---
title: "Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon Review: Is It Worth $85? | Whiskey Social"
description: Barrell Cigar Blend is a cask strength bourbon aged 7.5 to 18 years and finished in four different cask types. Read our review!
image: https://whiskeysocial.app/hubfs/Blog%20Designs/Whiskey%20Wednesday/Barrell%20Cigar%20Blend%20Bourbon%20Built%20for%20the%20Pour%20After%20the%20Smoke%20(1).png
---

 4 min read

# Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon: Built for the Pour After the Smoke

[![Picture of Whiskey Social](https://whiskeysocial.app/hubfs/Logo/Crown%20-%20Whiskey%20Social.png) Whiskey Social ](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/author/whiskey-social) :  Updated on April 8, 2026

[Bourbon](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/tag/bourbon) [Whiskey Wednesday](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/tag/whiskey-wednesday) [American Whiskey](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/tag/american-whiskey) [Kentucky Bourbon](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/tag/kentucky-bourbon)

Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon Review: Is It Worth $85? | Whiskey Social

5:58

| Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon is a limited-release cask strength bourbon blended from whiskeys aged 7.5 to 18 years and finished in Madeira, Armagnac, rum, and Hungarian oak casks — Barrell Craft Spirits' first-ever cigar blend. At 111.2 proof and $84.99, it's one of the most complex bottles they've released. |
| --- |

 

This week's Whiskey Wednesday is Barrell Craft Spirits' first-ever Cigar Blend - a cask strength bourbon that dropped earlier this month and already has Forbes calling it complex whiskey done right. It's built around four different finishing casks, sourced from three states, and aged up to 18 years. For $84.99, it's a serious bottle at a price that doesn't ask much in return.

Here's everything you need to know.

 

## What is Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon?

Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon is a limited-release cask strength bourbon and the first cigar blend [Barrell Craft Spirits](https://www.barrellbourbon.com/) has ever released.

It's a blend of straight bourbon whiskeys aged between 7.5 and 18 years, distilled in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, then finished in four different cask types: Madeira, Armagnac, rum, and Hungarian oak.

The result is a [bourbon](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/peerless-henry-kravers-old-reserve-10-year-bourbon) built for slow drinking: dense, layered, and rich enough to hold its own next to a cigar or stand entirely on its own. Bottled at 111.2 proof without dilution, it delivers the full weight of those four finishes in every pour.

 

[![Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon Built for the Pour After the Smoke (1)-1](https://whiskeysocial.app/hubfs/Blog%20Designs/Whiskey%20Wednesday/Barrell%20Cigar%20Blend%20Bourbon%20Built%20for%20the%20Pour%20After%20the%20Smoke%20(1)-1.png)

### Barrell Craft Spirits

#### Cigar Blend Bourbon

](https://www.barrellbourbon.com/cigarblend)

*Image Source: [Barrell Craft Spirits](https://www.barrellbourbon.com/)*

### Key Details at a Glance: Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon

🥃

Style: Blended Straight Bourbon

🔥

Proof: 111.2

⏳

Age Statement: 7.5 - 18 Years

💎

Price: $84.99

 

## What is Barrell Craft Spirits?

[Barrell Craft Spirits](https://www.barrellbourbon.com/) is a Louisville-based independent blender founded in 2013 that has become one of the most respected names in American whiskey for one reason: their blends are genuinely interesting.

Rather than distilling everything in-house, Barrell sources high-quality casks from distilleries across the country and blends them at cask strength, without diluting, without chill filtering, and without following a predictable formula.

Every release explores something different: a new finish, an unusual mashbill combination, a wider age range. The Cigar Blend is their first release specifically designed around the cigar drinking experience, which gives it a flavor profile built for richness, length, and complexity over approachability. Barrell's portfolio is sold in 49 states and internationally, and their releases consistently earn top scores from Whisky Advocate, Breaking Bourbon, and major spirits competitions.

If you've tried the [Barrell New Year 2026 Bourbon](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/barrell-new-year-2026-bourbon-blended-to-ring-in-the-year) featured on Whiskey Wednesday earlier this year, you already know what Barrell does with a blend. This one goes further.

 

[![Whiskey Social App: Collect, socialize, & discover. Download in the App Store](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/43906346/225f42aa-5c4c-4469-aabd-82f36c02720e.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/43906346/225f42aa-5c4c-4469-aabd-82f36c02720e)

 

 

## How is Barrell Cigar Blend made?

Barrell Cigar Blend starts with straight bourbon whiskeys sourced from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, aged between 7.5 and 18 years in new, charred 53-gallon oak barrels before blending.

