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Coming home after the stress of the day to relax with a cigar and a nice drink is one of the many pleasures smokers enjoy. Sometimes, it may be hard to figure out what drink you can pair your cigar with; you need to pair your cigar with a drink that matches the flavor profile of the cigar you’re smoking to ensure that you enjoy your moment of relaxation.
Whether it is cigar pairing with scotch, beer, or whiskey, even the experienced cigar smokers find it difficult to choose the right drink to pair with their cigar. For many pairing drinks with cigars can be a mystery, but you can solve it using the tip of your tongue.
On an everyday basis, you use your tongue to decide what drink you want at dinner or the salad dressing you want. The more you engage your taste buds, the more experienced your palate becomes. This is the way cigar makers perfect their art; it is also the same way a master distiller becomes an expert.
We have experimented with different kinds of cigar pairings with liquor, and we have found different combinations that will soothe your palate. Before we delve into the different pairings, you have to know your preference; what flavors do you enjoy? Do you like sweet flavors or smoky flavors? While choosing what pairs you would enjoy, ask yourself these crucial questions. Please do not choose a drink you dislike thinking that a cigar will make it better because it won’t. Go for a taste you enjoy and proceed from there.
Whether you like a specific drink or you’re willing to try new drinks, this guide will tell you everything you need to know so that you can choose the pairing that suits your taste preference.
Cigar And Scotch Pairing
When it comes to scotch and cigars, you need to choose the scotch carefully. When scotch is left to sit, the fermentation process increases the scotch’s flavor, thus making it more potent. If you go for a scotch that is too strong, it will end up overpowering the cigar. You want to go for a drink that leaves after the initial taste. If you choose a blended scotch such as Johnnie Walker Black, then one of the most compatible cigars is the Leccia White or even the Kentucky Fire Cured (by Drew Estate). The Kentucky Fire Cured and the Leccia White have a smoky flavor profile that goes well with the scotch’s peaty flavor.
However, you should know that different scotch will have different taste effects in your mouth even if they are from the same family, such as the Johnnie Walker Blue will have a different flavor profile compared to the Johnnie Walker Black. The Johnnie Walker Blue has the three main flavors found in scotch, peaty, sweet, and smooth. Most scotch usually only contains one of these flavors with subtle undertones, which are mostly rare, but Johnnie Walker Blue has all three flavors. When the three flavors mix up, they form an exotic blend that is interesting to explore; with this scotch, you can pair it with a Davidoff Millennium cigar. The cigar has an average body and is smooth; the mixture of the cigar and scotch blend together to create a balance between the two. You enjoy the flavor profile of the cigar while still enjoying the exotic blend of the scotch.
When it comes to scotch, it can be a bit tricky to understand the tastefully; a single malt scotch might taste amazing, but it could also be a flavor catastrophe if it’s blended with other flavors. You need to remember that you don’t want to choose flavors that will overpower each other. If you go for a smoky cigar, you won’t enjoy the smoking experience, but if you find a cigar that pairs well with a nice scotch, you will have a relaxing smoking experience and also improve the preference of your pallet. Once you find the right balance between scotch and cigar, you may even start to experiment and find new flavors that balance each other to suits your taste needs.
Cigar And Whiskey Pairing
Pairing cigars with whiskey is a classic match. It is safe to try out the majority of dark liquors when trying to find the right match. When it comes to whiskey and cigar, you want to avoid smokey whiskeys and go for options such as Speysider that has a rich flavor. The Speysider’s richness will balance off the cigar, thus giving you a nice and well-blended experience. However, some individuals enjoy the double smoky flavor, and if you’re one of these people, you can try an Ardbeg whiskey.
The Ardbeg whiskey is sweet and one of the smokiest whiskey available. The problem with pairing this whiskey with a cigar is that the drink’s huskiness might overpower the cigar’s flavor or leave a rough flavor in your mouth, which isn’t pleasant. But if you don’t mind experimenting, you could try out this pairing.
Pairing a Gentleman Jack whiskey and an Ashton Estate Sun Grown Cigar is one of the most classic cigars and whiskey pairing. The Gentleman Jack is a bit different from other whiskeys because it is allowed to age past the regular duration. This gives it a smooth, fruity, and spicy underlying taste that is compatible with the Ashton Estate. The cigar itself uses a rare Sun Grown wrapper that has its own unique features. The cigar has a spicy flavor profile, but it also has a silky smooth feel. These two combine to give you the right amount of sweetness, smoke, spice, and smoothness; they all mix to give you a wonderful experience. The silky combination of both the Ashton cigar and the Gentleman Jack will make you want to spend all day puffing smooth clouds of smoke.
