6.9

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

On tap at Cigar City, pours a muddy deep dark brown with no head. Aroma is massive, with intense rum barrels upfront, followed by gentle red wine, sticky sugars, and alcohol — this is not goinf to be subtle. Flavour is not too brutal, with big rum and red wine notes, but I don't get the whiskey; there's tons of sugars, caramel, and booze. It's borderline too brutal but there's definitely plenty to like. The opposite of drinkable. Good in tiny amounts.

8.5

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Bottle #70, edition XV, thanks to TJ, drunk 9/22/24. A bit of sediment in the chocolatey-dark pour. No head. Whiskey leads off the barrel character with a hint of red wine and very little rum. Chocolate and oak with no roast or booze. Layers of prune, vanilla, light roast and hazelnut. Vanilla, cigar, brandy, rum, ash, prune, chocolate. Rum is apparent in the flavor. So much complexity, every sip you find new flavors. Rich, malty, dry, no syrup. No booze. This is peak Cigar City, contemporarily, at least.

8

Bottle 70 edition XV 2022 split 2 ways aroma is bourbon, oak, hint of red wine. Taste is delicious, smooth, balanced, new flavors as it warms with each sip. ABV is well hidden. Raisin, fig, prune, rum in the finish.