The Stogie Guys

Buffalo Trace makes plenty of great bourbons: Blanton’s, George T. Stagg, Elmer T. Lee, W.L. Weller, Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, and a little bourbon called Pappy Van Winkle. (Pappy has become excruciatingly difficult and expensive to acquire in the past few years.)

That’s why I was enthusiastic about trying one of Buffalo Trace’s newer offerings: E.H. Taylor, named after Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr., one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry and one-time owner of what is now called Buffalo Trace Distillery. Taylor was a proponent of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which ensured quality standards for “bottled-in-bond” bourbon (back then lots of bourbon was mixed with things like tobacco, turpentine, or other horrible additives to appear more aged than they were). The Act also ensured that the federal government could more easily collect taxes.

Naturally, the many styles of E.H. Taylor are all “Bottled-in-Bond” in compliance with the 1897 law, most of which is still in effect. In order to meet that standard, a bourbon must be 100-proof straight whiskey, must be made at one distillery and distilled in one season, and must be at least four years old. Up until the 1980s bottled-in-bond whiskey was guarded by federal treasury agents in special warehouses where taxes were collected only when whiskey was bottled for sale and departed the warehouse.

The E.H. Taylor line currently includes six whiskeys. The single barrel bourbon variety sells for $60-70 a bottle. And it’s a handsome bottle that comes in a matching tube. It also belongs on my top shelf, along with George T. Stagg, Smooth Ambler, and Zaya Rum, if only because, like those, the bottle is too tall to fit on any of my other shelves.

I’ve seen the age listed at 11 years and 7 months, but the bottle doesn’t have a formal age statement, so take that with a grain of salt. The resulting 100-proof spirit is a dark amber color with a rather muted nose of caramel notes.

On the palate, E.H. Taylor Single Barrel demonstrates fudge, nut, dried fruit, winter spices, and just a bit of oak. It has a rum-like mouthfeel. The finish is medium-length and smooth with more dried fruit and fudge.

There’s a fair bit of nuance to the Taylor Single Barrel, so you’ll want to go with a mild or medium-bodied smoke with lots of balance. Think Tesa Vintage Especial, Ashton Classic, Arturo Fuente King T Rosado Sun Grown, Cabaiguan, or the Cuban Cohiba Siglo.

Overall, I enjoyed E.H. Taylor Single Barrel, but for the price I’d expect something a bit more exceptional. It’s only a bit better than Elmer T. Lee or Eagle Rare 10 Year (and at least double the price) and not nearly what George T. Stagg is (if you can find it) for not too much more money. Connoisseurs may want to seek this out, but if you’re just getting acquainted with bourbon there are better options that provide more value.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In my opinion, not only is bourbon an excellent spirit to pair with cigars, but I’m constantly impressed by the value it offers at all price points.

While good single malt seems to start at $50 (if you disagree, please leave suggestions in the comments), good bourbon can be had for quite a bit less. If you’re willing to spend $50 or more there there are some really special bourbons available (take a look at my recent Guide to Bourbon series for some recommendations), but it isn’t necessary to spend that much.

The $25-30 range offers excellent bourbons that can be enjoyed by connoisseurs, and it’s also an great starting place for someone just exploring all that bourbon has to offer. To that end, here are some of my favorite offerings available in most places for under $30:

Elmer T. Lee – Elmer T. Lee created Blanton’s ($45-50), the highly acclaimed nine-year-old original single barrel bourbon. Later he created his own single barrel bourbon, which sells for $30. Sadly, Elmer isn’t around anymore – though he hand-selected the barrels for his bourbon until his passing – but this is still an excellent spirit. Basically just Blanton’s but a few years younger, it’s full of sweetness with body and balance provided by dried fruit and just enough woody spice.

Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage – Evan Williams took Single Barrel bourbon to a new level with it’s vintage release, bottled every year after nine years of barrel aging. Each year has its own character, but they have in common a butterscotch characteristic with oak and a bit of spice. The 2003 is out now.

W.L. Weller 12 Year – The oldest sub-$30 bourbon I know, this uses wheat instead of rye as a secondary grain, and the result is a delicious combination of sweetness and woodiness. These are the same characteristics that make Pappy Van Winkle one of the most sought-after bourbons, but it’s only a small fraction of the price.

