Joseph Magnus Master Blender Nancy Fraley has released tasting notes describing the next six batches of our beloved Cigar Blend Bourbon. Batches 29-34 are part of a larger “coupe mere” or mother blend of 16 bourbon barrels ranging from 13 to 20 years in age. Three of the batches have the highest proofs of any Cigar Blend series released to date. For enhanced enjoyment, open the bottle, take a small pour off the neck and allow the bottle to aerate for an hour or more to fully appreciate the intensity and complexity of this dram.
Check out tasting notes for Batch 29-34 below:
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #29: Autumn in the Orchard
63.29% ABV
Despite the high proof of this batch and intensity of the nose, Batch #29 is surprisingly soft on the palate with a burst of orchard fruit and caramel notes calling to mind the crisp autumn air and comforting aromas of fall; old-fashioned Appalachian apple stack cake with toasted pecans on top, caramel apples at a state fair, a decadent dessert of poached pears in red-fruit ruby Port with vanilla bean ice cream, sticky toffee pudding, maple syrup, roasted chestnuts and coffee cake. All of these notes deliver on the palate with the addition of cinnamon in brown butter and aged Calvados. The finish is long and wonderfully soft for the proof with lingering memories of a warm apple strudel. The perfect pour for a brisk fall evening and great paired with a cigar or pipe!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #30: Kokomo
61.19% ABV
Batch #30 conjures visions of an imaginary relaxing paradise somewhere on an island off the Florida Keys. On the nose, there are juicy tropical fruit aromas of ripe banana, papaya, pineapple, toasted coconut shavings, and kola nuts. These notes continue to the palate, where additional flavors of pear-drops, aged Balsamic vinegar drizzled on grilled peaches, white cake with coconut icing, light molasses, fragrant lime blossom, sweet and sour pomegranate syrup, a hint of minerality, French West Indies Rhum Agricole, and a touch of rye spice and brown baking spices complete the picture. Put your toes in the sand, grab your favorite cigar smoke, and mellow out!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #31: James Bond
59.63% ABV
Coming in at a bold 59.63% percent alcohol, Batch #31 is a master of many things, with sophistication, suave and a wealth of exotic flavors in tow. Of the batches in this release, it is the most evenly-balanced bourbon from the coupe, with an intense nose of dried apricots, the almond notes of Spanish turrón, raw clover honey, egg custard with Madagascar vanilla beans, oatmeal cookie dough with raisins, graham crackers, Asian pears, crushed orange Muscat grapes, spicy pipe tobacco and a touch of polished leather. This batch complements a range of cigars and poker games.
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #32: Wing Man
63.47% ABV
As the second highest proof Cigar Blend Bourbon batch to date, “Wing Man” holds its own next to its bigger brother, Batch #33. With vintage Armagnac showing through, “Wing Man” displays matured aromas of grilled hazelnuts, cocoa nibs, cinnamon stick, Italian tiramisu cake, fig pudding, aromatic pipe tobacco, prunes in Armagnac syrup, devil’s food chocolate cake with chocolate icing, dried autumn leaves, old cellar, muddled mint, apricot jam on heavily-browned toast, home-made fruit cake, rye, Jamaican allspice, nutty “rancio” notes, and candied orange peel, with a very long finish. While sharing some similarities with Batch #33, “Wing Man” soars high with a personality all its own.
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #33: Conversion
63.51% ABV
“Conversion” is the heftiest, highest proof, and hardest hitting batch of Cigar Blend Bourbon to date. The nose is extremely intense, with classic bourbon notes of vanilla bean and salted caramel, touches of a dark fruit Armagnac finish and a truly international all-star cast of aromas and flavors: Pruneau d’Agen, Jamaican jerk seasoning with grated lime and orange citrus, Seville orange marmalade, Jewish Sephardic charoset with date, dried figs stuffed with bleu cheese, Medjool dates, almonds, and orange blossom paste, English Christmas cake with brandy sauce, and Virginia-grown pipe tobacco. Batch #33 is guaranteed to convert even the most skeptical among bourbon believers, with a lengthy finish steeped in brown baking spices and stewed prunes. Sláinte!
Cigar Blend Bourbon Batch #34: L’Artagnan vs. the Sante Fe Six-Shooter
61.20% ABV
“L’Artangan v. the Six Shooter,” is an excellent representation of the artful tension between the hearty 13 to 20 year-old bourbons finished in our vintage Armagnac finishing casks. It is round and soft on the nose with intense aromas evocative of ancient, damp French brandy aging cellars, but with a contradicting palate that calls to mind a dusty Old West saloon, sagebrush, dates in syrup, salted butterscotch pudding and a hint of smoky chipotle pepper barrel notes. This is a dram that can be personified as a 19th century shootout between a Santa Fe gun-slinger who smells of tobacco and a French explorer seeking fortune in the Old West; a dramatic and well-matched dram to be sure.
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 on our website to find a retailer near you.
