By Susan Hornik

Welcome To The Family
Longtime cigar lovers know that the size of a cigar isn’t just a detail; different sizes and ring gauges can have a profound effect on how quickly a cigar burns, which flavors come to the forefront, and the overall quality of the smoking experience. Which is why it’s incredible that the award winning E.P. Carrillo Encore has never before been released in a robusto size, the most popular cigar size in America. Like its brethren in the Encore series, the Encore robusto is a medium-bodied cigar made with an all-Nicaraguan blend. E.P. Carrillo has been on something of a championship run in the past couple years, winning major awards for its Encore and Pledge lineups. For the uninitiated, this cigar is a perfect entry point into the E.P. Carrillo universe. With production ramping up in the coming months, this is poised to be the cigar of the summer. $11.90 per cigar, carrillocigars.com

GREENER PASTURES
Everyone loves a time-honored rivalry, and for whiskey enthusiasts, the battle between Tennessee and Kentucky expressions is as abiding as it gets. Sweetens Cove, the bourbon maker named for the famous nine-hole Tennessee golf course (featured in INDUSTRY January/February 2022), has bridged the gap with its Kennessee expression, a blend of Kentucky and Tennessee bourbons that brings out the best in both. The sipper is finished with a hint of toasted sugar maple wood to tease out sweet and smoky notes on the palate. Blended by Marianne Eaves, it’s the latest offering from a company that’s made waves in the “celebrity spirit” field, with big-name backing from Peyton Manning and Andy Roddick. But with all due respect to superstar athletes and big-name golf courses, the whiskey is the real star here. $59, sweetenscovespirits.com

LIFE OF THE PARTY
Manuel “Manolo” Quesada is one of the titans of the cigar world, a 63-year veteran of the industry and a member of Cigar Aficionado’s Hall of Fame. 2022 marks Quesada’s 75th birthday, and he’s celebrating the only appropriate way: with a cigar. Blended by the master himself, the Manolo Quesada 75th is a limited-edition cigar rolled with an Ecuadoran Corojo wrapper, a Dominican binder, and both Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. The cigar comes in a single size, a Churchill with a 6 3/4 by 48 ring gauge; fittingly, it’s one of Quesada’s favorites. You could fill volumes with Quesada’s life story a family exiled from Cuba, a stint overseas in Vietnam, his rise to cigar world fame in the early ‘90s but why read when you can smoke? Quesada insists his legacy ought to be one every cigar fan can enjoy. $15 per cigar, quesadacigars.com

A HUNDRED HERBS
We’ve covered Faccia Brutto before the Brooklyn-based maker of organic aperitivos and digestivos has been steadily growing its portfolio under the direction of former executive chef Patrick Miller. We love the heavy Italian influence here, and the playfully retro branding combined with a small-batch attitude makes for a lovably fresh product. The brand’s latest offering, a digestifs called Centerbe, is a new world spin on a spirit from the Italian region of Abruzzo. The name roughly translates to “a hundred herbs,” and it’s fitting: this is a leafy botanical drink to its core. Think a less cloying Chartreuse and you’re in the ballpark. Unlike other digestifs (we’re looking at you, Fernet), the bitterness is kept under control. Serve over ice at your next dinner party and celebrate la dolce vita. $42, facciabruttospirits.com

In Good Spirits
Thank the heavens, as gin season is officially upon us, and Hardshore Distilling Company is ready to celebrate with the launch of its flagship Hardshore Original Gin. The company, named “Best Craft Gin Distillery in America” by USA Today, is the brainchild of Jordan Milne, who started out distilling whiskey in the bathtub of his New York City apartment. These days he’s taken his operation up to Maine and built a distillery on the concept of simple gins that give botanical and herbs their rightful spotlight. In its Original Gin you’ll find notes of rosemary, mint, and of course, juniper. Hardshore sources its H2O directly from the famously pure waters of Maine’s Sebago Lake. Milne and his team say this gin belongs in a Negroni, but its smooth mouth feel makes it right at home in a highball with a touch of lime. $33.99, hardshoredistilling.com