Introducing Wheel Horse Whiskey’s New Cigar Blend Bourbon

Posted on by Scott Dilley

New Limited-Edition Expression Finished in Sherry, Port, and Armagnac Casks Launches Nationwide

Fast Facts on Wheel Horse Cigar Blend:

  • Style: Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Finish: Blend of Sherry, Port, and Armagnac casks for 6-8 months
  • Age: 4+ Years
  • Proof: 101 (50.5% ABV)
  • Tasting Notes from Wheel Horse Whiskey:
    • Nose: dark fruit aromas, such as cherry and plum, with a light undertone of tobacco.
    • Palate: sweet brown sugar is balanced with rich coffee before revealing earthy notes of leather and dark chocolate.
    • Finish: lingers with complex flavors of mulling spice and roasted almonds.
  • Price: $40
  • Distilled by: Green River Distillery in Owensboro, KY
  • Availability: Limited to 3,000 Bottles online and in limited markets

Bourbon Lens Tasting Notes and Impressions:

  • Nose: warm raisins, white grape and lemon cookies, followed by a hint of Allspice.
  • Palate: chocolate, raisins or fragrant cured tobacco, brown sugar, and a slight grainy note.
  • Finish: initially, I thought this whiskey was thin, however, the flavors continued to linger on and on. The finishing casks have a nice bit of influence in the finish of this whiskey on your palate, without being heavy-handed.
  • Initial Impressions: Wheel Horse Whiskey continues to impress with their releases from Green River Distillery. Wheel Horse consistently does a great job of balancing age, a generous proof, complexity, and (most importantly) value. This Cigar Blend could have easily fetched a much higher price tag from some of the other big names in the sourced/contract distilled whiskey world. However, Wheel Horse seems to be committed to offering a lot of value to its fans and prospective buyers. We cannot commend them enough for this commitment in an ever-ballooning whiskey price battle.

Full Press Release from Wheel Horse Whiskey:

OWENSBORO, KY – November 29, 2023 – Wheel Horse Whiskey is proud to introduce Wheel Horse Cigar Blend Bourbon, a limited-edition whiskey distilled at the historic Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky. With just 3,000 bottles available, this limited offering is available online in most states beginning today, along with limited availability on shelves.

Cigar Blend whiskeys are a growing trend as many drinkers look for new, unique offerings to sip and add to their collection. This new Wheel Horse Cigar Blend Bourbon was aged over four years in its original oak barrels and then finished in a combination of Sherry, Port, and Armagnac casks for approximately 6-8 months. The barrels were married and the whiskey was bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV), non-chill filtered. The expression retails around $40 per bottle, a testament to Wheel Horse Whiskey’s dedication to offering whiskey lovers an affordable luxury.

While there is no official definition for a ‘Cigar Blend,’ there is history to the term. In American whiskey, Cigar Blends have typically involved a combination of finishes, with Armagnac and/or Cognac being a favored choice. For Wheel Horse Cigar Blend, we are using Armagnac-finished Bourbon as the base, but this is complemented by a smaller amount of Sherry and Port-finished Bourbons to create a profile that we believe is balanced, flavorful, and perfectly paired with a fine cigar.

Terry Lozoff, Spirits Director at Latitude Beverage, owners of the Wheel Horse brand

On the nose, the whiskey is full of dark fruit aromas, such as cherry and plum, with a light undertone of tobacco. On the palate, sweet brown sugar is balanced with rich coffee before revealing earthy notes of leather and dark chocolate. The finish lingers with complex flavors of mulling spice and roasted almonds.

About Wheel Horse Whiskey

Wheel Horse whiskies are crafted at the iconic Green River Distillery, which was founded in 1885, standing as one of the oldest distilleries in Kentucky and the westernmost point on the renowned Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Wheel Horse Cigar Blend Bourbon joins the Wheel Horse family of whiskies, which includes the brand’s flagship 101 proof Rye and Bourbon. These expressions have racked up numerous accolades since hitting the market, including Top 20 Whiskies of 2021 and a 94-point rating from Whisky Advocate for Bourbon, and Gold Medals for both Bourbon and Rye at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Wheel Horse whiskeys are available in retail locations across more than two dozen states and nationwide on www.wheelhorsewhiskey.com. For more information and updates, follow Wheel Horse Whiskey on Facebook and Instagram.

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