John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Bourbon – A new offering made by Heaven Hill, which also makes Evan Williams, Larceny (like Weller) is a wheat bourbon, which means it has plenty of sweetness. There’s also a lively combination of toffee, cinnamon, and fruit. It’s 92-proof and around $28.

Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 Year – Were I required to select only one of these, I’d have no problem selecting Eagle Rare 10 Year Single Barrel. Made by Buffalo Trace from the same juice that makes up George T. Stagg, it has lots of char, oak, caramel, and guts. It’s the perfect combination of balance, nuance, and power.

Honorable Mention: Bulleit Rye – Not actually a bourbon (rye is the majority grain as opposed to corn), this is my favorite value in rye. It uses a 95% rye mashbill and has a flavor of red fruit, minty spice, and just the right amount of oak and syrupy sweetness. If you want to discover the difference between bourbon and rye, this is a tasty first step.

Still getting into bourbon? This is a list that will give you a crash course in all the most American spirit can offer. And it will show you that excellent bourbon can be had at a very reasonable price.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Beam is the first name in bourbon, and members of the Beam family have been distilling bourbon since the late 1700’s (not only at Jim Beam, but at many of its competitors). Fred Booker Noe III, a member of the Beam clan, is the master distiller at Jim Beam, which recently added Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year Bourbon to its collection.

In addition to Jim Beam’s standard White Label bourbon (four years), Noe is responsible for Beam Black (eight years) and the small batch collection that includes Knob Creek (nine year), Baker’s (seven year, high proof), Basil Hayden (rye heavy, 80-proof), and Booker’s (barrel strength). But the new Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year Bourbon is the oldest bourbon being released by Beam.

The addition makes sense when you look at the booming demand for older bourbons, as many people consider 10-12 years the sweet spot. To that end, Beam released the new Signature Craft line with a 12 year bourbon, bottled at 86-proof (43% ABV). (A rare Spanish bandy finished variation of the Beam Signature Series is also being released, but I’ve yet to find it in my area.)

Although it’s not the cheapest 12 year bourbon (Elijah Craig and Ezra B 12 Year, among others, come in under $30), at $40 it is considerably less than many similarly aged bourbon whiskeys. The sleek bottle features a plastic screw cap which, although less elegant than a cork, is actually more functional.

The result is a deep amber-colored spirit that features plenty of wood, vanilla, and dried fruit on the nose. Whether from the relatively low proof or something else, it has a softer mouth feel than many of its counterparts with just the right amount of oak, sweetness, and underlying dried fruit, honey, and a signature Beam yeasty flavor. The finish is medium in length with soft wood and a wine-like fruit component.

It’s balanced and flavorful, and overall an enjoyable, but not overwhelming, experience. It goes great with a wide variety of cigars.

I particularly enjoyed the Illusione Singulare LE Phantom 2010 with the Beam Signature Series 12 year, but then it’s one of my favorite cigars so perhaps that’s because the best cigars always go well with a good spirit. Other recommend pairings include such medium- or full-bodied smokes as the Aging Room Quattro, Litto Gomez Diez Small Batch No. 2, and the Padrón Serie 1926 No. 6.

Some people will dismiss Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year Bourbon because it’s released under the Jim Beam name and made by the largest bourbon producer. In my opinion that would be a mistake. This is a good bourbon at a reasonable price, and it’s definitely worth trying if your a bourbon drinker.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Could this be the best value in bourbon? At $25 per bottle for a 12-year-old bourbon it certainly has potential, especially considering that similarly aged bourbons seem to be regularly selling for double the price.

W.L. Weller is made by Buffalo Trace, which makes a bevy of my favorite bourbons, including but not limited to Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, George T Stagg, Eagle Rare, Pappy Van Winkle, and, of course, Buffalo Trace.

Weller uses a wheated bourbon mash bill. All bourbon uses at least a majority of corn, but a wheated bourbon uses wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain. Along with the 12-year variety, Buffalo Trace produces the Special Reserve, the 107-proof Antique, and the high-end William Larue Weller, all of which are part of the Antique Collection and bottled at barrel-strength.

