The “With a Little Help from My Friends” Batches Continued…
As mentioned in our previous blog post regarding Batches #183-188, Master Blender Nancy Fraley is very happy to be “back in the saddle again” and writing tasting notes for Jos. A. Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon. The “With a Little Help from My Friends” batches continue here with tasting notes for Batches #189-194. These batches are a blend of 9-year-old 36% MGP rye bourbon, 16-year-old Kentucky rye bourbon, and 20-year-old MGP 36% rye bourbon. For enhanced enjoyment of each batch, Nancy recommends opening the bottle and taking a small pour off the neck in order to allow the bottle to aerate for an hour or more to fully appreciate the intensity and complexity of the dram.
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #189: Aromatherapy
113.86 Proof
The name for Cigar Blend batch #189 aka “Aromatherapy” comes to us from Ted Tronson, known as @bonded_in_bottles on Instagram, and this batch has high proof therapeutic qualities in spades! The nose is sweet and rich with candied orange and lemony citron peels, cotton candy, white icing, and candied yams with caramelized marshmallows. The palate follows through with autumn holiday pumpkin pie with frozen Cool Whip topping, Nutella, pears in thick syrup, toasted pecans, creamy caramel macchiato, and a whiff of sweet and smokey cigarillo notes to round things off. The finish is long and sweet with a surprising appearance of brown baking spices and white pepper to balance out the sweetness. If ever there was a Cigar Blend batch to be good for the heart and soul, this is it!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #190: Let’s Get Rocked!
113.76 Proof
The name for Cigar Blend batch #190 aka “Let’s Get Rocked” comes to us from the whiskey YouTube channel hosted by contest winners Todd and Andy at 2TEN90, the home for all things related to Beer, Bourbon, and Rock & Roll! This batch has more balance between the sweet and the spice, hosting aromatic notes on the nose ranging from the doughy goodness of a classic Cinnabon roll and gooey cream cheese icing, orange cream soda, oatmeal raisin cookies, and buttery Southern Chess Pie. There is also a hint of sweet caramel-y barley malt, with sticky toffee pudding, caster sugar, and orange-glazed Madeleines. Reminiscent aromas of almond-flavored Spanish Turrones de Almendras nougats, Marzipan, sugar cookies with chocolate sprinkles, undercooked buttery pie dough, stewed apples, aromatic pipe tobacco, and oranges with cloves predominate on the finish. This is a very unique expression of Cigar Blend with the intense orange, pastry, caramel malt, and almond notes. Rock on Good People!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #191: Rickhouse Rock
113.84 Proof
The title for Cigar Blend batch #191 comes to us from contest winner David McAllistar, known as @2bros1bottle on Instagram. This batch features intense notes on the nose of orange blossom honey, vanilla bean egg custard, chocolate mousse, a fleeting whiff of watermelon Jolly Rancher, and a long note of Italian Tiramisu with mascarpone cheese and ground chocolate covered espresso beans. There is a very interesting fragrance of grilled peaches with muddled mint leaves that begins to develop on the nose and follows to the palate, and once on the palate, slowly evolves into a York Peppermint Patty, Indian mango lassi, sweet sticky toffee pudding, and blanched Brazil nuts. The finish offers all the above aromas, together with a lingering note of pecan praline ice cream. This batch truly rocks the rick houses with its intensity and broad scope of flavors and aromas!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #192: Pop ‘Em Don’t Watch ‘Em
113.92 Proof
The title of Cigar Blend batch #192 comes to us from contest winner Troy, host of the popular YouTube whiskey and cigar review show called “POP EM DON’T WATCH EM!” And this batch is worthy of being popped open, not collecting dust on a shelf. Dark berry aromas of blackberry cobbler with a buttery caramelized crust prevail along with high proof blackberry Bourbon smash cocktail and muddled mint, hot out-of-the-oven blueberry muffins with orange honey butter and lots of typical Armagnac notes like prunes in heavy syrup, dried apricot, black currants, and fig jam. The palate offers up all of this and more with the addition of brown baking spices, sweet potato pie with toasted pecans and a Graham Cracker crust. Last but not least, this batch offers a long Cadbury chocolate finish with a fair dose of cinnamon stick . What are you waiting for? Pop this one open, don’t just watch it!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #193: A Drummer’s Dram
113.8 Proof
The title of Cigar Blend batch #193 comes from JMCB batch-naming contest winner Cameron Leach, a professional percussionist, educator, and drummer by day, whiskey enthusiast by night, and master of a super funky rhythm as host of the YouTube whiskey review show “Drums and Drams.” The nose of this batch automatically conjures up aromas of spicy carrot cake with cream cheese icing, ginger snap cookies, Orangina soda, aromatic pipe tobacco, apple pie with caramel topping and brown baking spices such as Jamaican allspice, Madagascar cinnamon, and mace. The palate beats out further groovin’ notes of warm pumpkin muffins, chocolate-covered candied orange slices, salted butterscotch pudding and coffee cake with toasted walnuts and crumble topping with a dollop or two of French vanilla ice cream. The finish is medium long with a healthy dose of more waves of carrot cake and toasted nuts predominating. Master Blender Nancy Fraley has also been an amateur rock drummer for 37 years and is thrilled to see a batch dedicated to her professional drummer friend Cameron and to all drummers around the world. A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, a-lop-bam-boom!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #194: Voodoo Chile
113.92 Proof
The title of Cigar Blend batch #194 aka “Voodoo Chile” comes to us from Jason Blackburn, host of the YouTube whiskey and cigar review channel called “A Norseman’s Only Drams.” Blackburn’s tribute is to master musician and virtuoso guitarist Jimi Hendrix, referencing Hendrix’s song “Voodoo Chile/Child,” which was itself inspired by blues guitarist Muddy Waters’ song “Rollin’ Stone.” This bluesy batch finds a plethora of soulful notes on the nose of real cherry Coke, orange cream soda, hints of Jimi Hendrix’s favorite dessert, strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and slightly spicy, smokey notes of ground chipotle peppers. The palate promises further flavors of Cherries Jubilee, pomegranate chocolate pudding with ground pistachios, and light muddle mint leaves. The finish is mid-length but filled with heavy cherry, chocolate and mint notes. Don’t wait for this batch, but if you do then “If I don’t meet you no more in this world, then I’ll meet in the next one, and don’t be late…don’t be late.”
Fine retailers across the nation who offer the full collection of Joseph Magnus spirits will be among the first to receive an allocation of these very limited batches. Be sure to reach out to retailers in your area to inquire about our Cigar Blend Bourbon or use the Store Locator to find a retailer near you.
