BUZZED AND WIRED

Coffee and liquor have always been a perfect pair. But for years, coffee on the bar cart has meant either sweetened, diluted coffee-tinged mixers or the use of actual fresh coffee, as in an espresso martini. Enter Kings County Distillery’s new Coffee Whiskey, a collaboration with their neighbors in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Parlor Coffee. The distillers at Kings County paired a house-made bourbon and corn whiskey with Parlor’s cold brew; the result is a true whiskey balanced with the bitter, complicated fl avors of coffee. The skyrocketing popularity of Italian amari is proof that American cocktail drinkers are learning to embrace a bit of bitterness. This lightly caffeinated whiskey fi nds the perfect middle ground: not too overpowering to kill the balance of a cocktail, yet not too cloying and can be enjoyed on its own. $45, kingscountydistillery.com

THE PERFECT STORM

Winter storms may be far behind us, but Chatham Brewing in the Upper Hudson Valley is looking to bring a bit of that icy chill with us into summer: their Storm Series is debuting as a relaunch of classic beers with a bold new look. Chatham is famous for their IPAs, and the Storm Series brings together two of their staples, Bombogenesis and Nor’Eastah, pairing them with a trio of fruity riffs on the original Bombo: mango, pineapple, and grapefruit. This celebration of the brewery’s IPA lineup comes in bright, matching cans that pay tribute to the power and intensity of weather in upstate New York. Bombogenesis is a double IPA blending Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe hops that clocks in at a stout 8.5%; Nor’Eastah features the same hop profi le at a mellower 6.5%. All fi ve of the Storm Series are available at the brewery and at select retailers. chathambrewing.com

CLOUD NINE

Last summer, J.C. Newman gave a sneak preview at the PCA trade show of its upcoming Angel Cuesta cigar. Originally slated for a fall 2022 release, these cigars are fi nally hitting stores this spring. Angel Cuesta is one of J.C. Newman’s historic brands, a century-old cigar named after Angel Cuesta, who launched the Cuesta-Rey brand. (Com-pany lore says that King Alfonso XIII of Spain tapped Angel Cuesta as his offi cial cigar brand at the turn of the 20th century.) Fittingly, the new release of Angel Cuesta is as distinguished as a cigar gets, leaning into its Spanish pedigree with red-and-gold packaging and a pigtail cap. Angel Cuesta arrives in three sizes: Doble Robusto, Doble Toro, and the double-tapered Salomones, all medium blends with Ecuador Havana Rosado wrappers. These are American-made cigars, rolled at J.C. New-man’s El Reloj factory. In the cigar world, good things take time, and these are no exception. $18-22 per cigar, jcnewman.com

Lightning In A Bottle

If you’ve ever toured a distillery, you may have found yourself wanting to roll one of those barrels home
with you. With Old Elk’s Single Barrel Program, that dream is finally coming true. The Colorado distillery,
the fastest growing ultra-premium whiskey maker in the U.S., is offering unparalleled transparency in the distilling process. Through the Single Barrel Program, whiskey fans can select mash bills, choose a particular white oak cask, and design a custom label. The whole process can be done at home or at Old Elk’s Fort Collins distillery; either way, within a couple weeks participants receive their one-of-one bottles.
The process is overseen by master distiller Greg Metze, who signs off on every bottle. No two barrels are the same, and this process gives whiskey fans a chance to participate in the process like never before. oldelk.com

LEADING LIGHTS

Healthy debate is what makes the world of cigar fandom go ‘round. There’s nothing afi cionados love more than going to bat for their favorite ring gauges, blends, or brands. The latest lighter from Vector-KGM looks to settle at least one debate: torch versus soft fl ame. The Vector Guardian features two ignition mechanisms, giving smokers a portable, pocket-friendly option in a variety of colorways. Torch lighters are beloved  for their efficiency; they make great outdoor lighters, and can quickly and precisely touch up cigars that might be burning unevenly. Soft fl ame, though, is less likely to sear your cigar and allows its fl avors to gradually develop. The Vector Guardian gives smokers the ability to get the best from each in one pack-age. Sometimes, both answers are right. $45, vectorkgm.com