The Future of Cigar Blend Tasting Notes

Dear Friends,

When I first created the Cigar Blend Bourbon back in 2016, I could never have imagined the journey it would take us on. What began as an idea one evening while smoking a fine pipe, enjoying a dram and gazing at the Redwoods in my back garden has blossomed into something much larger than I ever dreamed. Together, we’ve built a community that doesn’t just enjoy fine bourbon—it revels in the intricacies of aroma and taste, and honors blending as both an art form and a legacy.

Over the years, as our batches climbed from single digits to now over 500, I’ve had the great honor (and joy!) of writing bespoke tasting notes for each and every one. Many of you have told me how much these notes mean to you—how you seek them out, savor them, and use them to mark moments in time. That means more to me than you’ll ever know.

As we’ve grown over the past nine years, the demands on time and precision have grown with us. Though we have maintained the same precision and standard for Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend since Batch #1, the scale at which we now produce makes it challenging to write a thoughtful, detailed note for every single batch. It was a difficult decision, but after much reflection, I want to share an update with you—our most loyal fans—first.

Going forward, I will continue to write tasting notes, but they will now be written for each “coupé mère”—the mother blend from which a series of nine batches are born. These notes will still be deeply considered, still full of the nuance and technical detail you’ve come to expect, and still written by me, with you in mind. While we won’t have notes for every individual batch anymore, the spirit of Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend—the artistry, the complexity, the soul—remains unchanged.

I’m so proud of what we’ve created together. And though it inspires other versions, there will always be only one original Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon. Thank you for your passion, your palate, and your unwavering support. This next chapter allows us to keep the magic alive in a way that honors both the whiskey and the people who love it.

With deepest gratitude and affection,

Nancy Fraley
Master Blender, Joseph Magnus