Secret Society

World Whiskey Society launched in 2020 with the goal of curating rare, unique, and interesting expressions of whiskey from across the globe. Their latest find is a 12-year-old Indiana Rye, matured in American oak casks before being finished in Japanese Awamori casks. Awamori is a Japanese liquor made from rice, and this release marks the first time Awamori casks have been used to age rye whiskey. But as with any innovation in distilling, the question is always how these decisions affect the final product. In this case, the Awamori casks add a unique twist to the flavor profile, with subtle hints of umami, brine, toasted coconut, and ripe mango rounding out an otherwise classically rye expression (think black pepper, cinnamon, and caramelized sugar). It’s a whiskey unlike any other; for this whiskey maker, that’s exactly the point. $169, worldwhiskey.com

DOWN BY THE RIVER

A glass of Scotch whiskey with ice and a cigar stands on the window. Whiskey.

One of New Jersey’s premier cigar events is back once again: the Fourth Annual Cigars on the River is slated for October 5. A fundraiser for the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, which sits along the Delaware River in Camden, this event offers the unique opportunity to take in the river and Philadelphia skyline while aboard a historic ship. This year’s event is in partnership with Los Jefe’s Cigar Social Club, and every ticket includes five premium cigars from brands such as Rebellion, Nomos, and Gurkha, plus a lighter, cutter, and food and drink tickets. The event also features raffle prizes, live cigar rollers, and most importantly, a chance to connect with other aficionados. You’d be hard pressed to find a better spot to light up this fall. $100, battleshipnewjersey.com

CLEAN CUT

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s highly anticipated new cigar cutter is finally hitting the market. The Guillotina de Saka, named for Dunbarton founder Steve Saka, was making the rounds at trade shows as early as February 2023. The design is intentionally simple: a 420 stainless steel blade inside of a stainless steel exterior case. It’s a throwback to vintage Drew Estate cutters: easy-to-op erate, simple single blade guillotine cutters. The Guillotina de Saka is designed so that its blade is easily replaceable by the consumer, and features different-sized openings on either side of the case, allowing for up to 48 and 50-plus ring gauges respectively. The cutter is simple, clean, and tough, featuring a Cerakote OD green finish and palmable dimensions that make it perfectly portable. As of now, this is an extremely limited release. $395, dunbartoncigars.com

Thunder Struck

Some countries are synonymous with tobacco sourcing: Cuba, Nicaragua, Cameroon. The latest release from CAO, the Arcana Thunder Smoke, aims to add a few new names to that list. Featuring filler from Zimbabwe and South Africa, relative rarities in tobacco sourcing, the cigar is the first in General Cigar Co.’s portfolio to fea ture all African fillers. The third filler is Cameroonian, which is an unusual inclusion in its own right; Cameroonian tobacco is typically used as a wrapper or binder. Thunder Smoke is named after Victoria Falls, a waterfall in Zimbabwe known locally as “Mosi-Oa-Tunya,” which translates to “the smoke that thunders” in the Bantu language Lozi. The CAO Arcana line was launched in 2021 to celebrate unusual tobaccos; this medium-bodied cigar marks the third release in the series after Mortal Coil and Firewalker. $12.99 per cigar, available in boxes of 20, caocigars.com

TEXAS HOLD ‘EM

Beyoncé already runs the world, but now, for the first time, she’s running a whisky company. SirDavis, a partnership with Moët Hennessy, is a new take on American whisky that pays homage to the Grammy winner’s great grandfather, who was a moonshiner in Texas. In order to honor that legacy, Beyoncé teamed up with Dr. Bill Lumsden, one of the world’s most renowed master distillers, to develop a new whisky boasting the mouthfeel and texture of Scotch or Japanese whiskies but with the unmistakeable flavors of American rye. SirDavis has won numerous awards after an anonymous submission to premier spirits competitions. And, true to Beyoncé’s roots, SirDavis is finished, bottled, and blended in Texas. Four generations after Beyoncé’s great-grandfather was stashing bottles in trees for family and friends, here is a top-shelf whisky with roots. $89, sirdavis.com