On this episode of Eat Drink Smoke Happy Hour, Tony Katz and Fingers Malloy pour a bold Indiana bourbon and break down what all those whiskey labels actually mean. They dive into Fenwick’s Single Barrel Bourbon 5-Year-Old Cask Strength, talk through the difference between cask strength, barrel strength, full proof, and single barrel, and then discover a bottle that changes dramatically once a little water or ice gets involved. At 118.3 proof, this one brings big caramel, vanilla, and a serious kick — but also one of the most surprising transformations they’ve had in years.

The guys also revisit the Aganorsa Leaf La Validación Habano Toro, talk about where it lands in the strength and flavor profile, and make the case for keeping notes on what you smoke, what you drink, and how a cigar changes from the first third to the final third.

Along the way, they get into the Weber grill-brush recall, the dangers of wire bristles, how to clean your grill the right way, and why people will spend serious money on a grill but cheap out on taking care of it. There’s also a detour into McDonald’s gimmicks, a bizarre CEO sandwich moment, and Tony’s behind-the-scenes story from attending the State of the Union, complete with security, checked phones, confiscated cigars, and a view of Congress that turned out to be better than the speech itself.

It’s bourbon, cigars, grills, McDonald’s, politics without the politics, and the kind of wandering conversation that makes Eat Drink Smoke Happy Hour exactly what it’s supposed to be. 

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