Review of Starlight Distillery Carl T Huber Cigar Batch B2207

Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Cigar Batch (Batch B2207)

Amburana trees originate in South America, mainly in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru. In the U.S., brewers began to use Amburana wood in beer and spirit production in the 2010s. This trend led to the winner of the Wood-Aged Beer category at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival: Against The Grain’s 70K Amburana, a 13% ABV imperial milk stout. American whiskey makers soon caught wind of the Amburana craze, prompting Starlight Distillery in Kentucky to provide consumers with an Amburana finished bourbon.

Nose

A beautiful aroma hits the nose — burnt orange rind, dates, leather, and tobacco leaf form its base. Cinnamon stick, nuts, apple, and steeped malt create a complex tapestry, along with fainter notes of bran, toffee, and light clover. In all, the aroma is unique and satisfying.

Palate

Baking spices, tobacco leaf, sandalwood and nuts welcome you, before Starlight’s distinct distillate of soft baked bread, cereal grain, and young sharp oak come through. Undertones of vanilla chai, honey, and milk chocolate lend sweetness while earthiness and a cigar-like note dominate — challenging drinkers in the best of ways.

Finish

The finish melts into a cigar box note with hints of cream soda, fudge and roasted malt. Earthy and rustic, a light sweetness develops and lingers alongside the Amburana wood’s distinct tobacco leaf and nutty flavor.

Uniqueness

Finishing whiskey with Amburana wood has advantages over more common wine, rum, and tequila cask methods. Starlight’s Cigar Batch offers stuff unburdened by pre-used barrels, crafting a pure expression of Amburana flavor. But will its intense taste resonate with cigar smokers or whiskey fans looking for bold flavors? It remains to be seen.

Value

Though it’s $80 MSRP isn’t cheap, Starlight Distillery’s Cigar Batch is a great value. Amburana finishing is rare, yet many other distilleries released finished whiskeys in 2022 priced from $40-$150 or more. This whiskey also offers a unique, flavorful pour less than half the price of Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend’s $175 MSRP.

Overall

Starlight Distillery’s Cigar Batch offers drinkers an incredibly unique and fascinating pour. Utilizing Amburana wood, it features layers of complexity and rustic undercurrents throughout its flavor profile. Despite its boldness, its newness suggests it has been well integrated. I expect many to be puzzled by its unfamiliar flavors, but it will challenge the drinker in the best of ways. Considering its uniqueness, price, and flavor profile, Starlight Distillery’s Cigar Batch is hard to resist.