BOOZEMAKERS
A Gentleman's Lifestyle
In-depth spirit reviews, intimate maker interviews, expert guides, and stories celebrating the craft behind the world's finest drinks.
Interviews
Master Distiller James Calloway on the Art of Patience and Bourbon
We sat down with Heritage Creek's legendary Master Distiller to talk barrel selection, the bourbon boom, and why great whiskey can't be rushed.
The Quiet Revolution: Four Roses' Brent Elliott on 10 Recipes and Infinite Patience
Four Roses' Master Distiller on managing 10 bourbon recipes, the OBSV vs. OESV debate, and why limited releases aren't always the best bottles.
Behind the Barrel: How Wilderness Trail's Shane Baker Is Rewriting Kentucky Bourbon
Wilderness Trail's co-founder on sweet mash science, proprietary yeast, and why the best bourbon innovations are happening in Danville, not Louisville.
Best Of Guides
The 10 Best Cigars of 2026: The Humidor's Greatest Hits
From Nicaraguan powerhouses to refined Cuban classics, these ten cigars represent the pinnacle of the roller's art in 2026.
The 10 Best Tequilas of 2026: Beyond the Shot Glass
Tequila has evolved from party fuel to a world-class sipping spirit. These ten expressions prove that the agave renaissance is real—and it's spectacular.
The 10 Best Whiskeys of 2026: A World Tour of Excellence
From Scotland's misty highlands to Japan's meticulous distilleries, these ten whiskeys represent the pinnacle of the craft in 2026.
The 10 Best Bourbons of 2026: A Gentleman's Definitive Ranking
We tasted over 100 bottles to find the ten bourbons that define excellence in 2026. Some are old friends; others are new arrivals. All of them earned their place.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Bourbons of 2026
Over 100 bottles blind-tasted and scored. These three earned the podium.
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Old Forester Distillery (Brown-Forman)
Named for an era when bourbon went underground, Old Forester 1920 has emerged as one of the best kept non-allocated secrets in Kentucky. Rich, bold, and revelatory.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Whiskeys of 2026
Scotch, rye, and world whiskeys — blind-tasted and ranked.
Nikka Whisky From The Barrel
Nikka (Yoichi & Miyagikyo Distilleries)
At 51.4% ABV in a bottle that fits in your pocket, Nikka From The Barrel punches harder than whiskies twice its size and three times its price.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Tequilas of 2026
From blanco to extra añejo — the finest agave spirits ranked.
G4 Blanco 108 Proof
El Pandillo Distillery / NOM 1579
Bottled at 108 proof—nearly the legal maximum—G4's high-proof blanco is an unfiltered, undiluted expression of what highland agave can truly deliver.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Cigars of 2026
Premium cigars rated by construction, flavor, and value.
Padron 60th Anniversary Perfecto Natural
Padron Cigars
Cigar Aficionado's #1 Cigar of 2025. At $75 per stick, it forces the ultimate question: is any single cigar worth that much? After smoking ours, we have a very clear answer.
Latest Booze News
Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf: The Unicorn You Can (Sometimes) Find
Released twice a year and selling out almost instantly, the Supreme Leaf is Aganorsa's showcase blend—and the FOMO is completely justified. This is Nicaraguan terroir at its absolute finest.
Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro: The Five-Year-Aged Daily Driver
All tobacco from a single farm plot, aged five years, and priced at $8. If that sounds too good to be true, welcome to the Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro—the cigar that makes the entire industry look overpriced.
Plasencia Alma Fuerte Nestor IV: Five Generations in a Single Smoke
The family that grows more tobacco than anyone in Central America finally launched their own brand—and the Alma Fuerte proves they can make cigars every bit as well as they grow tobacco.
AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial: Seven Dollars of Nicaraguan Fury
Named after Columbus's discovery of tobacco, the New World is AJ Fernandez's love letter to bold Nicaraguan puros—and at $7, it's the most generous love letter you'll ever receive.
Ashton VSG Torpedo: The Dominican Dark Horse
Blended by Carlos Fuente Jr. for the Ashton brand, the VSG is a full-bodied Dominican that has been quietly embarrassing flashier cigars for twenty-five years. The cognoscenti know.
Foundation Charter Oak Habano: The Six-Dollar Miracle
Cigar Aficionado's #1 Best Value Cigar has no business tasting this good at this price. Foundation's Charter Oak Habano is the cigar equivalent of finding a Michelin-star meal at a diner.
Gentleman's Lifestyle
Style, travel, culture, and the good life — curated for the modern gentleman.
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