For those who are deep into their whiskey and bourbon journey, this will be a familiar bottle, and unfortunately, this has sat in my “to review” folder for over a year now. For those new to this, spoiler alert: this is an expensive bottle, definitely should be paired with a cigar rather than enjoyed alone, and may still be hard to find in several markets. Thus, I have decided to provide a review of this bottle neat, just recently, and then a separate review paired with one of my favorite cigars, over a year ago. Today’s review comes from Jos. A. Magnus & Co and is their Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon (Batch 246).

Bottle Information

From the Joseph Magnus website: Artfully blended to enjoy with a fine cigar. A combination of award-winning Joseph Magnus Bourbon and 11 and 18-year-old whiskeys to assume bold, rich aromas of tobacco, spice, leather, vanilla, blanched almonds, and toffee. The Armagnac cask finish lends fruity notes of fig, prune, and dried apricot.

• Distiller: Distilled in Indiana and Kentucky/Bottled, Blended, & Finished by Jos. A. Magnus & Co
• Mash Bill: Undisclosed
• Proof: 107.96
• Age: NAS
• Year: 2024
• MSRP: $185
• 2026 National Average: $260
• Official Website

There was a time not too long ago that this was a unicorn bottle and near impossible to find. However, now you can walk into most higher-end stores in the NoCo area and find these on the shelf, but you will still pay a premium price. Overall, this is marketed as a “cigar blend,” and I recommend purchasing this only if you plan on enjoying it with a cigar. Alone, this is an alright pour, but when paired with a cigar, the sweet fruit notes are intensified to the max, a wonderful leather note becomes noticeable, and the finish goes for days. With that said, let’s get our taste on!

• Nose: Baking Spice, Vanilla, Oak, and Light Berries
• Palate: Light Berries, Vanilla, Baking Spice, and Sweet Oak
• Finish: Medium to Long with Notes of Baking Spice and Sweet Oak
• My Rating: Mix It! (Alone, this is still a good pour, but the bottle is definitely crafted to be paired with a cigar, so please do so!)

Since this bottle is considered a “cigar blend,” I thought it would be worth reviewing it with a cigar. Thus, the review below of this Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon was paired with an Alec Bradley Project 40 Experimental Series Cigar. With that said, let’s get our taste on!

• Nose: Sweet Fruits (Berry/Cherry/Figs), Brown Sugar, Vanilla, and Toasted Oak
• Palate: Berries and Cream Lifesavers, Vanilla, Baking Spice, Cherry Cola, Leather, and Sweet Oak
• Finish: Long Colorado Winter’s Hug with Sweet Berries and Leather
• My Rating: Drink It!/Save It! (An amazing pour when paired with a light cigar! I will definitely try to keep this around for those beautiful summer nights that allow a pairing with a cigar!)

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman®