The Patio Pour: Scotch, Cigars & Slow Evenings With BigDog

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

There’s a certain time of day I’ve come to cherish more than any other.  It’s not morning. It’s not mid-afternoon productivity. It’s that golden hour when the Arizona sun begins to soften, when the heat finally loosens its grip, and the sky turns into something you can’t quite describe — somewhere between honey and fire.

That’s when BigDog heads toward the bar cabinet. Not rushed, never rushed. Because this isn’t about drinking. This is about ritual. BigDog’s scotch ritual He reaches for the scotch like it deserves respect. And in this house, it does.

He chooses his glass carefully. Not just any glass. It has weight to it. A presence. Something that feels substantial in his hand. The kind that makes you slow down automatically. He’ll drop in a cube of ice or sometimes use chilling stones if the bottle calls for it. The pour is steady. Intentional. He watches the amber swirl and settles.

Then comes the cigar. He clips it evenly. Turns it slowly while lighting it. First draw is thoughtful never rushed, never careless because this is a process that needs to be handled with grace.

There is something grounding about that moment. The first sip. The first curl of smoke. It signals the shift from “doing” to simply “being.” Just enjoying the sip and smoke as it dances around in front of him.

Many times I have joined BigDog in this ritual, in fact he introduced me to my first cigar. And what I found that time we have when we both have a drink and cigar is that it’s just different. The conversations are deeper and even more intimate. Not sure why, but I have come to appreciate and look forward to these sessions as I call them with BigDog.

What I pour depends on the mood I don’t always join him with scotch. Some evenings I reach for a smooth bourbon something slightly sweet, warm, layered. Other nights it can be wine or a smokey mezcal.

Other nights, I’ll choose a tequila. And not the kind that you just drink down fast and ready for the next shot. Oh no, it’s got to be the good stuff. The sipping kind. You don’t gulp this kind, you appreciate this tequila.

Now I will say it’s not every night we enjoy such a session, but when we do, I may enjoy a Maduro because I find them smoother, as he will usually indulge in a Connecticut cigar.  

There’s something about being over 60 that changes how you approach indulgence. You don’t drink to escape. You drink to savor.

The patio is the real luxury truthfully? The scotch is secondary. The bourbon is optional. Even the cigars aren’t the point. The patio is the luxury. We sit outside with no TV, no phones, no distractions. Luna curls up near our feet. The desert air cools just enough. The sky deepens into a rainbow of orange and red. And we talk.

About:

• The grandkids.
• His RC planes.
• My Pinterest experiments.
• Money goals.
• Things we’ve lost.
• Things we’re still building.
• Sometimes absolutely nothing.

These conversations are unfiltered, unscripted, and unposted. And they matter more now than they ever did.

I think sometime when you’re younger, everything feels urgent. Build. Achieve. Hustle. Plan. But somewhere along the way after loss, after health scares, after watching time move faster than you expected you realize something. Presence is wealth. We’ve had hard seasons. Unexpected seasons. Grief seasons.

So, when we sit there with a drink in hand and nowhere else to be, it feels like gratitude in liquid form. We protect slow now. We protect these evenings.

The Details That Make It Special

Now let’s talk about the pieces that elevate the experience — because yes, they do matter.

1. A Proper Whiskey Glass Set

BigDog is particular about glassware. The weight, the rim, how it feels when you hold it.

A quality whiskey glass set isn’t just for looks — it enhances the experience. If you’re gifting someone who appreciates a proper pour, this is an easy win.

3. Cigar Essentials

If you’re going to smoke, do it right. A proper cutter. A solid ashtray. A quality lighter. These aren’t flashy purchases — they’re practical upgrades.

4. Patio Comfort

These matters more than people realize. Comfortable outdoor chairs. Soft lighting. Maybe even string lights for ambiance. Because when you’re comfortable, you stay longer.

5. A Decanter for the Aesthetic

Does scotch need a decanter? No. Does it elevate the ritual? Absolutely. It turns the act of pouring into something intentional.

It’s about looking at the person you’ve built a life with and saying without saying “We made it through another day.” There are evenings when we laugh so hard we lose track of time. There are evenings when we talk about money and reinvention and what this next season could look like. There are evenings when we sit quietly and just listen to the wind move through the yard.

Maybe that’s really what it’s all about just be present with each other in the moment, taking it in and enjoying the sip, the smoke and each other. Really that’s not bad for an evening out on the patio.

Have to say I am already looking forward to our next session on the patio with the BigDog.