Shortbarrel Cigar Batch IV
Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Armagnac, Cognac, Rum, Sherry & Tawny Port Casks
53.5% ABV
$90
Website
We would like to thank Shortbarrel and Raptor Communications for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says:
Beginning September 1, 2026, Cigar Batch #4 will be available through Shortbarrel’s direct-to-consumer platform and select retail markets for a suggested retail price of $89.99. Cigar Batch #4 is bottled at 53.5% ABV/107 proof and is non-chill filtered.
For Shortbarrel Master Blender Clinton Dugan, the Cigar Batch series has always been an exercise in patience, precision and balance. Rather than relying on a single finishing cask type to define the whiskey, the series is built by blending separately finished components, allowing different mash bills, maturation profiles and finishing casks to each contribute to the final whiskey.
This year’s release incorporates whiskey finished in more than 50 separate Armagnac, Cognac, rum, Tawny Port and Sherry casks, with Sherry casks appearing in Cigar Batch for the first time. Together, the finishing casks contribute layers of fruit, spice, oak and richness while allowing the underlying bourbon to remain at the center of the finished whiskey.
The foundation of Cigar Batch #4 is built from mature bourbon components with mash bills of 60% corn, 36% rye and 4% malted barley; 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley; 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley; and 91% corn and 9% malted barley. Distilled in Kentucky and Indiana, these whiskeys were selected and blended to contribute different expressions of body, spice, fruit, oak and texture to the finished whiskey.
The individual whiskey components underwent extended secondary maturation in their respective finishing casks before the final blend was assembled. Rather than finishing one completed blend in multiple cask types, Shortbarrel matures components independently and evaluates them individually before determining their role in the final whiskey. While the whiskey begins its journey in Kentucky and Indiana, Cigar Batch #4 takes its final shape in Georgia. The process reflects the approach that has come to define the Cigar Batch series: mature American whiskey, extended secondary maturation, multiple finishing cask types and a final blend constructed to balance the characteristics of each component.
“Every barrel has a purpose,” said Clinton Dugan, co-founder and master blender at Shortbarrel. “Our responsibility is understanding what each component contributes, giving the whiskey the time it needs to develop and then finding the blend where those individual characteristics work together. Cigar Batch has always been about building layers rather than allowing any single finish to dominate,” Dugan continued
Inspired by the progression of a premium cigar rather than simply designed to pair with one, Cigar Batch #4 develops in layers. Bright fruit and baking spice transition into darker notes of dried fruit, cocoa, leather, toasted oak and lingering rye spice, creating a whiskey designed to continue evolving from the first sip through the finish.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Dark cherry preserves, fig compote, candied orange peel, toasted walnut, aged leather, pipe tobacco, cocoa nibs, roasted espresso, caramel, vanilla bean and mature oak.
Palate: Luxardo cherry, raisin, burnt sugar and milk chocolate layered with cinnamon, clove, cracked black pepper, candied citrus, toasted almond, cigar wrapper, dark maple syrup and mature oak.
Finish: Long and evolving with dried fruit, cocoa powder, supple leather, toasted oak, tobacco leaf, orange oil, vanilla and persistent rye spice.
Recommended Cigar Pairings: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto, Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Exclusivo and Liga Privada No. 9 Toro.
What Gary Says
Nose: Fermented fruit notes with figs, currants, raisins and blood orange; vanilla, smoky oak, honey, leather and pipe smoke.
Palate: Dark fruit notes with oak, bitter cocoa, black cherry, caramel, dark honey, cinnamon, clove and cigar paper.
Finish: Moderately long with dark fruit, baking spices and cocoa.
Comments: This is a pretty layered and nuanced dram with a lot going on! Quite dark in the glass, too. On the nose it reminds me a bit of mincemeat fruits without the cloves and other alcohol. While this drinks fine neat, a bit of water gives it a chewy mouthfeel that I really enjoy, along with bringing the orange and fig notes forward.
Rating: Must Try
