Penelope Bourbon has released Cigar Sessions: Chapter 2, a high-proof American whiskey created in collaboration with cigar-maker Alec Bradley. The second release in the annual series is designed to complement medium- to full-bodied cigars and is available now at select US retailers for $79.99.
The expression was developed as a joint project, with Penelope’s blending team and Alec Bradley’s cigar blenders working together from the outset.
The whiskey is bottled at 117.4 proof and aged for six years. It carries a mash bill of 69% corn, 19% rye and 12% malt, and is made in small batches.
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READ THE STORYAccording to the official notes from the brand, the whiskey opens with toasted oak, dark caramel, leather and baking spice on the nose. The palate offers charred brown sugar, sweet corn, cocoa and creamy malt.
The brand notes the finish carries dark chocolate, seasoned oak and warm spice that lingers alongside the smoke.
“Whiskey and cigars have always been an iconic pairing, built around the same appreciation for craft, patience and ritual,” said Michael Paladini, founder and vice president of strategy at Penelope Bourbon.
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He added: “The goal was to create a whiskey purpose-built for a smoke, and the Alec Bradley team brought the same obsession with craft that we bring to blending whiskey.”
Danny Polise, founder and master blender of Penelope Bourbon, described the development process. “We would adjust the blend, taste it alongside the cigars, get the Alec Bradley team’s feedback and keep dialing it together,” he said.
For the cigar-maker, the aim was balance. “A full-bodied cigar needs a whiskey that won’t back down from it,” said Alec Rubin, brand manager of strategic partnerships at Alec Bradley.
Both brands share family roots. Penelope Bourbon was named after Paladini’s daughter, while Alec Bradley was named for founder Alan Rubin’s sons, Alec and Bradley.
“Family has always been at the heart of Alec Bradley, so it’s especially meaningful to be partnering with a brand that carries that same spirit,” said Bradley Rubin, brand manager and ambassador at Alec Bradley.
Founded in 2018, Penelope Bourbon operates under the MGP Ingredients Branded Spirits division, formerly Luxco.
