Cognac is one of the most well-known alcoholic beverages to pair with cigars. The long and challenging method of distilling the wine and barrel-aging it for several years results in a harmonious spirit that pairs nicely with a well-chosen cigar. Cognac is brandy and the French area where it is manufactured. Drinking cognac with a cigar may be an easy way for some to unwind in the middle of the week, but a more significant occasion is at hand for many. We’ve produced a list of the most extraordinary cognac and cigar matches for your next party.
For those who define luxury by taste, cognac and cigars have a plethora of parallels. History, provenance, patience, scent, seduction, flavor, and excitement come together in an expression that enriches the moment for both premium cigar and vintage spirits enthusiasts. Fine cigars and cognac conform to stringent protocols, which can only attain over a long period and under the careful, attentive supervision of a master. This shared ancestry could not be more welcoming to a marriage of cultures that elegantly reflect one another. Cigar smoking is a sensual experience. The perfume of unlit tobacco, the intricacies of the smoke’s flavor, and the appearance and feel of the stick in your hand. Adding to the experience is as simple as combining your cigar with a complementary drink. In many cases, a superb cognac is an ideal accompaniment.
9 Best Cigar and Cognac Pairings
#1 Remy Martin Louis XIII & Fuente Fuente Opus X BBMF
If you had an unlimited budget or a black Amex burning a hole in your pocket, Remy Martin Louis XIII and Fuente Fuente Opus X BBMF shout out luxury in a way that’s difficult to match. This task requires access to certain providers of cigars and beverages. The average corner store or drinking hole is unlikely to carry these opulent relics in the cabinet. But don’t worry, they exist and may be found at high-end businesses. Adjust your cummerbund.
Baptiste Loiseau, Louis XIII Cellar Master, draws on the expertise of four previous eras of Cellar Masters to guide the brand’s vast and precise legacy today. Over 1,200 grapes and hundreds of Eaux-de-vie are methodically aged for decades to create a stunning character of jasmine, ripened plums, vanilla, oak, and honeysuckle. Its intricacy is unfathomable. A slow swirl in the glass exposes extravagant golden legs that are strong and silky as they trace the curve back into a magnificent and reflecting pool of mahogany and copper colors. Its viscosity is completely unhurried—a lengthy, lingering initial taste of nutmeg, cinnamon, plum, honey, and dried flowers. Vanilla and wood notes support a delicate tapestry that is not afraid to stand out.
Carlito Fuente, the legendary cigar maker, allows only the oldest leaves from his coveted Chateau de la Fuente farms to construct the enormous proportions of this bulbous Figurado. The patience is tasted in an ultra-rare expression defined by old master cigar rollers. The Rosado wrapper is luscious and gleaming, with a Maduro leaf at the foot and head, which explodes with a few wild locks of loose tobacco. The wrapper leaf has a rich mahogany luster due to its subtly glazed appearance. The unlit chilly scent smells like leather and an old library, with a raisin-like sweetness. Its essence captivates you as you turn the cigar over to see its intricate double bands and the distinctive crimson, gold, orange, and black Opus X symbol. A scent of spice, cinnamon, cedar, and raisins seduces the palate in cold, creamy pulls once ignited. Because BBMF is densely wrapped, its early drawings have a deliberate rhythm.
Opus X’s chewy notes of spice and oak breakthrough through and join Louis XIII’s floral character in a balanced presentation. Jasmine, cedar, honey, and almonds are effortlessly captured. Simply exhaling the smoke via your nose accentuates the fantastic flavors. With so much refining at stake, take it slowly. With its dense Ligero-laden interior, Opus X promises a powerful crescendo. Notes of fresh-cut pears and barrel wood emerge in magnificent style as Louis XIII mingles in cooperative exchange with Opus X’s smokey old-world history.
#2 Hennessy Paradis & Ashton Symmetry Sublime
Ashton Symmetry is made from a superb blend of the finest premium aged tobaccos cultivated by world-renowned cigar producer Carlito Fuente. A gleaming Rosado wrapper leaf selected from select harvests in Ecuador embraces a unique blend of rare Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. A vivid, Renaissance-style company emblem in red, blue, white, and gold adorns the band, while a mixture of cedar, figs, coffee beans, and dried fruit blooms from the unlit Toro-sized cigar. Hennessy Paradis has an illustrious heritage, developed from the best, rarest, and oldest Eaux-de-vie in Hennessy vaults. The patient’s golden-glassy legs are highlighted by a dark amber tint—caramel, rum-soaked raisins, plums, prunes, molasses, and cinnamon flower aromas. This Paradis is evocative of a vintage sherried scotch with a smooth, velvety texture in place of gustiness.
#3 Courvoisier XO & Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado
Connoisseurs recognize the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado as Cigar Aficionado’s 96-rated “#1 Cigar of the Year” in 2014. The box-pressed Figurado’s elegant clothing with a caramel-hued Cuban-seed wrapper cultivated in Ecuador and an all-Nicaraguan interior of woody, aged tobaccos contributes to the cigar’s reputation. Sharply pressed corners concentrate rich, accessible spices in a blend of freshly ground coffee, cedar, chestnuts, and almonds.
