st streets. Barneys is also present in some of the most upscale areas of cities like Beverly Hills, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Las Vegas and Scottsdale. The New York, Chicago and Beverly Hills locations are the only stores that have restaurants within. The restaurant is named after Fred Pressman —Barney Pressman's son.  

Barneys New York store in Chicago is located half a block away from the famous Gold Coast Triangle on Rush Street between Oak and Elm —catty corner from some of our other favorite stores like Hermès, Prada and Barbour. 

Now, enjoy the photo essay and the watch eye-candy. An image speaks more than a thousand words. Oh, and by the way, next time you stop by Freds, make sure you order the 'Linguine Vongole' as it's our absolute favorite dish.

For more info on Barneys click here.  

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Audemars Piguet, Sybarite Guide and tagged Freds at Barneys Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 25721ST.OO.1000ST.01 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 25770ST.OO.0001.KE.01 Linguine Alle Vongole Linguine Vongole Audemars Piguet Offshores at Barneys Posts 2013 2013.

Experience: Davidoff Mille Series 2000. A Perfect Mild Cigar for a Lunch Break.

Nothing beats having a good cigar during your lunch break. This time, we decided to enjoy a mild cigar that is ranked as one of the best cigars for beginners and a cigar that can be enjoyed any time of the day. We are talking about the Davidoff 2000, a cigar within the Davidoff Mille Series that is made in the Dominican Republic.

The Davidoff 2000 is a very mild 'Corona' measuring 5" in length with a 43 ring gauge. This cigar is perfectly suited for a quick smoke or a smoke with no liquor pairings. To join us in this experience a Linde Werdelin SpidoLite II Titanium Red that we have reviewed here before. 

This Davidoff 2000 starts as a slightly peppery cigar for the first five minutes, and then evolves into one of the creamiest and mildest Dominican cigars you could ever smoke. Perfectly rolled and reminiscent of the best 'Habanos', this is a Dominican cigar that will get you as close as possible to a Cuban cigar —in terms of its color, smell and smoking experience. You know we are not kidding as this is something we would rarely mention about cigars made in the Dominican Republic.

Once you light up this wonderful cigar, expect to be taken on a wonderful journey with a wide variety of notes that are typically reserved for more complex and bold cigars like 'Flor de las Antillas', 'Cohiba' or 'Montecristo'. As soon as you take those very first puffs as you are lighting it up, you will be greeted by a touch of pepper followed by some leather and coffee notes.

After the first third of the cigar, this Davidoff 2000 evolves every 3-5 minutes during its first half. After the first half, you will notice that the flavor profile remains quite even with seldom changes towards the last third of the cigar. After experiencing notes of pepper, leather and coffee, the cigar also presents caramel and some floral notes towards the end. Without a doubt, this is a cigar that can be enjoyed all the way to the end —even pass where its ring is located. The Davidoff 2000 is one of the few cigars that is comparable to some of our favorite 'Habanos' like the 'Romeo y Julieta' or the 'Quai D Orsay'.

The burning time on this cigar is approximately 35-45 minutes without a single burnout. The ash holds up very nicely for almost the first half —with a long white ash— in a cigar that has the perfect draw and that reviews should be ranking even higher.

Once you get close to its ring, savor the last puffs of this creamy, mild cigar while you check the time on that perfectly matching Linde Werdelin SpidoLite II Titanium Red.

For more info on Davidoff click here.  

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Other Brands, Linde Werdelin, Sybarite Guide and tagged Davidoff 2000 Davidoff Mille Series 2000 Davidoff Mille Series Linde Werdelin SpidoLite II Titanium Red Porsche Keyring Quai D Orsay Romeo y Julieta Cohiba Montecristo La Flor de las Antillas Top Food 2013.

Experience: Fauchon Champagne. From Our Favorite Gourmet Store in Paris.

Any watchlifestyler that has been to Paris and reads our content knows Fauchon very well. Fauchon is the quintessential luxury gourmet food store in Paris with its flagship store located in the heart of the 8th arrondissement right at the Place de la Madelaine. This store is just two short blocks away from the Hermès flagship on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and two doors down from the Alain Figaret boutique —this designer carries the Audemars Piguet Tour Auto apparel during the time the Tour Auto Optic 2000 Race takes place.

