Islay distillery, Ardbeg, has announced a new whisky, Ardbeg Anthology: The Harpy’s Tale. This is the first release in the brand’s Anthology Collection, which aims to present a series of single malts matured in different cask types. The Harpy’s Tale has been aged for 13 years in both ex-bourbon and Sauternes wine casks. This combination […]
J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has expanded its retail presence by launching an online store, providing access to exclusive merchandise from its El Reloj cigar factory in Tampa, Florida. Originally, three years prior, the company had established a physical factory store at this location, renowned for its assortment of rare cigars and items symbolizing Tampa’s historic […]
French company Pernod Ricard, in collaboration with Rabbit Hole’s Kaveh Zamanian, has unveiled a new Bourbon brand, Mary Dowling. This builds on their partnership initiated in 2019 when Pernod Ricard acquired a stake in the Kentucky-based Rabbit Hole distillery. The Mary Dowling Whiskey Company is launching with two bourbon expressions: a high-rye Bourbon aged in […]
Elijah Craig has unveiled its Limited-Edition Toasted Barrel Bourbon in celebration of the 2023 Ryder Cup. This special release uses European Toasted Oak Barrels inspired by those utilized in the Lazio wine growing region in Italy. The move follows Elijah Craig’s announcement earlier this year about their multi-year partnership, positioning the Bourbon as the “Official […]
A significant decision was handed down today by U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta, who ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must exempt premium cigars from tobacco regulations that were implemented in 2016. This conclusion marks an important victory for the industry, following nearly seven years of legal disputes. The challenge was […]
Douglas Laing & Co, an independent Scotch Whisky distiller, blender, and bottler, has introduced a new edition of their Island Malt called Rock Island Rum Cask Edition. This follows the Rock Island Mezcal Edition from 2022, which was finished in Mezcal casks. The Rock Island Rum Cask Edition has been matured in Plantation Rum Casks […]
The eleventh edition of Davidoff’s tribute to the signs of the Chinese Zodiac is the Year of the rabbit. It’s a large double perfecto with an Ecuadorian wrapper Mexican binder with Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers respectively. I’ve been able to smoke all the editions thus far and they have all be well received in their […]
In a significant milestone for the cigar industry, veteran tobacco expert Eladio Diaz is launching a celebratory cigar in honor of his 70th birthday. This comes after Diaz, a former associate of Davidoff, established his own Dominican factory, Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera, in 2022. The new cigar, aptly named the Eladio Diaz 70 Aniversario, will make […]
The Loch Lomond Distillery has secured the title of “most awarded distillery” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023, collecting multiple Double Gold and Gold Awards for its malt whisky brands. Located near Scotland’s Loch Lomond, the distillery has a history that spans over 200 years. It produces three distinct whisky styles: Loch Lomond […]
The Zino Nicaragua Robusto is produced in Honduras at Davidoff’s Diadema Cigars de Honduras S.A., the same factory that is best known for making Camacho cigars. The Zino brand is under the Davidoff cigar umbrella with the Zino Nicaragua Robusto being a “brand-revamping” of sorts. Over the last decade, Davidoff has issued makeovers for their […]
J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has begun shipping the first release of its celebrated Yagua cigars for 2023. A total of 1,250 boxes are en route to 396 premium cigar retailers across 46 states. The second and last Yagua dispatch for the year is slated for November. The unique Yagua cigar has garnered an unexpected, almost […]
The Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I is made by Plasencia Cigars at Plasencia’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I is an extension to Plasencia’s regular Alma Fuerte line, changing the original’s wrapper to a lighter leaf that has been aged for 10 years. The toro vitola we […]