JACKSONVILLE, FL — September 2026. Hooten Young—America's favorite pairing of whiskey and cigars—has partnered with Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., one of America's most storied firearms makers, on RUGER Whiskey & Cigars: a limited collaboration built on a shared belief in American craftsmanship. The debut release brings together Ruger First-Fire Bourbon and two companion cigars, Rim Fire and Center Fire—all produced by Hooten Young under license from Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

Since 1949, Ruger Firearms has built its name on attainable quality, craftsmanship, and enduring value—the same pursuit that inspired the Ruger Bourbon Whiskey and Cigar Collection. It is a limited-edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey capped at just 1,776 individually numbered 750ml bottles, from 0001/1776 through 1776/1776, in tribute to the year the nation gained its independence. No two bottles are alike.

Aged seven years and bottled at 96 proof (48% ABV), First-Fire Bourbon is drawn from just ten barrels—distilled in Kentucky on a 54-inch Vendome column still and matured in Speyside reference char #4 barrels, then bottled by Manifest Distilling in Jacksonville, Florida. It pours a deep amber; the nose offers caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak layered with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a whisper of dried stone fruit. The palate moves from sweet toffee and honey to dark cherry, orange zest, and building rye spice, finishing medium-to-long on oak spice, leather, and caramelized brown sugar.

Completing the pairing are two hand-rolled cigars, each a 6 x 54 Toro crafted in Estelí, Nicaragua under Hooten Young Cigars and offered in a strictly limited run of 250 boxes of 20—ten of each blend per box. Rim Fire, a medium-bodied Connecticut Shade, leads with cream, cedar, and toasted almond over buttered toast and gentle white pepper. Center Fire, a medium-to-full San Andrés, delivers dark cocoa, roasted coffee, and black pepper balanced by a touch of natural sweetness.

RUGER First-Fire Bourbon and the Rim Fire and Center Fire Cigars are available exclusively online at store.hootenyoung.com, with pre-sale opening to the public October 14, 2026, at 1 p.m. EST. Given the strictly limited quantities—just 1,776 bottles and 250 cigar boxes—availability is expected to be brief. For more information, visit store.hootenyoung.com.

RUGER FIRST-FIRE BOURBON — SPECIFICATIONS

Product: Ruger First-Fire Bourbon — Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Batch No. 1)
Collaboration: Produced by Hooten Young under license from Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.
Age: 7 Years
Proof: 96 (48% ABV)
Mash Bill: 70% Corn / 21% Rye / 9% Malted Barley
Maturation: Speyside reference char #4 barrels (10 barrels)
Production: Distilled in Kentucky · Bottled by Manifest Distilling, Jacksonville, FL
Release Size: 1,776 individually numbered 750ml bottles (0001/1776–1776/1776)
Tasting Notes: Caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and baking spice; toffee, honey, dark cherry, and orange zest; a finish of oak spice, leather, and caramelized brown sugar
MSRP: $45.99

RUGER CIGARS — RIM FIRE & CENTER FIRE

Format: 6 x 54 Toro — hand-rolled in Estelí, Nicaragua by Hooten Young Cigars
Release Size: 250 boxes of 20 (10 Rim Fire + 10 Center Fire per box)
Rim Fire: Connecticut Shade wrapper; medium body (3/5) — cream, cedar, toasted almond, buttered toast, white pepper
Center Fire: San Andrés wrapper; medium-to-full (4/5) — dark cocoa, roasted coffee, earth, cedar, black pepper
MSRP: $20/Cigar | Available in 20-count boxes and 4-packs
Availability: Online exclusive — store.hootenyoung.com · Pre-sale opens to the public October 14, 2026, 1 p.m. EST

About Hooten Young
Hooten Young is an award-winning American whiskey, hand-rolled cigars, and premium lifestyle wear. Born from a lifetime of service, bottled and boxed for those building their American Dream. Made to Remember®. Learn more at store.hootenyoung.com.

About Ruger Firearms
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of rugged, reliable firearms for the commercial sporting market. With products made in America, Ruger offers consumers almost 800 variations of more than 40 product lines, across the Ruger, Marlin and Glenfield brands. For more than 75 years, Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. has been a model of corporate and community responsibility. Our motto, "Arms Makers for Responsible Citizens®," echoes our commitment to these principles as we work hard to deliver quality and innovative firearms.