The nose features lots of sweetness, with vanilla, caramel, and a bit of leather. The 90-proof (45% ABV) spirit is a reddish bronze color. On the palate it has sweetness and wood, but there are also hints of orange marmalade, allspice, and vanilla. The finish is medium and smooth with damp wood and honey.

It’s a bit thin compared to fellow 12-year-old bourbons Elijah Craig (which is similarly priced) and Van Winkle Special Reserve (which is a bit more pricey), but the it has a great combination of balance, wood, and sweetness, especially considering the price.

That combination of sweetness and balance means it will pair with a wide variety of cigars. I can just as easily recommend a mild, woody Dominican as a full-bodied, earthy Nicaraguan. Classic Cuban smokes like Cohiba and Montecristo also go great with the Weller 12.

Whether the plastic-capped W.L. Weller 12 Year is the best value in bourbon is up for debate, though it’s clearly in the conversation. But there’s no doubt it’s an excellent value that should be on any bourbon aficionado’s list, and can be enjoyed with nearly any fine cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Over the years my colleagues and I have written many articles about various bourbons, rums, ryes, whiskies, mixed cocktails, beer, and coffee—and which cigars they pair best with. (You can peruse all of those articles here, or you can simply use our search bar at the upper right to locate the libation you’re looking for.) During this time I’ve found a few rules of thumb for pairing drinks with cigars. Keep in mind these conclusions are mine and mine alone. They may fly in the face of my colleagues’ opinions, your own experiences, or even conventional wisdom. But they’ve served me well. I list them here with hopes they help with your own experimentation and/or prompt a constructive dialog.

Coffee

I’ve admittedly turned into a bit of a coffee snob and lately have been favoring Chicago-based producers like Metropolis and Inteligensia. Both have myriad blends that accentuate notes of fruit or nuts over the standard bitter flavor that’s dominant in less superior black coffee. These blends pair outstandingly with milder, Connecticut- or Ecuadorian-wrapped smokes. No, you can’t judge a cigar by the color of its wrapper, but, as a general rule of thumb, lighter, golden wrappers make for excellent coffee companions.

Wine

I’m not a fan of pairing cigars with white wine (or even champagne, for that matter). Big, bold reds, however, tend to be a treat with dark, maduro cigars, particularly those that yield chocolate notes. I’ve especially found that cigars with significant Mata Fina tobacco are good candidates for red wine pairings. I’ll leave any musings on specific varietals—pinot noir, zinfandel, merlot, malbec, etc.—to myself for now since that’s a little too specific for this article’s purpose.

Beer

While I’m not going to win any friends with this opinion, I must say that beer, for me, just doesn’t jive well with cigars at all. I’ve pretty much decided that I’m either smoking a cigar or drinking beer, not both. One tends to ruin the other. My hypothesis is this mismatch stems from my affinity for hoppy, bitter beers. When it comes to pairing a drink with cigars, bitter is not something to look for in a spirit.

Bourbon/Rum

Bourbons and rums are the opposite of beer. Pick any bourbon or rum. Pick any cigar. Relax and enjoy. Whether straight, on the rocks, or even in most mixed drinks, these spirits tend to go well with just about any cigar. The only suggestion I’ll make is, for example, if you’re drinking a particularly sweet rum, like Zaya, pair it with a spicy smoke. The objective is all about balance. And, unlike wine, don’t be afraid to select a full-bodied smoke. Bourbon or rum can hold its own on the palate.

So there you have it. Some general rules of thumb on pairing drinks with cigars from one humble man’s perspective. I look forward to hearing what you have to say in the comments.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’ve come to lump bourbons into two categories: those who make their bourbon and those who buy their bourbon. This isn’t a value judgement (I’ve had excellent and mediocre examples of each) just a matter of information. For some bourbons, the owner is a distiller; in other instances the owner is a “non-distiller producer” (NDP) who buys and perhaps ages and blends bourbon made elsewhere.

By the way, the same is true of cigars. Some cigar makers have own their factory, while other brand owners contract someone else to make it for them. But for both bourbons and cigars there’s a wide range of those who fall in the latter category. Some companies are completely upfront about who makes their cigars (they may be more like co-producers), while others are completely secretive. Fortunately, for cigars, the top-secret undisclosed factory is the rarity.

