Pairing Review: When Heroes Rise, Rocky Patel Decade and Dewar’s White Label

I paired When Heroes Rise with The Rocky Patel Decade cigar and Dewar’s White Label (not interested in a pairing? Single reviews: When Heroes Rise, Rocky Patel Decade, Dewar’s White Label). Each of these left their individual impressions, some more strongly than others.

Trever Bierschbach’s When Heroes Rise takes place on the richly developed Thelos over the passage of an untold number of years. His characters are colorful, overcoming astounding odds or incredible obstacles in order to display their heroism. Some of them through endurance, some through persistence, some through hope; the lessons they share are timeless.

The Rocky Patel Decade is a celebration of ten successful years within the industry. It meets all the standards of its pedigree, just as Bierschbach meets all the benchmarks for good short story. The Dewar’s White Label is by recommendation of the author and it holds the possibility of sweetness in its honey scent the way the stories each hold the possibility for greatness.

The stories and the Dewar’s pair well together as the both deliver on their possibilities. The Rocky Patel Decade on the other hand turns to a woodiness with overtones of spice that don’t quite pair as well with the drink. The cigar is rather one dimensional and turns bitter towards the end, while When Heroes Rise leaves us with a sense of hope and determination.

Overall, the White Label is a solid pairing for When Heroes Rise. The Rocky Patel Decade, while a solid enoughcigar in and of itself, was not a good fit with the book nor the drink. I would reread When Heroes Rise with Dewar’s again but next time would take the authors advice and try the Acid Kuba instead.