Canada’s original cigar whisky makes a return with The Gentleman’s Flavor Campfire Oscuro by Kurt Bradley and Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery. Our third collaborative release with Okanagan Spirits’, Campfire Oscuro builds on the success of Sunshine Claro (2025) and Midnight Maduro (2024).
To craft Campfire Oscuro, a perfectly aged blend of terroir-specific Okanagan Spirits bourbon, rye, and single malt whiskies were double-wood finished in casks sourced from one of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries – Lagavulin.
The finishing touch involves Okanagan Spirits’ innovative Pioneer County Process, whereby the finished blend is slowly gravity-filtered through staves of the freshly emptied and deconstructed Lagavulin casks, which have been torch-caramelized with heavily fermented tobacco from Estelí, Nicaragua.
This process was applied in late January 2026 at Okanagan Spirits’ distillery in Vernon, BC (the other Okanagan Spirits distillery is in Kelowna, BC).
The Gentleman’s Flavor Campfire Oscuro Cigar Whisky with the CAO Mortal Coil Toro cigar
At the conclusion of the process, elements from BC’s Okanagan Valley, Scotland and Nicaragua have all played a role. This results in a smooth spirit with remarkable depth made to serve as the perfect accompaniment to a fine, full-flavored cigar.
NOTE: At the time of writing, there are a limited number of bottles that are available from this small batch production.
SHELF APPEAL RATING (Note: does not count toward final score, out of 5):
APPEARANCE: Clear. Mahogany.
NOSE: A tropical waft of pineapple husk and mango present first and are underscored by honey and pine with a touch of smoldering campfire embers and baseball card bubblegum.
PALATE: A multilayered palate delivers mango, Manuka honey and dark fruit, which mingle with sweet tobacco, oak char and a delicate kiss of peat. Additional notes of pine, ash, and a slight maritime saline quality also take shape.
FINISH: Long, warming and pleasant. The finish presents a final concentration that includes bitter dark coffee, cayenne and leather.
ABV: 48.9%
AGE: 9 years
CASK(S): American oak, Canadian oak, ex-Lagavulin cask
ENJOY: Neat, with ice, or in a cocktail.
RATING:
For our own releases, we don’t assign a score. We’ll leave that up to you!
Conclusions
Oscuro-wrapped cigars generally announce themselves with a certain swagger. The name alone – Spanish for dark – hints at their depth. These leaves endure the longest, warmest fermentations, emerging nearly black and brimming with the sort of brooding intensity that many seasoned cigar smokers look for.
To stand shoulder to shoulder with that kind of flavor, a spirit needs more than backbone; it needs big-time character. Of the three collaborations we’ve undertaken with Okanagan Spirits, this latest is the first to wear an age statement, and proudly so.
At nine years, the blend draws from older whiskies than its predecessors. One component in particular – a bourbon-style whisky built on chocolate malted barley – adds a roasted richness.
But it’s the finishing that truly earns Campfire Oscuro its name. After the whiskies marry, they rest for two months in an ex-Lagavulin cask, a vessel already steeped in maritime smoke. Then comes a flourish worthy of a cooper’s folklore: the cask’s staves are deconstructed, torch-caramelized, and used as a gravity-fed filter for the whisky. The result is our most muscular release to date – bold, smoky and layered – just like an Oscuro cigar.
Those expecting a peated broadside may be surprised. The nose offers only a whisper of smoke, a suggestion rather than a declaration. It’s on the palate where the peat steps forward. Think of it less as a punch and more as a peat embrace – firm but never overwhelming.
Exactly the balance we set out to strike with Okanagan Spirits before this all began.
…And For Those So Inclined: A Recommended Cigar Pairing
Pair Campfire Oscuro Cigar Whisky with the CAO BX3 cigar.
Crafted in Nicaragua by the Scandinavian Tobacco Group, the BX3 boasts a complex trio of tobacco layers centered on a rich Brazilian leaf. When paired with Campfire Oscuro, the cigar unfolds flavors of dark espresso, earthy molasses, black licorice, vanilla bean, and bittersweet baker’s chocolate. Taking a draw between sips of the whisky, the Campfire Oscuro’s leather notes leap forward, now tinged with an element of cinnamon and an unmistakable depth of earthiness.
This pairing was made for those who appreciate the darker, more luxurious side of both cigar and whisky worlds.
– Kurt Bradley
Reviewed February 5th, 2026
Kurt Bradley is the founder of The Gentleman’s Flavor, to which he is also a contributing editor, host and curator.
Born in Toronto, Canada, Kurt has lived in Glasgow, Scotland where he developed a passion for understanding whisky. Kurt is a certified Whisky Ambassador accredited by The Scotch Whisky Association and has achieved Level 2 Award in Wine & Spirits Education Trust with distinction. He is a regular contributor to Cigar Journal Magazine, and has provided commentary to Cigar Aficionado, the world’s leading cigar publication.
He enjoys a fine, hand made cigar with a well-crafted Old Fashioned cocktail.
