There are some whiskey releases that seem to be made for a tasting glass, and others that practically demand a cigar, a comfortable chair and nowhere else to be for a while.

That was the idea behind Jos. A. Magnus & Co. Cigar Blend Bourbon when it first arrived in 2016. Now, a decade later, the whiskey is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a release that marks not only a milestone for the brand, but the end of an era for the woman who helped create it.

Master Blender Nancy Fraley developed Cigar Blend as the first American whiskey specifically designed around the cigar ritual, helping establish an entirely new category along the way.

Fraley brought something a little different to the bourbon world, drawing on her training in Cognac and Armagnac and applying French principles of structure and oxidation to American whiskey.

The result was a bourbon that didn’t simply try to stand up to a cigar … it was built to join the conversation.

The 10th Anniversary Cigar Blend continues that tradition, bringing together Joseph Magnus Bourbon with select 11- and 18-year-old whiskeys before finishing the blend in Armagnac casks. At 120 proof, or 60% ABV, it’s a substantial pour, with the kind of richness and structure that makes sense alongside the smoke and spice of a good cigar.

The aroma leans into the experience with tobacco, spice, vanilla, fig, prunes and dried fruit. It’s a profile that sounds almost like a cigar lounge translated into whiskey … dark, layered and a little indulgent.

But there’s more to this particular bottle than its age on the calendar. The 10th Anniversary release is also Nancy Fraley’s final Cigar Blend expression, closing a decade-long chapter in the life of a whiskey she helped define from the beginning.

That gives the bottle a bit of extra significance for collectors and longtime fans. Cigar Blend isn’t simply another limited-edition bourbon with a celebratory label. It’s the culmination of an approach that helped change the way American whiskey could be considered alongside the cigar experience.

And perhaps that’s fitting when you look back at the philosophy behind Joseph Magnus whiskies. More than 125 years after Joseph Magnus first opened the doors to his distillery, the brand still describes whiskey as “a means to promote good conversation, close fellowship, and the interchange of kindly deeds and pleasant thoughts.”

It’s hard to imagine a better reason to pour a little whiskey, light a cigar and sit around with good company.

The 10th Anniversary Cigar Blend Bourbon carries a minimum shelf price of $179 for a 750ml bottle. At 120 proof, it’s certainly not shy about making an entrance. But then again, after 10 years of helping define a category, this particular bottle has earned the right to speak up.

Just remember … the best way to celebrate a decade of Cigar Blend probably isn’t to rush through the pour. Find a good cigar. Find a comfortable chair. Invite a few friends.

The whiskey, as it turns out, was designed for exactly that.