Last time we stopped by Fauchon, we decided to bring with us a few bottles of their champagne for a rainy day back home. Without a doubt, Fauchon is our favorite gourmet food store in Paris and a must visit for anyone that enjoys the good life.

Fauchon carries everything from carry-out prepared dishes to bread, 'pâtisserie', chocolates, truffles, charcuterie, 'fromages', gourmet canned foods, caviar and any other edibles of the highest quality. To sum it up, the best of the best is sold at Fauchon.

Some of the Fauchon products are also sold in the delicatessen sections of the most upscale stores around Europe including Germany, Spain, U.K., Portugal and Denmark just to name a few. They also happen to be a purveyor of sweet and salty 'pâtisserie' for the Nespresso boutiques around Paris like the smoked salmon 'mille-feuille' in the photograph below. 

The Fauchon Brut champagne is a dry champagne with a high level of acidity on the palate and with strong apple and pear aromas. This champagne is a perfect pairing to Beluga caviar, salty ripened cheeses or other savory foods. With its low content of sugar and high acidity it can cut through the fat of a savory quiche, a 'Saint Agur' cheese or a smoked salmon 'mille-feuille'. One great thing about this champagne is that it will bring back memories from those amazing nights at the Hôtel Costes in Paris.

Next time you stop by the Hermès flagship boutique in Paris, make sure you make a pit stop at Fauchon and pick up a bottle of champagne and one of their lovely desserts to enjoy them while you open that beautiful orange box in your hotel room.

For more information on Fauchon click here. 

Posted on August 25, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Audemars Piguet, Sybarite Guide and tagged Fauchon Paris Fauchon Champagne Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Day & Date ref. 25572 Alain Figaret Boutique Place de la Madelaine Hermès Faubourg Saint-Honoré Smoked Salmon Mille Feuille Nespresso Fauchon Brut Champagne 2013.

Experience: Davidoff Nicaragua. An Afternoon of Amazing Cigars, Watches and Craft Beers.

Davidoff Cigars unveiled its first Nicaraguan cigar line, Davidoff Nicaragua, at a New York City pre-launch event back on June 20, 2013 —so far the biggest cigar news this year. After a long wait, the Davidoff Nicaragua finally hit the stores. The Davidoff Nicaragua is a premium cigar made solely from Nicaraguan tobacco —wrapper, binder and filler— but still rolled in their factory down in the Dominican Republic.

Last week we finally had the opportunity to try this amazing cigar during a small get together at the most legendary cigar shop in Chicago, Up Down Cigar. A cigar and tobacco sanctuary founded by the iconic Diana Silvius almost 50 years ago. 

Diana Silvius is perhaps the most renowned female cigar aficionada in the world, an icon in the cigar industry and the first woman to be featured on the cover of Cigar Aficionado magazine. Not only she was elected the first female president of the Retail Tobacco Dealer of America in 1991, but she's also known to be very close to Hendrick 'Henke' Kelner —who is to Dominican cigars what chefs Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon are to French cuisine— and the Fuente Family, whom she approached to asked them to help her develop her own line of cigars, now sold throughout the world as the Diana Silvius Diamond Vintage.

Really there could've not been better hosts than Diana —along with her close friends, staff members— and our dear friend Phil to throw such a fantastic evening with amazing cigars, craft beers, watches, fine rums and everything that the good life is about. To kick-off our editorial, here's a picture of Ms. Diana Silvius having a great time with us. 

After our short preface, let us now walk you through our evening in the usual fashion, please come experience it with us.

As we walked to the back of Up Down Cigar where an intimate smoking garden is located, we were greeted with a nice Davidoff bag with a great assortment of cigars. Davidoff Gold Band Awards 2012, the Davidoff Robusto Collection box —included the amazing Robusto 100 made honoring Zino Davidoff's 100th anniversary of his birth—, Davidoff Belicoso Supremo and of course the newly launched Nicaraguan blend cigars. 

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After getting our cigars, we decided to start enjoying the evening with other watchlifestylers in the company of some amazing craft beers from Goose Island —Chicago's most famous brewery. Our friends from Goose Island shared a nice selection of limited edition Bourbon County stout beers —with an alcohol content of 14.3-14.5%—, their 25th anniversary ale and even the rare Halia a sour peach saison aged in wine barrels. 

