Penelope Bourbon has teamed up with Alec Bradley Cigars for the second installment of its annual Cigar Sessions whiskey series.
Cigar Sessions: Chapter 2 is a six-year-old American whiskey bottled at 117.4 proof, with the blend developed specifically to pair with medium to full-bodied cigars. Unlike simply attaching a cigar brand to the release, Penelope’s blending team worked with Alec Bradley’s cigar blenders throughout the development process.
“Whiskey and cigars have always been an iconic pairing, built around the same appreciation for craft, patience and ritual,” said Michael Paladini, founder and vice president of strategy at Penelope Bourbon. “With Chapter 2, we wanted to take that classic pairing a step further by bringing the people behind both to the table. The goal was to create a whiskey purpose-built for a smoke, and the Alec Bradley team brought the same obsession with craft that we bring to blending whiskey.”
The whiskey uses a mash bill of 69 percent corn, 19 percent rye, and 12 percent malt. Penelope describes the profile as offering toasted oak, dark caramel, leather, and baking spice on the nose, with charred brown sugar, sweet corn, cocoa, and malt on the palate. Dark chocolate, oak, and spice are said to carry through the finish.
According to the companies, development included adjusting the whiskey blend and repeatedly tasting it alongside cigars to determine how the two interacted.
“A full-bodied cigar needs a whiskey that won’t back down from it,” said Alec Rubin, brand manager of strategic partnerships at Alec Bradley. “Working with Penelope’s blending team from the start let us build something bold without either one overpowering the other.”
“Chapter 2 was an exciting collaboration between cigar and whiskey blenders,” said Danny Polise, founder and master blender of Penelope Bourbon. “We would adjust the blend, taste it alongside the cigars, get the Alec Bradley team’s feedback and keep dialing it together. That process helped us find the right balance of proof, depth, and flavor so the whiskey could stand up to a fuller-bodied cigar without either one overpowering the other.”
The collaboration also has a family connection between the two brands. Penelope Bourbon was named after Paladini’s daughter, while Alec Bradley takes its name from company founder Alan Rubin’s sons, Alec and Bradley.
Penelope Bourbon Cigar Sessions: Chapter 2 is priced at $79.99 and is now shipping to select retailers nationwide.
Product Details
- Name: Penelope Bourbon Cigar Sessions: Chapter 2
- Collaboration: Penelope Bourbon x Alec Bradley Cigars
- Type: American whiskey
- Age: 6 years
- Proof: 117.4
- Mash Bill: 69% corn, 19% rye, 12% malt
- SRP: $79.99
- Availability: Select retailers nationwide
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