Jos. A. Magnus & Co. has marked the 10th anniversary of Cigar Blend Bourbon with a new release overseen by Nancy Fraley, who is soon to take on the role of Master Blender Emeritus following her retirement. The American whiskey brand said the bottling continues the style first developed in 2016, combining Joseph Magnus Bourbon with selected 11 and 18-year-old whiskeys finished in Armagnac casks.
The release follows the profile established by the original Cigar Blend Bourbon, which the brand said was designed specifically to accompany cigar smoking.
Fraley created the expression using techniques linked to Cognac and Armagnac production. The brand said she applied French principles of structure, oxidation and “rancio” complexity to bourbon.
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Cigar Blend Bourbon was introduced in 2016 as part of the revived Jos. A. Magnus & Co. portfolio. The company said the expression became a category-defining product for the producer.
The whiskey uses Joseph Magnus Bourbon as its base. It is blended with older whiskeys aged for 11 and 18 years before undergoing a finishing period in Armagnac casks.
Armagnac cask finishing has become a point of difference for the brand. The French brandy category is traditionally produced in Gascony and is known for aged, structured spirits.
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The anniversary edition keeps the same production focus as earlier Cigar Blend releases. The company said the whiskey is “built to complement cigar smoking”.
Jos. A. Magnus & Co. traces its name to Joseph A. Magnus, a pre-Prohibition whiskey merchant. The modern company revived the brand in the 2010s and has focused on American whiskey, including bourbon and finished whiskey expressions.
The wider American whiskey category has seen continued interest in limited editions and secondary cask maturation. Producers have used wine, Sherry, Cognac, Armagnac and other casks to create differentiated releases for collectors and premium whiskey consumers.