Our personal favorites were the Bourbon County beers and especially the coffee stout brewed with Intelligentsia coffee. Who would've thought that beers and cigars go that well together. Well, let's rephrase that, stout beers and cigars go well together.

Finally, after a few beers we decided to honor the new Davidoff Nicaraguan cigars and we started burning one. The first cigar we decided to try was a Nicaragua Robusto, that was spectacular from beginning to end. It started with some peppery notes that evolved into a smooth, creamy cigar very similar to the taste of Habanos like Romeo y Julieta or H. Upmann.

After trying the new Nicaraguan selection, we're not sure we can go back to the Dominican Davidoffs as much as we used to. This cigar was exceptional, with a few occasional burnouts but with a nice draw and a long and thick ash.

As the evening progressed, we gather around other 'watchlifestylers' to talk about watches, cigars and the good life. Some of the nice watches that were around us that evening including Tutima, Rolex, Panerai, Cartier, Audemars Piguet and Tag Heuer. We even ran into what we'll refer to as a 'questionable' Steve McQueen Explorer that of course we won't be posting here, regardless, it was a great crowd with some awesome timepieces. 

As we were enjoying our first cigar, we decided to pair it with some Clément 'Rhum Vieux Agricole' —dry rum from Martinique. In 1887, Homère Clément pioneered a natural style of rum from fresh pressed sugarcane juice known today as 'Rhum Agricole'. Clément is available in seven varieties that include: Sirop de Canne, Première Canne, V.S.O.P, Cuvée Homère, X.O. Rhum, Créole Shrubb and Clément 10 Years. A fantastic rum than can almost compete with some of the best Cuban and Venezuelan rums but that will never be close enough to a Zacapa Centenario from Guatemala. Sorry Clément!

After finishing our second cigar outside, we finally headed inside the shop to smoke a third cigar and shop around. We always discover nice little goodies to take home as this shop is the only store in the city that carries Elie Bleu and Eloi products.

As we were smoking our third cigar, we ran into a beautiful Eloi cigar cutter from France that was a perfect match to he bezel on our Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST. We couldn't control ourselves and we had to buy it that night —soon we will be publishing a short review of this cutter for our Audemars Piguet fans.  

As the evening drifted away and one thing lead to another, we left this sanctuary of the good life thoroughly satisfied with the new Davidoff Nicaraguan blend cigars. Available in three different sizes —toro, robusto and short corona—, this is a cigar that you need to try no matter what. 

Sticker Price on the Eloi cigar cutter $395 USD, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and box of Davidoff cigars not included.   

For more info on Davidoff click here, Goose Island Brewery here, Clément Rum here and Up Down Cigar here.

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Audemars Piguet and tagged Davidoff Nicaragua Short Corona Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto Davidoff Nicaragua Toro Eloi Cicar Cutter Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST.OO.1220ST.02 Panerai PAM 312 UpDown Cigar Diana Silvius Davidoff Robusto Selection Davidoff Robusto Collection Davidoff Robusto 100 Davidoff Belicoso Supremo Davidoff Gold Band Awards 2012 Clement Rhum Clement Martinique Rum Goose Island Halia Beer Goose Island Bourbon County Beer Goose Island 25th Anniversary Ale Bourbon County Coffee Stout Intelligentsia 2013.

Experience: NoMI Lounge at the Park Hyatt Chicago. An Ideal Place for Food, Wine and Watch Talk.

For a long time, we've been looking to find the perfect place in Chicago where watchlifestylers can enjoy some inspiring food and wines under the right atmosphere and lighting conditions to have a good talk about watches. Look no further, NoMI Lounge is the perfect spot for a casual get together or just a place to enjoy a chill afternoon in the company of friends, family or your significant other.

Located inside the luxurious Park Hyatt hotel off of Michigan Avenue —right by the iconic Water Tower landmark— this is a place that won't disappoint you. As you walk into the hotel, you already know that you are in for a nice treat.

Perfect decor, exquisite lounge music very similar to the one at the 'Hôtel Costes', different seating areas depending on the mood you are looking for and a well stocked cheese ripening fridge welcome you. As you make your way in, you'll also find the nicely designed and perfectly stocked bar.