After blending, the whiskey is finished across four different cask types simultaneously: Madeira wine casks, Armagnac barrels, rum casks, and Hungarian oak. Each finishing cask adds a distinct layer. The Madeira brings oxidized fruit sweetness and a dry, nutty depth. The Armagnac contributes dried stone fruit and brandy-inflected richness. The rum casks add molasses and dark sweetness. The Hungarian oak, less common in American whiskey finishing, adds a distinctive cola spice and structural tannin that ties everything together. Nothing gets diluted at any point. At 111.2 proof, what goes in the bottle is exactly what came out of the cask.

 

---

Related Whiskey Wednesday | Barrell Craft Spirits

December 31, 2025: [Barrell New Year 2026 Bourbon: Blended to Ring In the Year](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/barrell-new-year-2026-bourbon-blended-to-ring-in-the-year)

---

 

## What does Barrell Cigar Blend taste like?

Barrell Cigar Blend is dense, dark, and deeply layered - one of the most complex flavor profiles in Barrell's catalog.

According to Barrell's own tasting notes:

- Nose**:** Crusty sourdough bread, toffee, pipe tobacco, and dusty cedar from the casks. As it breathes: walnuts, dry autumn leaves, leather, sticky buns, eclairs, sweet potato pie, pear, persimmon, and grape soda
- Palate**:** Warm cola with cinnamon, slightly burnt cornbread, pistachio ice cream, pungent vanilla, dried cherries, dates, pu'er tea, and fernet. Big, rich, and chewy — full of oils, sugars, and tannins
- Finish**:** Sweet vermouth, clove, juniper berry, cocoa powder, slate, salt, rosehips, black truffle, and incense. Long and complex

With a splash of water**:** The nose opens to butterscotch and Mirabelle plum. The rum emerges clearly on the palate with molasses and café au lait.

At 111.2 proof, a small amount of water is worth trying to see how the profile shifts. The rum cask character becomes noticeably more present.

 

---

Want to get more out of every pour? [The Four Stages of Professional Whiskey Tasting](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/the-four-stages-of-professional-whiskey-tasting) breaks down exactly how to evaluate a complex bottle like this one.

---

 

## Does Barrell Cigar Blend need a cigar to enjoy?

Barrell Cigar Blend doesn't require a cigar; it's a complete drinking experience on its own.

The "cigar blend" designation refers to the flavor profile that was intentionally built to complement cigar smoking: rich, slow, and long-finishing, with enough complexity to hold up alongside smoke without being overpowered by it.

The pipe tobacco and cedar notes on the nose, the earthy, savory undertones on the palate, and the bittersweet, spiced finish are all flavor characteristics that pair naturally with cigars. But they also make for an exceptionally interesting neat pour on their own. Whether you smoke or not, the bottle delivers. Barrell says it themselves: it's equally compelling with or without a cigar.

 

## **Is Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon worth buying?**

At $84.99, Barrell Cigar Blend is one of the most straightforward yes-buys Barrell has put out - and they've put out a lot of good bottles.

The four-cask finish on a blend aged up to 18 years at cask strength is a lot of bottle for under $90.

For collectors, it's a first-edition release in what could become a recurring series. For everyday drinkers who want something genuinely complex to sip slowly, it delivers more than most bottles at twice the price. Forbes called it complex whiskey done right within days of release. That's not a bad endorsement for $84.99.

Buy it neat first. Add a few drops of water on your second pour. Take your time with it.

 

## Looking for more whiskey releases?

From limited-edition barrel picks to cask strength standouts, Whiskey Wednesday highlights one new bottle every week. It's always worth a closer look.

[![Download for iPhone](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/43906346/ee6dbd7c-d63c-4f62-8c6f-83e60b8eefe8.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/43906346/ee6dbd7c-d63c-4f62-8c6f-83e60b8eefe8)

[![Download for Android](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/43906346/746b8c9f-c354-41a8-9873-e0a96fe0ef31.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/43906346/746b8c9f-c354-41a8-9873-e0a96fe0ef31)

 

---

Whiskey Wednesday | Recent Drops

April 8, 2026: [Elijah Craig 15 Year Single Barrel: The Release We've Been Waiting For](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/elijah-craig-15-year-single-barrel-review-bourbon)

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---

 

### Don’t Miss a Single Release

Subscribe to [The Angel’s Share](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog) to get new whiskey releases, tasting notes, and bottle insights every Wednesday, delivered straight to your inbox.

 

 

---

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**[Whiskey Social ](https://whiskeysocial.app/)is the [best whiskey tracking app](https://whiskeysocial.app/blog/best-whiskey-tracking-apps-in-2026) for whiskey lovers. Catalog your collection, discover new bottles, and connect with a community that shares your passion anytime, anywhere. [View all of our app features](https://whiskeysocial.app/app-features)!**

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