We love cigar cases for their portability and elegance; anyone who’s ever tried lugging around a cigar box will appreciate the efficiency of a case. This fall, Canadian manufacturer Peter James is launching its Generation V cases, made in North America using Italian leather. Peter James is known for iterative designs, tweaking each latest round of products, and Gen V Original Cigar Carry is no different: these cases include a new optional crossbody strap and feature an exterior pocket. Each case can hold up to five standard size cigars, a humidity pack, a lighter, cutter, and other accessories (even a pen). These cases are an upgrade to the company’s core line, offered alongside the ultra-premium Black Label collection that debuted earlier this year. With a lineup of four colors at the time of writing, there’s no reason not to properly carry your cigars when these drop in a couple months.
$585, peterjamesco.com
THE BARTENDER’S CIGAR
Booze and cigars just go together; this column’s very existence is proof. Which is why we love any time there are crossovers between the two worlds. The latest big name to step into the cigar business is Julio Cabrera, the famous Cuban cantinero and owner of Cafe La Trova in Miami, whose specialization in Cuban cocktails and bar culture makes him a no-brainer addition to the world of cigars. Cabrera’s Sacrificio Cigars debuted at this year’s PCA Convention & Trade Show in partnership with the award-winning Oliva Cigar Co. Cabrera sees Sacrificio as an opportunity to pay tribute to both his Cuban heritage and his father’s love for cigars. Right now Sacrificio offers four sizes/blends, from the Sacrificio Junior, a robusto, up to the El Caballo, a gordo. Each size uses unique wrappers, binders, and fillers to produce a truly unique experience. Something tells us these cigars will pair perfectly with a fresh-made mojito. $15-19per cigar, sold in boxes of ten.
ONLY A NUMBER
Hudson Whiskey has been frequently featured in these pages, and for good reason: we love the upstate distillery’s unique blend of sharp design, small-town spirit, and compact roster of whiskeys that appeals to aficionados and newcomers alike. In the 20 years Hudson Whiskey has been around, aged whiskeys have been a small part of that roster – until now. The company’s latest offering, New York Straight Bourbon Whiskey 5 Year Old, is “potdistilled from a mash of 95% corn and 5% malted barley sourced from local family farmers in the HudsonValley,” according to the distillery. Aging develops complexity and flavor in whiskeys, and five years in American Oak barrels yields a blend of vanilla, cornbread, and citrus on the nose with caramel on the palate. This whiskey is also slated to be a part of Hudson Whiskey’s Single Barrel Program, which lets aficionados hand-select their own exclusive cask. It’s an exciting new development for an expanding distillery that is finally getting a chance to properly age some whiskey.
$49.99,hudsonwhiskey.com
Time Capsule
The single-malt distillers at Benriach are well-known for their numbered line of whiskies, from ten and 12-yearofferings up to Benriach 30. This summer marks the state-side arrival of their latest ultra-premium offering, Benriach40, drawing on rare peated casks from the 1970s. Master blender Rachel Barrie pointed out that over nearly a half-century of maturation, the smoky character of a peated whisky develops into a refined sweetness. Tasting notes on the Benriach 40 include plum, chocolate, and walnut. This is a deep bronze whisky, the product of years and years in port casks sourced from the Douro Valley in Portugal. As to be expected with ultra-premium offerings, the 43.5% ABV Benriach 40 is only available at select high-end retailers inthe U.S. Each bottle retails at $4,500; when you do the math, that’s about a hundred bucks for every year this glorious spirit has been sitting in a cask.
$4,500, benriachdistillery.com
RED CARPET
The PCA Convention and Trade Show is one of the biggest dates on the cigar calendar, an opportunity for brands to show off the latest and greatest. One of the most compelling offerings from this year’s show was Ozgener Family Cigars’ latest in its PiSynesthesia series, a cigar that quite simply tastes and smells red. Synesthesia is a fancy word for experiencing one sense through another, e.g. smelling a color. Pi Synesthesia Red aims to replicate the color through a spicy and peppery profile. This is a 6×52 toro that uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The cigar is an homage to the father of founder Tim Ozgener, Cano Ozgener, famous to cigarheads as the founder of CAO back in the day. Cano Ozgenerwas a painter and founder of an art institute in Nashville, and Pi Synesthesia Red pays tribute to the painter’s obsession with color and sensory experiences. And in case there’s any confusion, this thing is wrapped with a red ribbon: hard to miss.
Launching in September, $15 per cigar.ozfamilycigars.com