NoMI Lounge offers a great selection of signature and classic cocktails, food to share that includes a nice assortment of fresh seafood, sushi, cheeses, charcuterie, paninis, flat breads and other heavier dishes that are also meant to be shared. Surprisingly enough, they carry the coveted 'Jamón Ibérico de Bellota' from Spain that we love. After sitting down we ordered a few dishes, started sipping our 'rosé' —nothing fancy just a Domaine de Figueirasse— and enjoyed our conversation about watches and the good life. 

Our food selection included some burrata with thyme and honey, a grilled flat bread with peaches, goat cheese and arugula, a sharp cheddar pimento spread with garlic aioli and the 'panisse' with goat cheese, rosemary and balsamic. We have not had 'panisse' since our last time in Paris. A 'panisse' is a chickpea flour cake that is fried in the shape of small rectangular logs with a texture very similar to that of fried 'polenta' that is very common in the south of France.

After enjoying the delicious savory food, we decided to order their assortment of cookies and candies, paired with a couple of glasses of Canadian Inniskillin Icewine. Perfect pairing for the little box of sweet treats. Glad the treat box included our favorite French macarons, almost as good as those from Pierre Hermé in Paris.  

After a wonderful evening with great conversation, watches, fantastic foods and wine, another great day in the life of a watchlifestyler ends. The watches featured here are an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST.OO.1220ST.02 and Chanel J12 Automatic in 38mm ref. H0970.

Dear watchlifestylers: The next time that you contact us for a quick get together, you know where we will be meeting for a nice watch talk. Hasta pronto amigos!

For more info on NoMI Lounge click here. For more info on AP here and Chanel here.

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Audemars Piguet, Sybarite Guide and tagged Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST.OO.1220ST.02 Chanel J12 Automatic in 38mm ref. H0970 NoMI Lounge Park Hyatt Hotel Chicago Water Tower Chicago Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Domaine de Figueirasse Inniskillin Icewine Pierre Herme Macarons Paris Panisse France.

Experience: Porsche Design P'3635 Lighter. Our Fellow Cigar Smoking Companion.

After our recent post on the Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos, we received questions from our readers regarding the lighter that was used. Therefore, we decided to put together this post to tell you everything about it.

If you are a regular reader of our website, you are definitely someone that appreciates sleek design and the finer things. This Porsche Design P'3635 torch lighter has been with us for a while now and has been a very reliable companion when smoking some of the finest Habanos and other non-Cuban cigars along our journey enjoying the good life. This lighter is part of the P'3600 Porsche Design smoking accessories line.

While we know that many of you are purists when it comes to lighting up your cigars and you would never use anything other than a box of wooden matches, it is now proven that using a jet flame lighter like this one will not ruin your cigars or affect their 'bouquet' at all.

This sleek and modern Porsche Design P'3635 lighter is thin, compact, elegant, lightweight and quite a conversation piece. We decided to feature it along with this wonderful Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph ref. 102337 reviewed here because this watch is sleek and advanced in design just like the lighter.

The Porsche Design P'3635 features a very reliable patented circular flame jet that will work very well even in the windiest conditions —just like the ones we have here in the 'Windy City'.

The lighter is composed of two panels connected with four hexagonal screws that house the modern quartz piezo ignition mechanism and the trogamid tank and is also fitted with a small fuel level window on its profile. The lighter holds up to 1.0 ml of butane gas. One thing that we also love about this lighter is that the fold away cover on the ignition button has a beautiful 'tapisserie' pattern that reminds us of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak dials. I guess we can't stop thinking about watches for a minute.

Of all lighters we've used in the past including Dunhill and S.T. Dupont, this Porsche Design is one of our favorites due to its understated look and sleek appearance. It also available in a variety of colors and finishes including bog oak wood, gray, silver pearl, black, navy blue and titan.

Sticker Price $190 USD. For more info on Porsche Design click here.

Posted on August 11, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Montblanc, Luxury Goods and tagged Trogamid Tank Piezo Ignition Porsche Design P'3600 Smoking Accessories Porsche Design P'3635 Lighter Montblanc ref. 102337 Nicolas Rieussec Circular Flame Jet Lighter.

Experience: Puerto Madero. A Great Argentinean Restaurant in Mexico.

