Barrell Bourbon Cigar Blend Cask Strength 111 Proof 750ml

second batch. 111 proof

Barrell Bourbon Cigar Blend Cask Strength is a multi-state blended bourbon built for slow sipping — straight bourbons aged 7.5 to 18 years from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, finished across four separate cask types and bottled at 111 proof without dilution or chill filtration.

Barrell Craft Spirits doesn't distill. Founded in Louisville in 2013 by Joe Beatrice, the company works the way Scotland's independent bottlers do: source exceptional aged stock from established producers, then build something new through blending and secondary maturation. Cigar Blend is the clearest expression of that approach in their lineup.

Four cask finishes, four jobs

Most finished bourbons pick one barrel and lean on it. Cigar Blend runs four in parallel, each contributing a different layer:

• Madeira — oxidative dried fruit, walnut, and the leathery rancio character that gives the blend its depth
• Armagnac — brandied stone fruit and a rounder, softer mid-palate
• Rum — molasses and tropical sweetness that keeps the high proof from turning austere
• New Hungarian oak — roasted spice, cola, and tannic structure; the element that lets it stand up to smoke

The name isn't marketing. "Cigar blend" bourbons are built with enough weight and dark sweetness that they don't get erased by a full-bodied cigar. There's no legal definition of the category, so every producer interprets it differently — Barrell's answer is intensity through layered finishing rather than brute proof.

Tasting notes

Appearance
Deep amber, closer to maple syrup than to standard bourbon copper.

Nose
Dark and brandied up front — stewed plum, fig, and grape must from the Madeira and Armagnac. Underneath that, toffee, cedar chest, and pipe tobacco. Given a few minutes in the glass, pastry notes come forward: sticky bun, pecan pie.

Palate
Full and oily, with a mouthfeel well beyond what 111.2 proof would suggest. Molasses and dark cocoa lead, then cinnamon and clove from the Hungarian oak. Dried cherry and espresso sit behind the sweetness, with black pepper and charred oak on the back half.

Finish
Long and dry-leaning. Baking spice, roasted nut, and oak tannin that hold well past the swallow — which is the point of a bourbon built for a cigar.

Specifications

How to drink it

Neat, in a Glencairn, with time. A few drops of water pull the fruit forward and soften the oak if you want it more open — but this one carries its proof well enough that water is optional rather than necessary.

Cigar pairing: the dark sweetness and tannic backbone hold up against a Maduro or Oscuro wrapper. Against a milder Connecticut shade it will dominate; save those for something lighter.

Food pairing: smoked brisket, dark chocolate, aged gouda, pecan pie, espresso-rubbed steak.

Cigar Blend vs. Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend

These are the two names that come up whenever cigar blend bourbon does, and they solve the same problem in opposite ways. Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend is built on a sherry and cognac cask program with a heavier sherry signature and a softer, sweeter profile. Barrell's version is drier, spicier, and more structured — the Hungarian oak and Armagnac push it toward tannin and roasted spice where Magnus pushes toward fruit and sweetness.

Magnus is the more decadent pour. Barrell is the more complex one, and at roughly half the price it's the easier bottle to actually open on a Tuesday. If you're building a cigar shelf, they're complementary rather than redundant.

Frequently asked questions

Is Barrell Cigar Blend a single barrel?
No. It's a curated blend of straight bourbon whiskeys from multiple distilleries, states, and age ranges, married together and then finished in four cask types.

What proof is it bottled at?
111 proof, or 55% ABV. Cask strength means it went into the bottle at the strength it came out of the barrel, with no water added.

Is it a smoky or peated whiskey?
No. There's no peat and no smoke in the whiskey itself. The tobacco and cedar notes come from the cask finishing and from well-aged bourbon, not from smoke.

Do I need to smoke a cigar to enjoy it?
No. It was built to survive a cigar, but it's a rewarding neat pour on its own — arguably one of the better values in Barrell's core range.

How does it differ from other Barrell releases?
Barrell's numbered batches and Private Releases are typically unfinished or single-cask-finished. Cigar Blend is the one that runs four finishes at once, which is why it reads darker and more layered than a standard batch.

Does the bottle vary year to year?
Yes. Cigar Blend is an annual limited release and each year's blend and proof differ. This listing is the 111.2 proof release.

Buying from Hi Proof

Hi Proof is an independent spirits retailer in Fullerton, California, shipping nationwide from our own warehouse. Orders are picked and packed in house, not drop-shipped. Local pickup is usually ready within four hours.

Browse more Barrell Craft Spirits releases or the full American whiskey collection.

Images are for illustration only and may not exactly represent the product received. You must be 21 or older to purchase. A valid government-issued ID and adult signature are required at delivery.