In this episode of High Proof Ashes, we light up the Lalibela by Black Star Line Cigars, a boutique blend with a bold mission. Named after the sacred Ethiopian city of rock-hewn churches, this cigar is rich with symbolism—and flavor. Black Star Line, founded by Chicago firefighter Aric Bey, has quickly made waves in the premium cigar world for its bold blends and Black-owned pride.

We pair this unique smoke with something deeply personal: the Red Hot Liquor store pick of Maker’s Mark Private Selection—a bottle we helped create with the Chattanooga Bourbon Society. With a custom 10-stave profile, this limited-edition bourbon clocks in at 112.6 proofand is full of warm baking spice, rich oak, and a smooth, creamy finish.

You don’t want to miss this special pairing. Grab your dram, cut that cigar, and join us!

No cigars this time — because it’s BLIND TASTING time again on High Proof Ashes!

In this episode, we’re diving into a low proof wheated bourbon blind featuring some familiar favorites and hidden gems:

• Maker’s Mark 101

• Shady Mile Wheated Bourbon

• Monk’s Road Wheated

• ASW Fiddler Wheated

• Woodford Reserve Wheated

• Weller Special Reserve

We’re joined by a special guest — James — who was kind enough to let us film in his awesome man cave! Big thanks to him for the hospitality and great conversation.

As always, we had no idea which pour was which… and let’s just say the winner AND the loser surprised us more than a little. You’ll have to tune in to find out which wheater walked away with the win 🏆 (and which got the boot 😬).

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy blind tastings, whiskey talk, and all things High Proof!

This week on the High Proof Ashes Podcast, we pop the cork on two expressions from Pursuit Spirits:

• Pursuit United Double Oaked Bourbon: A blend of 3 mash bills finished in Kelvin Cooperage barrels. Expect rich caramel, oak, and spice.

• Pursuit United Double Oaked Rye: Made from 100% rye and aged in toasted barrels for a bold, layered profile.

Sounds like a win, right? Well… we reveal a frustrating problem with both of these bottles that you’ll want to hear before picking one up.

Our cigar pairing is the Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco—a medium to full-bodied stick aged in oak barrels and made with Nicaraguan filler and a Dominican binder. After being underwhelmed by a previous Joya, Doran’s giving this one a fair shot. Does it redeem the brand?

We also dive into:

• The pros and cons of working from home vs the office

• NCAA March Madness and the upcoming pro playoff seasons

• The difference between private tastings and brand rep-led events

• Bourbon brands that just aren’t our jam (no hate… just honesty)

Pour one, light up, and tune in for another great pour and puff.

This week on High Proof Ashes, we lit up the Escobar Ultra Black, a bold box-pressed toro made in collaboration with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. This limited release features a Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper, Habano binder, and 5-year-aged Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers — delivering a deep, rich profile with notes of chocolate, espresso, and spice.

For the spirits, we stacked the heat with a vertical tasting of Stagg Jr. batches plus the legendary 2017 George T. Stagg — exploring how these high-proof monsters compare across vintages in flavor, heat, and balance.

We also ran into a cigar tar issue mid-smoke, so we broke down how to identify, manage, and recover from it if it ever happens to you.

To wrap things up, we talk about the recent flooding at Buffalo Trace — how it might impact operations and what it means for future releases.

Light one up, pour something strong, and join us for another fiery episode of High Proof Ashes.

We’re back at Ocoee Cigar Lounge with another bold pour and an equally bold smoke. Up first: Old Carter Straight Bourbon Batch 12—a highly sought-after release from one of the most buzzed-about names in American whiskey. Known for their meticulously blended, high-proof offerings, Batch 12 delivers with notes of rich caramel, dried fruit, oak spice, and a long, warming finish. It’s decadent, powerful, and everything we expect from the Carters.

To match the intensity of the pour, we’ve got the Drew Estate Liga Privada Único Ratzilla—a 6.25x46 vitola that brings deep, earthy richness, bold spice, and classic Liga body. Wrapped in a Connecticut Habano leaf and packed with Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, the Ratzilla is limited, flavorful, and not to be underestimated.

Tune in for tasting notes, pairing impressions, and some lounge-side conversation as we soak in another great session at Ocoee Cigar Lounge. Light up, pour a dram, and enjoy the ride with High Proof Ashes.

We’ve officially hit 100 episodes of High Proof Ashes! To celebrate, we brought together a panel of some of our closest friends and filmed in a special location that let us do something different.

No cigars this time — just great whiskey, good company, and an honest conversation about bourbon, life, and everything in between. We shared pours, memories, laughs, and a few hot takes… all in the spirit of what got us here in the first place: community.

This milestone means the world to us, and we couldn’t have done it without you, our listeners and supporters. Your continued encouragement is what keeps this show going strong.

So here’s to 100 down — and plenty more to come.

🥃 Keep tuning in, lighting up (when the time is right), and pouring those drams!

We’re back for Part 2 with our guest Steven Cooke, and this one’s a full-bodied experience in every sense.

This round, we’re smoking the Diamond Crown Maximus — a rich, full-strength cigar crafted with an oily Ecuadorian El Bajo sun-grown wrapper and a flavorful Dominican blend. It’s bold, complex, and the perfect match for the tone of this episode.

The spirits? Still drinker’s choice. The conversation? Even more wide-ranging than Part 1. From whiskey insights to unexpected stories, this one wraps with a bang.

If you missed Part 1, go back and start there — then dive in for the rest of the ride.

We’re shaking things up on this episode of High Proof Ashes with a very special guest—Steven Cooke. There’s a big reason we invited him to join us, but you’ll have to tune in to hear the full story. (Trust us, it’s worth it.)

For this occasion, we’re lighting up the Caldwell Long Live the King, a bold and complex cigar built with a Dominican Corojo wrapper, a mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, and a deep backbone of flavor that lives up to its name.

As for the pour? It’s drinker’s choice—we brought a table full of bottles and let the night guide us.

This is Part 1 of our time with Steven, so be sure to catch both halves of this great conversation.

We’re on location at Ocoee Cigar Lounge for another flavorful episode of High Proof Ashes, and this time we’re going single barrel barrel-proof head-to-head with two standout rye whiskeys:

• Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye – Bold, powerful, and uniquely Tennessee. This barrel-proof rye delivers notes of toasted oak, dark fruit, and classic JD vanilla with a spicy rye edge.

• Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Rye – Sourced from MGP with their signature 95/5 mash bill, this cask strength expression brings high spice, bright citrus, and a punchy finish that rye lovers crave.

To pair with this rye rumble, we’re smoking the Plasencia Cosecha 149—a Honduran puro made from the 149th harvest (cosecha), offering earthy depth, refined sweetness, and elegant complexity from one of the most respected names in cigars.

Which rye comes out on top? And how does the Cosecha hold up alongside them? Tune in to find out.

On this episode of High Proof Ashes, we’re diving into one of the most unique cigars we’ve ever lit up — the Chocolate Ice Cream from Privada Cigar Club. Known for their rare, small-batch drops and deep commitment to storytelling through cigars, Privada delivers something truly different with this dessert-inspired stick. We’ll break down the flavors, construction, and experience of this intriguing blend.

But the smoke isn’t the only thing bringing the heat today. We’ve got a cask strength showdown on our hands — Old Overholt 10-Year vs. 11-Year, both bold rye whiskeys released in limited quantities. The 10-Year is a 2022 powerhouse at 121 proof, aged at Beam’s Clermont facility, while the 11-Year steps it up a notch in age and flavor intensity, rumored to be a Warehouse K gem. Which will rise to the top?

Grab your cigar and pour a glass — this one’s a flavor-packed ride.