We are suckers for Argentinean steakhouses and we know a lot about them. We are lucky to have been to some of the best ones in Buenos Aires, New York City, and Mexico City. This time we stopped by 'Puerto Madero', a relatively newer place —considering the decades that others have been around in Mexico City— that was launched as a fierce competitor to other very popular Argentinean steakhouse names like 'El Rincón Argentino' and 'Cambalache'. 'El Rincón Argentino' was opened in the 80s by Juan Carlos Malazzo, a former soccer player for the Argentinean team River Plate a.k.a. 'Los Millonarios de River' —the millionaires from River. 'Cambalache' was partially owned by the now-deceased Argentinean actor and wrestler Wolf Ruvinskis.

'Puerto Madero' opened its first location in the upscale Mexico City neighborhood of 'Polanco' on 'Presidente Mazaryk' Avenue —the equivalent to Madison Ave. in NYC, Orchard Street in Singapore, or Bond Street in London— and after a successful launch, made its way to other areas and cities throughout Mexico and now it even has a location in Miami, Florida under the PM name. Its name was taken from the popular 'Puerto Madero' waterfront in the city of Buenos Aires right on the banks of the 'Río de la Plata' river. The 'Puerto Madero' waterfront is one of the best examples of the latest architectural trends in the capital city of Argentina.

This time we decided to have lunch at the one located in Cancun, Quintana Roo. The 'Puerto Madero' is one of the preferred places for watchlifestylers enjoying the good life. During our lunch, we spotted a great selection of watches that included several Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks, Offshores, a few Hublots, and a handful of Rolexes.

As we walked into the restaurant ,we were greeted by the grilling rooms and one of the best stocked bars in the city. The grills are really amazing as the cooking grids are suspended in the air and held by chains fitted with a mechanism that allows the grill masters to lift or lower the meats as desired depending on the cooking temperature that is required.

Once we got to our table, we noticed the beautiful design touches on the perfectly white chairs where the backrests feature the names of the most important family owned wineries in Argentina.

After sitting down, we ordered a few beers, appetizers and wine. The selection included an amazing Octopus Carpaccio, a 'Provoleta' —grilled provolone cheese with olive oil and herbs— and a few 'Empanadas Argentinas' —Argentinean style turnovers filled with meat.   Immediately thereafter, we started talking about watches and the good life.

Along with our appetizers, a bottle of delicious Argentinean 'Saurus Select 2009' arrived to our table. 'Saurus Select' is a Malbec wine produced and bottled in the province of Neuquen in the Patagonia region of Argentina by the renowned Bodega Familia Schroeder. An oaky, full-bodied wine that is a perfect pairing for Argentinean steaks.   

While we talked about the latest watches presented at Baselworld 2013 and each of our wish lists, we decided to order the main course. Of course, we ordered one of the most popular Argentinean steaks, 'Bife de Chorizo' —an over-sized New York Strip. Along with it, the traditional 'Papas Souffle' —souffle fries— that are a staple at this place. These fries are fried at different temperatures making them extra crunchy on the outside but soft and full of air as a 'souffle' on the inside—a culinary work of art. The basket in which they are served is also made of fried potatoes and fully edible.

As we finished our meal, we decided to move out to the gorgeous terrace overlooking the 'Nichupte' lagoon to enjoy our dessert, cigars and Port. For dessert, a delicious cheese blintze topped with berries and a house made 'Alfajor' with tons of 'Dulce de Leche'. This time, we smoked Sir Winston Churchill's favorite brand, Romeo y Julieta straight from Habana, Cuba. 

As we finished our desserts, sipped our Ports and smoked our cigars, another story of the good life came to an end. Another day in the life of watchlifestylers.

Health, watches, amazing food, fantastic wines and the best Habanos. The only other thing we could ask for in this life is to live a long existence. Watchlifestylers remember, this moment is your life. 

For more info on 'Puerto Madero' restaurants click here.  

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Audemars Piguet, Sybarite Guide and tagged Puerto Madero Cancun Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Bife de Chorizo Empanadas Provoleta PM Miami Puerto Madero Presidente Mazaryk Rincon Argentino Mexico Cambalache Mexico Carlos Malazzo Habanos Romeo y Julieta Chanel J12 White Ceramic Rolex Submariner Two-Tone Ceramic Bezel Alfajor Blintze Papas Souffle Saurus Select 2009 Bodegas Familia Schroeder Neuquen Argentina Patagonia River Plate Millonarios de River 2013.