For bourbons, those who don’t distill their own tend to be more tight-lipped about their sources. Black Maple Hill falls into that category. The California-based company has Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (itself an NDP) blend and bottle its bourbon. Sources aren’t disclosed, but Kentucky Bourbon Distillers says it buys bourbon from every major distiller except Maker’s Mark. Which ones end up in Black Maple Hill? The handful of people who know won’t tell.

Black Maple Hill occasionally releases very small runs of extra-old (and very pricey) bourbons and ryes, but these days, if you find it at all, it’s likely to be the Small Batch variety. It’s bottled at 95-proof (47.5 ABV) with no statement of age. Not long ago this could be found for $35-40, but now you might pay quite a bit more. My bottle cost $58 at my local Virginia state-run store and still it was sold out a week after I first spotted it on the shelf.

Black Maple Hill Small Batch is an orange amber color. The nose has corn along with coconut, toffee, and oak. On the palate corn continues to dominate with buttered kettle popcorn. There’s also fudge, malty sweetness, and caramel. In other words, tons of sweetness. The finish continues much the same way, with more corn sweetness and touches of oak.

It’s largely a one-dimensional bourbon (corn sweetness anyone?), but it’s a pleasant dimension, even if $60 seems like way too much for it. The sweetness makes it a versatile pairing with a fine cigar. A refined mild cigar (Macanudo or Davidoff) works just as well as a full-bodied maduro (RoMaCraft CroMagnon or La Riqueza).

Ultimately, for the price, Black Maple Hill Small Batch is outmatched by such staples as Blanton’s, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage, and fellow Kentucky Bourbon Distillers’ NDP Noah’s Mill. But I wouldn’t say don’t try it. I’d just say, don’t mythologize the fact that it’s so difficult to find. It may be relatively rare and quite tasty, but that combination doesn’t necessarily make it better than bourbons that are more easily procured.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Knob Creek will always hold a special place on my bourbon shelf, as the first bourbon that got me to appreciate the depth and complexity of flavor that the spirit can offer. Since then, Knob Creek has added single barrel and rye varieties, but Knob Creek will always be associated with three other bourbons to make up the Small Batch Collection.

In addition to Knob, there’s Booker’s, low-proof, cocktail-oriented Basil Hayden’s, and the most under-the-radar of the bunch: Baker’s. Named after Baker Beam, Booker Noe’s cousin and another member of the legendary Beam bourbon family, Baker’s uses the same mashbill (grain recipe) as Booker’s and Knob Creek, which makes the differences between them due to the aging process and how much water is added before bottling.

Baker’s, which sells for around $45, carries an age statement of 7 years and is bottled at 107-proof. That makes it younger but higher proof than 9-year-old Knob Creek. Booker’s, meanwhile, varies in age from 6-8 years and is bottled uncut at whatever the barrel proof is (a bottle I currently have spent 6 years and 2 months in oak and is 128.5-proof).

Baker’s pours a reddish amber color and has a distinctive nose with dried fruit, lacquer, and wood. The flavor features lots of wood and cinnamon spice, with a resiny edge that coats the sides and roof of the mouth. Secondary flavors include green banana, apple, and vanilla. The finish is medium in length with more spice, dried fruit, and tight wood.

Overall, it’s a raw and focused style of bourbon. It lacks the sweetness of both Knob Creek and Booker’s and instead is more like an intensified version of the classic Jim Beam White Label, which also uses the same mashbill as Baker’s. It’s very drinkable neat, though a few drops of water help open up the aroma and flavor.

A full-boded cigar is definitely called for. Among others, I’d suggest: Berger & Argenti Entubar V32 Rogue, CroMagnon, 601 Serie Green, Joya de Nicaragua Antaño, and Surrogates Skull Breaker.

The obvious question is: How does Baker’s stack up to the rest of the Small Batch Collection? For me it’s clearly ahead of Basil Hayden’s. And while I would recommend Baker’s to anyone getting into bourbon, I do prefer both Booker’s and Knob Creek. But that’s not a knock, as those are two exceptional bourbons.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys