Pairing whiskey and cigar has been an honoured tradition that was at first dominated by the males. But now, even women have their own share in the tradition. Now it has come to such a stage where a whiskey lover would love to try out cigars and a cigar lover would not refrain from trying out whiskey, together. In fact, studies suggest that tobacco and whiskey marketing strategies are linked with each other. In this article, we shall discover 7 Amazing whiskeys and cigar pairing you’re sure to love.
Before getting into the list, we shall first see how exactly to taste whiskey and cigar so that you can maximise the experience and then look into the range of flavours that cigars have to offer.
Cigar Flavours
Gone are the days when cigars used to smell just of tobacco and nothing else. Nowadays we get cigars with a wide variety of tastes ranging from sweet vanilla flavour to hot and spicy flavours. There are also a variety of sizes and shapes of cigars available in the market. Many cigar sellers also describe their products in terms of smoking time denoting how long you can smoke a cigar.
Tasting Whiskey
Whiskey cannot be tasted (consumed) like any other fruit juice because whiskey is served in very small quantities.
The first rule in whiskey tasting is to go slow and be mindful – being present at that moment. All that you must be able to sense is the glass in your hand and the whiskey it contains. You may relish its sweet alcoholic aroma by swirling it around and sniffing it. You can continue this as long as you wish. Experts spend a good fifteen minutes this way even before bringing the glass to their lips.
Then, you can slowly take in the first sip. Don’t be in a hurry to swallow it. Spread the drink everywhere on your tongue and experience the taste of the drink in its entirety.
Tasting Cigars
The first thing that you can do is to hold the cigar in your mouth without lighting it. This will help you get the flavours of the cigar – whether it is sweet or bitter (both of these tastes indicate that it is a good cigar). If there is any acidity or salinity, consider changing the brand or the cigar because that shows that it was made of lower quality tobacco.
You will eventually discover your own tastes for smoking cigars when you start trying various types of brands. Just remember that while trying anything, be very slow and mindful. This helps to maximize the tasting experience.
Tips For Pairing Cigars And Whiskeys
There is one thumb rule that you must follow to ensure that nothing much goes wrong when you venture into pairing cigars and whiskeys. Always ensure that the body of the drink matches with the type of body of the cigar. For example, a light-bodied cigar matches with white wines , blended scotches or young reds. If you are looking for a match with Medium-bodied cigars, then you may want to try pairing them with Irish whiskeys, rums, Speyside, etc. For full-bodied smokes, peaty Islay and Highland single malts would work out.
Never try to underestimate your own taste as you may like the most unlikely combination. The key to finding the perfect combination is to keep on trying.
Now, without any further delay, let us jump into the list of 7 Amazing Whiskey And Cigar pairing.
1. Macanudo and Bourbon
The mild Macanudo and the sweet and smooth Clyde May’s Bourbon make an awesome pair. You may also want to try Macanudo with wheaters such as the Waller 12 year, Antique, etc as these don’t have the hot and spicy taste of rye and will be on equal grounds with the cigar when it comes to taste.
2. W. Harper and Romeo Y Julieta 1875
No doubt, both come with a reasonable price- tags and in fact, Harper is the perfect pair for this medium-bodied cigar. Both Harper and Romeo Y Julieta 1875 have hints of toffee, creamy vanilla and spice. They also have many common flavours to show that they are made for each other.
3. EH Taylor Jr. Single Barrel and Davidoff Nicaragua Toro
When you are ready to spend quite something, you can consider this combination. EH Taylor has a deep flavour with rich nougat and dates along with a surrounding caramel sweetness. David Nicaragua, a full-bodied' cigar, goes with it well with its spicy and full essence.
4. Hennessy X.O Cognac and Davidoff Aniversario No. 2
Should we specially mention that brandy liquors and cigars go well as well? Hennessy XO is a good daily digestif and pairs well with Aniversario, which has a fresh and light profile. This does not overpower the taste of cognac. This one is for you if you enjoy cigars and drinks every day. Both are smooth and have rich flavour profiles and Davidoff’s hint of spice perfectly balances the smooth sweetness of Cognac.
5. Cohiba Toro Tube and Maker’s Mask
Cohiba is a medium flavoured and matches perfectly with the rich and bold flavours of Maker’s Mark. The sweet, honey and vanilla essence of Maker’s Mask goes well with the earthy flavour of Cohiba Toro, making it the perfect combination for special occasions. Also, a great way to wind up tiring days while on a vacation.
6. Davidoff Millennium and Four Roses Single Barrel
Davidoff Millennium is one of the highly regarded cigars. It deserves a tough competitor as well as a drink that compliments its taste profile well. Definitely, no drink can compete with Four Roses Single Barrel in this. Four Roses does not overpower Davidoff Millennium, thus making them a couple made in heaven. This combination is good for an afternoon drink-cum-smoke.
7. Baccarat Churchill and Bulleit Bourbon
Baccarat Churchill, a mild cigar along with a rounded profile with sweet and spicy undertones and finish, pairs well with Bulleit Bourbon which offers sweet and mild notes throughout the smoking session.
So, these were 7 Amazing Whiskey and Cigar Pairing which you will surely love.
But that is not all. Here are a few things that every smoker should be aware of.
1.Purchasing Your Cigars Smartly
Whether you are on travel or on a just casual purchase of cigars, you must be a smart purchaser of the cigar. Here’s how you can be one.
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- Buy cigars from reputed tobacconists. They must be able to provide you with a wide range of cigars to choose from and also guide you in your purchase.
- Purchase a few of each brand. This actually applies if you are a beginner. As your choices and tastes will like change, you may want to buy a few pieces of various brands at a time, so that you taste the maximum possible at a time. Once your taste is established, you may think of investing in your favourite ones.
- Be smart while investing. You don’t need to spend your entire bank balance for cigars. You can try the ones that are affordable and nice. Make sure to look up online for reviews before you buy.
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2.When to Smoke Cigars and When Not?
Often it is a dilemma as to when to smoke and when not to. All that you need to do is listen to your conscience and also look around – it’s probably ok to smoke if others are smoking. Anyways, here is a list of best and worst occasions for smoking cigars.
Best Occasions for Smoking
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- Relaxing at the end of the day
tSo, you have had a very long and tedious day with all those deadlines and yelling at the workplace. You can always wind a day up on your armchair smoking a cigar.
- Celebrations Celebrations mean happiness and cigars help multiply this happiness. You can also have a group smoking party with your friends.
- Cigar Parties
tJust like Whiskey parties, you and your co-smokers can meet up and have a smoking party. Isn’t it true that the world becomes a better place when the cigar-guys meet?
- While with Nature
tWhether you are taking a walk or fishing, cigars are a must when you are out amidst nature.
- Kids’ School Events
- Usually, smoking in schools is a big NO, considering a large number of tiny tots in there. This applies even when your kiddo has a league. Just be there and cheer for him/her.
- At a Funeral
tCelebrations are great with cigars but funerals aren’t. Who doesn’t get unnerved when someone taps the ashes when others are in a sad mood?
- At the Church
tDefinitely, the church is not a great place to light up a cigar and definitely not during a mass. You go to church for a purpose, right?
- In an elevator
tThis is quite commonsensical. Considering that an elevator has no proper outlets for the smoke to go, lighting up a cigar there is definitely a bad idea.
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3.Cigar Smoking Man Cave
The cigar-loving men would know. It’s hard to have a manly time watching leagues, playing games and having a smoke-time with friends at home where you have your watchful wife and kids around. So, you always have a cigar smoking man cave. Here are a few ideas regarding having your own testosterone pit.
You can always have a simple room with a few chairs and a TV, a desktop humidor and some trophies. But you can also make it more advanced by adding a few guy-games, memorabilia and maybe a whiskey and cigar collection. You need to decide depending on how much you wish to spend on it.
Author Bio:
Harold Camaya is a blogger who loves to write in different verticals. She co-authored Supercharge Organic Traffic: A popular course focusing on Organic Traffic for Ecommerce. Her hobbies are traveling and reading.
Last Updated: 29 September 2022
