Why Cigars?
From our early days with Pappy & Company, what we knew of cigars was that our dad enjoyed one outside, usually accompanied by a glass of bourbon. We enjoyed watching the ritualistic nature of this habit, how he would roll the cigar between his fingers as he inspected it. He would run it under his nose, inhaling the distinctive aroma before using his stainless steel cutter to snip the end. He would carefully light it, moving the fire slowly around as he methodically puffed until the cigar was lit to his liking, and he would relax into it, easing his body into relaxation as the waft of smoke seemed to float around him, enveloping him in a smooth embrace. It was trance-like to witness the process, just as he would pour his bourbon, gently swirling it in his hand as he watched the amber-colored liquid move about, an invitation to the flavors locked within to release themselves. He would lean towards it to enjoy the first wafting notes of caramel, vanilla, and charred oak that danced towards him.
An image of our great-grandfather in studious repose, enjoying a cigar, was deemed so representative of him that it became one of the most enduring images of our family’s iconic bourbon. Emblematic of the man behind the legend and the subtly inherent indulgence of enjoying bourbon alongside a cigar, it is affixed to the 15, 20, and 23-Year bottles of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. A beloved pastime and an indelible bond - frozen in time forever.
Perhaps this image, with its unspoken yet deeply present representation of the relationship between bourbon and cigars, may have set the stage for our early awareness of their intertwined nature. We understood their unique character and cohesive attraction, an unwritten yet palpable connection whereby they elevated each other's presence and enjoyment. So deeply entrenched as to begin with their origins and their history. The craftsmanship of each requires an abundance of patience, a reliance on time-honored processes, exceptional mastery, and an unwavering dedication to quality.
We came to associate their unmistakable aroma with the joy of relaxation, ritual, and pleasure, and we learned how to enjoy them ourselves. Yet, even as we were invited into a world that required no secret handshake or preliminary entrance exam, it still felt like a secret world - one that had its own code, its own decorum, and certainly its own sense of ceremony.
The rest - well, that we learned through experience. Fortunately, our Pappy & Company business model was built upon the premise that when you don’t know, you seek out the specialists who do—and so we did. We partnered with the formidable cigar masters at Drew Estate, who have changed the game with their innovation and expertise, while maintaining the magnitude of history and tradition that is inherently integral to cigar craftsmanship.
A company that is equally as committed to quality in the final product as we are. Years ago, when we worked on our very first batch of cigars with Drew Estate, we offered a pre-order to a small customer base. Much to our shared excitement, we sold out almost immediately. However, when Drew Estate inspected, smoked, and tasted the cigars, well, they simply didn’t live up to the standard that either of us were willing to accept. We had a choice. We could send what we knew were an inferior product to the customers who had submitted their pre-orders, or we could wait until the product was just right.
If you’ve been paying attention, you will know we didn’t have a choice at all. There was only one answer. And it could be found on the plaque bearing Pappy’s famous motto “but always fine bourbon.” We also knew how important honesty, transparency, and a relationship with our customers was to maintaining our commitment to Pappy’s promise of doing things the right way. So, together with Drew Estate, we reached out to the customers and explained the situation, offering them one of Drew Estate’s most popular cigars as a replacement until we could deliver a cigar that upheld the values of Pappy & Company and Drew Estate. We trusted that as fans of Drew Estate, Pappy Van Winkle, and Pappy & Company, they would understand, and naturally, we were correct. Fortunately, the next batch of cigars more than made up for the wait.
As Pappy & Company recently celebrated 11 years of sharing our heritage and legacy, we are honored that our Pappy Van Winkle cigars collection has become a beloved part of your cigar ritual. What better way to celebrate this continued tradition than by sharing some of our favorite elements of cigars, the history-laden process of craftsmanship, and, of course, enjoying them?
The process. Laborious and beautiful, our cigars are a feat of time, expertise, tradition, and heritage. It begins on a humble tobacco farm in Kentucky, where tobacco is fire-cured in an extensive process that relies on time-honored traditions, before traveling to the one tiny corner of the southern United States that still practices the old-fashioned perique method. In St. James Parish, Louisiana, tobacco is fermented in retired Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels for 12- 18 months. Finally, the cigars are hand-rolled in small batches in Estelí, Nicaragua, using the only old-fashioned method we would put the Pappy Van Winkle name on. In short, that cigar you are about to enjoy has been in the works for years… because, like in bourbon making…time is a good thing.
Follow Along the Pappy Van Winkle Cigar Journey:
From the Farm to the Barnsmoker
To Louisiana's Old Fashioned Perique Process
To Nicaragua for Time-Honored Tradition
