Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest on March 4th Offers the Best of Both Worlds
February 23, 2023 –––––– Ted Simmons
For lovers of cigars and whisky, there is no better place to pair the two than at Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest. The annual showcase returns to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida on Saturday, March 4th. With dozens of cigar and whisky brands present, it offers a great opportunity to sample the very best of both worlds.
Those with whisky on their mind will have lots to choose from, including a number of 2022 Top 20 entries. Sample Bardstown Bourbon Company Plantation Rum Barrel finished (the No. 15 whisky of 2022), Blackened’s Rye The Lightening (No. 14), Westward Cask Strength (No. 5), and Dewar’s 12 year old (No. 4). What’s more, all of these whiskies are available throughout the night. Other standout drams include Kentucky Owl Batch No. 12, Larceny Barrel Proof, Benromach 21 year old, and more. VIP attendees will have access to even more incredible pours, like Heaven’s Door Decades Series Volume 1, Calumet Farm 16 year old, and Crown Royal 18 year old.
There will be plenty of cigars and cigar makers on hand as well, like Ernesto Perez-Carrillo of E.P. Carrillo, Rocky Patel of Rocky Patel Cigars, Jorge Padrón of Padrón Cigars, and Carlos Fuente Jr of Arturo Fuente. Those luminaries and more will be participating in the Cigar Stars seminar, and there are a number of educational sessions available for those looking to learn as they taste. Sample Cigar Aficionado’s No. 2 Cigar of 2022, the Rocky Patel Sixty Sixty (96 points), alongside Whisky Advocate’s 2022 Whisky of Year, Jack Daniel’s Bonded. Or, take in a flight of Japanese whiskies that include Hibiki Harmony, Yamazaki 12 year old, and Toki.
“Cigar Aficionado’s Big Smokes have always had spirits as part of the show, but the selection at Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest takes it to another level entirely–it’s like two shows in one,” says Cigar Aficionado executive editor David Savona. It’s sure to be a night of unforgettable cigars and whiskies, and you can still buy tickets at bigsmokewhiskyfest.com.
