The Last Call

 Penelope Bourbon Cigar Sessions One American Whiskey Review.        Penelope has long been a name to watch in the whiskey world, and with their 2025 release of  Cigar Series Chapter One , they’re pushing the boundaries again. This bottle, which I stumbled upon in mid-July, had been out for about a month and a half, but there it was, sitting on a shelf like it was waiting for me. It felt like one of those “last one left” moments, maybe even a bottle someone stashed in the back hoping to grab later. Regardless, it came home with me.      Now, I’m not a cigar smoker myself, but I’ve always had a soft spot for cigar blends. There’s something about the sweeter, often multi-finished profiles that tend to hit my palate just right. This particular entry from Penelope doesn’t rely on multiple barrel finishes the way others in the space do. Instead, they’ve opted for a more blend-forward approach, and honestly, that’s what made me so curious. It’s a b...

 World Whiskey Society American Light Whiskey Cigar Blend Whiskey Review.      I received this spirit as a review sample from the World Whiskey Society,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      World Whiskey Society isn’t just dabbling anymore, they’re deep in the game. Over the last few years, they’ve become known for tracking down rare barrels, blending and finishing them with finesse, and then releasing bottles that are as stunning to look at as they are to drink. When I saw this one, a 20-year-old American Light Whiskey dubbed their “Cigar Blend”I was instantly intrigued. Multiple finishes, a bold age statement. Count me in.      Let’s start with the stats. This is a 99% corn, 1% malted barley light whiskey sourced from Indiana (likely MGP), What makes this bottle truly wild, though, is the finishing regimen,  deep breath : Awamori, Cognac, Madeira, Pedro Ximénez Sherry,...