An American Whiskey & Stogie Lover’s Delight: Shortbarrel Unveils Its Fourth Annual Limited-Edition Cigar Batch

Atlanta-based Shortbarrel today announced the release of Cigar Batch #4, the fourth edition of its acclaimed annual limited-release American Whiskey. Beginning September 1, Cigar Batch #4 will be available through select retail markets followed by the rollout on Shortbarrel’s direct-to-consumer platform on Friday, September 4. With 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, bourbons and whiskeys 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.

Shortbarrel and Old Fourth Distillery products are available through ecommerce at shortbarrelbourbon.com and o4d.com and select retail markets. Shortbarrel’s retail distribution includes Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, Texas and Missouri.

ABOUT SHORTBARREL

Atlanta-based Shortbarrel is one of the fastest-growing independently owned craft spirits brands in the Southeast, founded in 2020 when friends Adam Dorfman, Clinton Dugan and Patrick Lemmond turned their love of whiskey into much more than a passion project. The company consists of two core businesses: Shortbarrel is an award-winning, nationally available American Whiskey brand; and Old Fourth Distillery, which was acquired in 2023, is a legendary, hyper-local brand featuring white spirits and specialty whiskeys with a true hometown flair. The company is built on a simple belief: the future of American Whiskey belongs to brands that blend authenticity, transparency and relentless innovation with real, measurable performance.