Courvoisier XO has an alluring bouquet of violets and lavender, as well as rich citrus undertones. A candied zest covers the palate and smoothly absorbs the senses. The sensual, dry, and smoky aromas of Oliva Serie V Melanio contrast with the cognac’s more flowery overtones of hard candies. Serie V Melanio opens in a cascade of chocolate, coffee with cream, and baking spices that develop slowly and steadily. Traces of minerals, leather, and earth invigorate and combine with the exquisite sweetness of Courvoisier. Melanie’s smoldering dusty textures reverberate throughout the lengthy finish, along with aromas of orange peel, caramel, and caramel. When Oliva Serie V Melanio and Courvoisier XO are on the menu, there’s no need to wait for a recommendation from the maître d’.
#4 Drouet XO Ulysse & La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso is a complex blend created by award-winning cigar maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia that garnered a 95-point rating and Cigar Aficionado’s “#2 Cigar of the Year” awards upon its introduction. Its diverse profile appeals to various cigar enthusiasts with specific yet different preferences. Mi Amor is made with a gleaming San Andrés wrapper and finely selected binder and filler tobaccos from Garcia’s family lands in Nicaragua. Drouet XO Ulysse is a perfect match, with Eaux-de-vie matured for an average of 20 years in vintage French oak barrels, imparting a wonderful backdrop of wood and tobacco flavors. The rich, coppery, and mahogany colors of Drouet in the glass emit an enticing bouquet of ripened plums, cinnamon, and citrus. Its mild intensity delivers aromas of leather, dried fruit, and spices with extraordinary gentleness.
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor provides a plethora of complementary transitions. A balanced and flavorful trip is marked by a profile of cracked black pepper, almonds, espresso beans, and chocolate. Rarely does a cigar exude such unexpected and beautiful complexity? The soft box-pressed Belicoso format gently focuses a plethora of tastes that span the sweetness and spice range. Drouet XO’s richness mimics Mi Amor, with elegant notes of hazelnuts, vanilla, and earthy, sweet aplomb.
#5 Jean Fillioux Cigar Club Cognac with Ramon Allones Specially Selected
With some of this cognac, it’s a no-brainer to match it with a Ramon Allones Specially Selected, as one of the most fabulous cognacs and cigar combos. Jean Fillioux’s fragrant and fruity flavor complements the cigar’s robust, earthy espresso bean flavor. The cognac also boasts exquisite vanilla and honey hints, prune, citrus, cinnamon, and black chocolate aromas. The cigar contains aromas of marzipan and lemon, which make it and the cognac equally fantastic.
#6 Kelt XO Cognac with Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso
The flavor of delightful citrus and honey comes through the aroma of rich floral notes. And what cigar goes better with this than the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso? The thick, black African Cameroon wrapper of Arturo Fuente imparts a warm, sweet taste. The Kelt XO Cognac and this Arturo Fuente cigar is a perfect match as one of the most extraordinary cognacs and cigar combinations, resulting in citrus and cinnamon taste notes.
#7 Martell Cordon Bleu & Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro is a staple in Rocky Patel’s extensive cigar range. A toothy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper encases a medium-bodied blend of the Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Chocolate, pine nuts, almonds, and espresso beans pervade the calm of this Toro. Martell Cordon Bleu erupts with a candied apple, cherry, and chocolate aroma in a velvety, deceptive profile. It’s a classic for all cognac fans, with a hint of tannin on the aftertaste and blows flavors that aren’t shy or overpowering. Martell Cordon Bleu, oily and aromatic, softens the earthy strength of Vintage 1990 with hints of blueberry, gingerbread, and caramelized honey. Its beautiful topaz color accentuates the legs, which gracefully disappear into the glass. Martell’s buttery potpourri of jasmine, apricot, and dried rose petals blends with Rocky Patel’s characteristic woody, lingering spices. Aromas of embers from a campfire and sugar toast combine to create a delectable finish. Christophe Valtaud, Cellar Mater at Martell, and renowned cigar maker Rocky Patel collaborate in a way that represents continuity, history, and an absolute dedication to brand lineage.
#8 Rémy Martin XO Excellence with Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2
Rémy Martin XO Excellence is a cognac that may savor on its own, but have you considered mixing it with a Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2? Many people are unaware that these pair are some of the most fantastic cognac and cigar combinations. Rémy Martin’s delicious floral perfume with a rich vanilla structure complements the flavors of chocolate, cinnamon, and dried berries in the Hoyo de Monterrey. This cognac also has notes of dark brioche, orange fruit, and dark, ripe fruit.
#9 Delamain Vesper XO Grande Champagne Cognac with Rocky Patel American Market Selection
You won’t be disappointed with a Rocky Patel American Market Selection and Delamain Vesper XO Grande Champagne Cognac. Why? Because Grande Champagne is a very mellow cognac with aromas of vanilla, underwood, mushroom, and dry vine shoots, the Rocky cigar is relatively casual and delicious compared to other cigars. Tobacco, leather, and luscious black fruits dominate the palate of the Grande Champagne. On the other hand, the cigar is lusciously creamy and quite fragrant, in addition to the sweet cedar and spice tastes that are there.
