RY3 Cigar Series - Review

The Details

RY3 Whiskey Cigar Series

Rye Whiskey

Triple Cask Finish - French Oak Staves

Madeira, Rum and Naranja Casks

Cask Strength

Batch: PR#006 / Bottle 145

Handcrafted, Blended and Bottled by

Phenomenal Spirits - Virginia Beach, Virginia

60.6 ABV / 121.2 Proof

Mashbill: Not Specified - Blended

Price: $125

Poured Neat in a Stölzle Nosing Glass

Appearance: Chestnut

Nose: Apricot, Caramel, Honey, Oak, Orange Peel

Palate: Oranges and Cream, Candied Caramel, Molasses, Plum, Vanilla

Finish: Long, Spiced and Viscous

Overall: What's the first thing you think of when you see "Cigar Batch", "Cigar Cut" or "Cigar Series"? Many tend to think these titles describe the taste of the whiskey. Actually, these are meant to describe the fact a cigar would compliment the particular expression. Sure, some notes may be tobacco, earthy and leather heavy, but by no means is that what describes a lot of the Cigar Blends I've encountered, and personally blended. A lot of blends and batches include a lot of the same finishes as they tend to work so well complimenting the tobacco. This RY3 Cigar Series jumps in on the other side of the pool. Madeira, Rum and Naranja Casks (AKA Barrels) make up this incredible blend. Let's break these down for a moment:

Madeira: A fortified wine made on the Portuguese Madeira Islands, just off the coast of Africa. Produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines, as an apértiff and cheaper cooking wines generally flavored with salt and pepper but not used for consumption as a beverage.

Rum: A liquor made by fermenting and distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear spirit, is often aged in oak barrels.

Naranja: Meaning Orange in Spanish. Orange Wine is produced in Huelva and Málaga in Andalucia, Spain with white wine macerated with orange peel.

Let all that sink in. Now, combine Rye Whiskey along with all these unique casks. The result? A damn fine pour from sip to sip. The flavors seem to dance around the palate and the finish leaves your mouth well coated. Let me tell you, this is the perfect recipe for a cigar. With Master Blender, Matt Witzig knowing a thing or two about Cigar Batches from his days as the Master Blender at Joseph Magnus, the blend created here is another to celebrate and seek numerous bottles. My recommendation is to pair Cigar Series with a Light-Medium to Medium Cigar based on the profile and the proof. Being a person who enjoys a great challenge, I've already done both. The AVO Heritage and the Montecristo White Series were beautiful compliments to each pour. I did have a Full-Bodied Cigar as well, but I felt the boldness of the cigar took away the sweetness of the pour. Still delicious, but a tad flat.

There just may be a few more bottles available at retail and on the RY3 website. Click HERE for more info.

Karthik & Matt, thank you kindly for getting this bottle to me to try. You guys are Phenomenal! As always, my reviews are always unbiased and couldn't be any more genuine.

Library Rating: 8.3 / 10

World Whiskey Society Reserve Collection - Oloroso Sherry Finish - Review

The Details

World Whiskey Society

Reserve Collection

Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks

Edition No. 3

Aged 12 Years

Non-Chill Filtered

Distilled at Heaven Hill Distillery, Kentucky

Bottled by World Whiskey Society - Pendergrass, GA

96 Proof

Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley

Bottle 85 of 580

Price: ~$210 - Soon to be released - Check HERE for more info

Poured Neat in a Stölzle Nosing Glass

Appearance: Deep Gold

Nose: Caramel, Light Dried Fruits, Oak, Vanilla Bean, Brown Sugar

Palate: Dried Apples and Prunes, Toasted Oak, Yeast Rolls, Milk Chocolate

Finish: Medium linger with a medium viscous coating. Sweet finish.

Overall: Another big bottle coming out of World Whiskey Society. I fell in love with this bottle design with their First Edition Armagnac Finished 12 Year and continue to be in awe of the detail and the pewter gargoyle topper. But it's not only the amazing bottle, they follow up the elegance with some incredibly finished whiskey. Heaven Hill. 12 Years Old. Do I really need to say more? Oh wait, finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks. This is my love language.

The marriage of the Oloroso Sherry and the Bourbon plays into my palate perfectly. The only thing left to try was a cigar with this offering. Yeah, I did that too. A Medium-Bodied Dominican smoke helped push the emphasis of the fruits and sweetness on each sip. In turn, the whiskey helped mellow the smoke and create a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Another huge thank you to World Whiskey Society for getting this bottle to me and giving me the opportunity to give my honest review and to grace the library shelf with this fascinating decanter.

Library Rating: 8.7 / 10

Milam & Greene Very Small Batch Bourbon - Review

The Details

Milam & Greene

Very Small Batch

Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Finished with Charred French Oak Staves

Batch No. 1.2

NAS (No Age Statement)

75 Barrel Batch

Distilled in Kentucky and Tennessee

Aged, Finished and Bottled by Provision Spirits, LLC

Blanco, Texas

54% Alc/Vol / 108 Proof

Kentucky Mashbill (20%): 70% Corn, 22% Malted Rye, 8% Malted Barley

Tennessee Mashbill (80%): 80% Corn, 10% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Price: $70

Poured Neat in a Stölzle 1610031T Nosing Glass

Appearance: Deep Copper / Tawny

Nose: Vanilla, Caramel, Toasted Marshmallows

Palate: S'mores (Chocolate, Grahams, Marshmallows), Buttercream, Hints of Dark Cherry and Plums

Finish: Warm and Lingering with a Peppery Spice

Overall: When brands take the time to finish blended whiskies, it keeps me quite curious and excited to try them. Milam & Greene's Very Small Batch combines two mash bills, one from Kentucky and one from Tennessee. Those were blended and then finished with sundried and house-Charred French Oak Staves in Texas. If you are not familiar with what the Texas climate does to whiskey, it really is incredible. Charred and Toasted French Oak almost always gives me the feeling of a campout. Sitting around a fire, enjoying stories, laughs and most of all, s'mores. Combine those s'mores with hints of Dark Fruits, mainly Cherry and Plums, and you have yourself a winning finished blend that lingers and coats the throat beautifully. The 108 Proof is just right, in my opinion. A well rounded and balanced experience from sip to sip.

Check out Milam & Greene for more information where to find distribution.

This was a treat and I'm grateful to the folks at Milam & Greene and Big Thirst Marketing for thinking of me to review the newest product in the core lineup.

Library Rating: 8.0 / 10