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Bourbon Review: Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon

We review Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon, which mingles 11- and 18-year-old bourbons with the signature NAS Joseph Magnus bourbon, finished in Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks.

OVERALL RATING

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Tasting Notes

About:

Not for the faint of heart, batch number two of Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon measures in at 108.7 proof. While non-age stated, it is known the first batch of the Cigar Blend includes 11-year old bourbon, 18-year-old bourbon, and standard Joseph Magnus Bourbon (also not age stated). Interestingly, Cigar Blend includes straight bourbon finished in Armagnac, Cognac, and Sherry casks. Finally, to say distribution of Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend bourbon is limited would be an understatement.
Appearance:
Due to the barrel finishing in Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend appears a dark amber in the glass.
Nose:
Spice notes of nutmeg and allspice drive the nose of Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend bourbon, while dark, sweeter notes of tobacco, leather, and plum balance the aroma. After resting in a Glencairn glass, the spice notes lighten and mingle with the sweeter notes, and a seasoned oak note becomes detectable.
Palate:
For the front of the palate, classic bourbon notes of vanilla, caramel and toffee dominate. Due to the finishing casks, things get interesting in the mid-palate. Specifically, the finishing casks add dark fruit notes of plum and prune, while a light spiced note of seasoned oak finishes out the mid-palate and carries over to the finish. The seasoned oak spice note mingles with and over powers the dark fruit notes on the finish and results in a long, dry, light spice and dark fruit finish.
Finish:
Comments:
Simply put, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend delivers a great flavor profile. The flavors derived from the different barrel finishes elicit strong dark fruit and tobacco notes that usually only pop up as lighter notes in a typical bourbon. In addition, the blend packs some very nice seasoned oak notes that I would attribute to a well-aged bourbon. rnrnThe only hang-up for some may be the hefty price tag and the extremely limited availability. However, if you’re already shopping in the premium bourbon category (and find yourself in Washington D.C.), the $200 price tag won’t seem that far out of the norm, and Cigar Blend compares favorably with most other bourbons in this category.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Jordan Morris

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