Cigar And Cognac Pairing
Another pairing that is famous and enjoyable is that of cigar and cognac. The taste of the cognac balances the smoky flavor of the cigar quite well. The most interesting fact about the cognac is that it pairs really well with almost every cigar type, which makes things a lot easier. It means you don’t have to stress when it comes to choosing the right kind of cognac to pair with the right cigar because any type of cigar is compatible with most cognac flavors. We have some variations that we think would be interesting for you to try out.
A good cognac to enjoy with a cigar is the French cognac named Courvoisier; it has a subtle undertone that mixes well with any type of cigar. It allows you to get more types of cigars without worrying if they would pair well. However, you might want to have a specific cigar for different flavors of cognac. You could try the Ramon Bueso Odyssey with the Cigar Club Cognac; they mix in a flawless and equal manner. When you first try it, you may be surprised, but you will have an amazing experience once you get used to the flavors. Because they have equal weight, it may feel a bit throaty at first, but they do not overpower each other.
Pairing cognac with cigars will never get old; it is a safe go-to when it comes to cigar and liquor, especially if it’s your first time pairing cigar with liquor. Due to the fact that it is one of the oldest and most common types of pairing, making cigar masters consider it a treasure. So have a nice smoke while sipping your cognac and enjoy the overall experience.
Cigar And Rum Pairing
It is said that rum and cigar go hand in hand because the ingredients used in making both are cultivated and grown in the same kind of climate. Pairing rum and cigar is a win for cigar and alcohol enthusiasts. However, there are different rum types, and finding the right one to compliment your cigar can be a hassle. Rum is made from sugar, and this makes it compatible with cigars. The two flavors complement each other in a way that the sweetness of the rum doesn’t overpower the smoky flavor of the cigar and vice versa.
An example of one of the best rum is the Aniversario Pampero; it incorporates an aromatic spirit that gives off flavors of ginger, tea with lemon, cinnamon, and cloves. The flavors of this rum pair well with the Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure No. 2. That has flavor tones of cocoa, dried fruits, and cinnamon. When it is paired with the rum, you enter another level of enjoyment. As your taste buds enjoy the rum’s flavor, the cigar gets stronger in its smokey flavor, which then gives you a warm feeling thanks to the way they both mix.
Because rum and cigars are similar, a lot of cigars are made to pair with their rum counterparts properly. Rum has different spirits, so it lets us have the freedom to try on new variations without so much stress.
Cigar And Cocktail Pairing
When it comes to cigars and cocktails, it is advised that you choose the basic cocktails instead of being experimental. Stick to classic drinks such as old fashion; these cocktails mixes well with cigar smoking. This type of cocktail pairs really well with cigars such as the Olivia Serie V. the smoothness and flavor of the cigar go perfectly well with the tangy taste of the cocktail.
You can decide to have fun by experimenting with different cocktails; if you decide that fruity cocktails will suit your taste buds well, you can try how it pairs with the cigar’s smoky flavor. We advise that you try these experiments with cigars that are light to medium-bodied with cocktails that are a bit creamy in order to enhance the flavor and also get perfect pairings.
Cigar And Wine Pairings
Pairing cigars with wine isn’t the most common practice, but we got you for all wine lovers. When it comes to white wine, we suggest that you avoid them except you have a favorite Chardonnay that you cant do without. Most white wines usually have a citrus flavor, making them acidic when paired with cigars; they just won’t work out. In the end, the cigar overpowers the flavor of the wine. You could try pairing a Vignoles wine with a Perdomo Grand Cru cigar. Thye pair well together and give you a smooth and fresh feeling.
When it comes to red wine, you should avoid the merlot because the grape flavor ends up overpowering the cigar’s flavor. You could try a Padron 3000 Maduro cigar with a Penfolds Koonunga Hill red wine. These two go well together without the flavor of the wine being the overpowering taste. Now that you know wines can be paired with cigars, you could try experimenting with different types of wines. Try out some tangy flavors on red wines and even some sweet white wines.
Cigar And Beer Pairing
This is the most basic form of pairing. There is no other feeling like having a cold beer while you smoke your cigar. All you have to figure out is the right pairings for you to enjoy. The easiest thing is to go for a beer that you’re comfortable with, and as long as you can still taste the beer while smoking, you’re good. You could try an Alec Bradley American Sun Grown Blend Cigar to start; it has a balanced and spicy flavor which comes from the outermost leaf. You can keep experimenting to see what beer goes well with what cigar.
Cigar And Coffee Pairing
For a whole lot of people drinking coffee has become a daily norm. The cigar and coffee flavor depends on how and where they were grown because they are agricultural products. You can easily find a cigar that matches a specific coffee after doing a bit of research on their flavor profiles. We suggest trying a medium to dark roasted coffee with a Perdomo Habano cigar; it gives off a silky and smooth smoke.
Conclusion
Whatever your liquor preference is, there is always a drink that will compliment your cigar and improve your smoking experience. We have suggested some worthy mentions, but you can always experiment to find new pairings that suit your taste.
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