A Celebration Smoke

A.J. Fernandez is a third-generation cigarmaker, tracing his roots back to Cuban cigarmaking in the early 1950s. Today, the A.J. Fernandez factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, ranks among that country’s top cigar producers. To commemorate 20 years in business, A.J. Fernandez is releasing a pair of all-new cigars in two sizes, Toro and Belicoso. The AJF 20th Anniversary releases make use of the best leaves from Fernandez’s Nicaraguan farms. The Belicoso size is available exclusively in humidors, while the Toro is available in boxes of 20. For fans of the brand, the AJF 20th Anniversary releases are an opportunity to savor the best of what Fernandez has been doing for two decades. $500 (Toro, 20-count) or $1,750 (Belicoso, 50-count), ajfcigars.com

GRAND SLAM

Eric LeGrand Bourbon is one of our favorite small-batch whiskeymakers, a partnership between LeGrand, former Rutgers football star whose triumph over paralysis and injury has been one of New Jersey’s great success stories, and spirits industry powerhouse Brian Axelrod. This holiday season, Eric LeGrand Bourbon is launching a limited-edition Single Barrel Bourbon. The 104-proof whiskey is produced at Green River Distillery in Kentucky and aged in charred oak barrels. The whiskey carries notes of black cherry, oak, orange peel, and vanilla. Paying tribute to LeGrand’s jersey number at Rutgers, the whiskey clocks in at 52% ABV. And in keeping with the company’s mission of giving back, $5.20 of every case sold is donated to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. $59.99, ericlegrandwhiskey.com

DREAM TEAM

In the spirits industry, success requires greatness at every level. A new tequila brand, Marcado 28, brings together superstars at every level of production. The brand is a partnership between chef Michael Voltaggio, a Michelin star recipient and Top Chef winner, and master tequilero Bruno Barba, whose family has been making tequila for over 200 years. Made with just three ingredients, Marcado 28 is a testament to the vision and craft of all involved. Even the bottle design, which pays tribute to tattoo culture (Voltaggio himself is famously tattooed) is the work of tattoo artists Billy Baca and El Sando. Voltaggio has created cocktail recipes using both the Marcado 28 Blanco and Reposado; this is a tequila made with the greatest care, from the slow cooking of fresh-harvested agave to distilling, finishing, and serving. Even the beautiful and colorful bottle designs are unmissable. $49.99, marcado28.com

FIRE & FASHION

In a striking new collaboration, luxury accessory-maker S.T. Dupont has teamed up with the renowned fashion house Casablanca Paris. The result: a breathtaking new collection titled “The Art of Sport,” including lighters, humidors, ashtrays, and fountain pens. A standout is the Mosaic Ashtray, which pairs Casablanca’s signature bold, bright patterning with Dupont’s craft and quality production; the porcelain ashtray features a hand-painted gold finish on the grooves. Rounding out the collection is the Tennis line, featuring a design inspired by tennis courts and Greek architecture. S.T. Dupont has long made its name in tools that double as works of art; in this collection, the artistry is put front and center. You may not want to dirty this ashtray, but you’ll certainly have a good time looking at it. $525, st-dupont.com

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

Oliva Cigar Co. launched its Advent calendars in 2021, and they’ve rapidly become must-haves for those looking to add some flair to their holiday traditions. The Oliva Advent Calendar 2024 reprises last year’s 25-cigar roster of smokes, spanning different brands in the Oliva portfolio, including Cain, NUb, and Oliva’s flagship “Serie” line. With a variety of size, shapes, and ring gauges, each day in the calendar is a fresh adventure, leading to Christmas Day and a Cuba Aliados Churchill. Each box in the calendar features a QR code for more information on the cigar of the day. Recent years have seen an explosion in non-traditional advent calendars; what better way to spend your December than by exploring the best of what a brand has to offer? $242.50, olivacigar.com