One of the most intriguing and little-known partnerships combines the worlds of whiskey and cigars. Having been practiced on a smaller scale for some time, the economic growth of whiskey and the emergence of craft, artisanal cigars, along with the emergence of artisanal craft cigars, has prompted the youth of today to discover the delights of combining. People have always been interested in learning new flavor combinations. Two components that seem to be delicious on their own, but when combined, produce a unique flavor character that contrasts and complements one another. Consider the pairings of peanut butter and chocolate, chips and vinegar, lime and coconut, and, of course, cigars and whiskey.
These two pleasures are ideal for combining because of their distinct tastes as well as the soothing but polished sensation they provide each time you indulge. There are also several explanations why cigars and whiskey go well together, but one of the most popular is their highly similar tastes. Richness, smokiness, spice essences, and a hint of sweetness may all be found. You will be calmed by the warm glow of these two drinks when you taste them. The warmth of a cigar provides comfort to your lips, whereas whiskey provides stomach fire to keep the cold at bay. There are also many taste combinations to choose from, as you are free to mix your whiskey and cigar of choice.
10 Best Cigars and Whiskey Pairings
#1 Ashton VSG & Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask Single Malt
Carlito Fuente, the famed cigar maker, blends Ashton VSG from unique reserves of finest Dominican tobaccos and a succulent Sun Grown wrapper leaf obtained in Ecuador’s rich volcanic soils. In various well-known forms, the 94-rated profile gives taste notes of cedar, espresso, leather, and black pepper with touches of earth. Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask is a traditional single malt that has been aged in oak casks for 14 years before being finished in rum barrels. Aromas of toffee and fruit fill the air before a warm palate of vanilla, orange, apple, and mangoes bathe the taste receptors in buttery, lasting flavor.
#2 Arturo Fuente Hemingway & Angel's Envy Rye
In numerous Arturo Fuente Hemingway Perfectos, a toothy Cameroon wrapper leaf embraces an extraordinary combination of quality Dominican long-filler tobaccos. Short Plot, Trademark, and Classic proportions showcase delicious notes of cedar, chestnut, cinnamon, and baking spices in a smooth, medium-bodied finish. Angel’s Envy Rye is a small-batch whiskey made for enthusiasts who feel that refinement has no bounds. It has a reddish-golden tint with an aroma of maple, caramel candy, vanilla, hazelnut, spice, and sherry oak that entices from the glass. With a touch of citrus, sweet aromas of oak, sherry wood, and rum grace the palate.
#3 Padron 1964 Anniversary Maduro & Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon
Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro is a 94-rated classic made from the best aged Nicaraguan tobaccos, including the oily Maduro wrapper leaf. Several well-known box-pressed forms, including the best-selling Exclusivo and Torpedo, give sweet and spicy notes of cedar, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and dark chocolate with incredible depth and scent. Critics have given Elijah Craig Barrel Proof high scores in the past. Within each batch, there is variation. The aromas of caramel graham cracker would entice you. In a lengthy, warm finish, notes of charred wood and brown sugar blend with traces of tobacco and leather.
#4 Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve & Partagas Serie D No. 4
That is one of the suggestions from the Whisky Show session with Dalmore and James J. Fox. This combo emphasizes balance. The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve’s silky flavors of honey and ripe fall fruit complement and the Partagas Serie D No. 4’s creamy, chocolate tongue well. Furthermore, the whisky’s summer spice combines with the cigar’s herbal, earthy flavors, which are noticeable in the latter two-thirds of the stick.
#5 Glenfiddich 21 Year Reserva Cask Finish & Romeo Y Julieta EXHIBICIÓN No. 4
The Glenfiddich staff recommends this fantastic combo. The dram’s sweet notes of banana, caramel, and toffee complement the cigar’s massive dark chocolate and juicy cherry flavors. The whiskey adds leathery flavor and wood to the creamy, silkiness of the cigar. It was a divine fit.
#6 Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon & Montecristo No. 4
This combo is excellent for folks on a budget, and I enjoy it regularly. The Montecristo No 4 is one of the world’s most famous cigars, and with good reason. The cigar’s rich aromas of vanilla cream and creamy chocolate complement the bourbon’s honey, vanilla, and toffee. The second half of the cigar features fiery pepper notes, which combines with and amplifies the bourbon’s finish’s noticeable cinnamon and sugar.
#7 Balcones True Blue 100 Straight Corn Whiskey & Fuente Fuente Opus X - Lost City
Balcones True Blue 100’s nose is a study in rich, sweet tastes ranging from apricots to maize and sweet caramel notes combined with vanilla essence. There’s also a tastiness to it that reminds me of sherry-aged vintages. Tonka beans are blended with molasses, honey, cake and delicately seasoned throughout the period to produce everything even more fascinating. Then it’s finished with fresh espresso beans. The first third of Fuente Fuente Opus X – Lost City has undertones of cedar and honey, while the second is much more like sunny summer sun tea but with enough sweetness to make it all feel rather delightful. This cigar is full-bodied and hefty, with rich flavors from start to end.
#8 Bulleit Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey & Oliva Melanio Maduro
In general, Bulleit Bourbon has a distinct and delectable flavor. The enticing scent of oak, vanilla, and honey combined with the infusion spices give birth to wild tastes such as smokes that are equal parts sweet and spicy. It tastes dry, with just enough black cherry leather fur on your tongue to add some extra spiciness at the end. Oliva Melanio Maduro, on the other hand, provides leather and medium-bodied smokes that are guaranteed to delight. Nicaraguan cosmetics have coffee bean overtones as well as black pepper spiciness. A glossy San Andrés wrapper surrounds this masterpiece formulation, adding just about enough sweetness without being overpowering on taste receptors while enabling Oliva’s characteristic flavor profile to show through elegantly.
#9 Kamiki Intense Japanese Whisky & Plasencia Alma Del Fuego
The spice content of the Kamiki Japanese whiskey is high, with black pepper and coriander prominent. In the scent, traces of sandalwood and earthy peatiness give way to sweetness before creaminess. There are unusual spices for a tongue finish, such as anise or licorice root. Plasencia Alma Del Fuego has a silky black wrapper and an earthy and woody scent. The cold pull is sweet and flavorful, like cinnamon or brown sugar from the raw tobacco leaf. The rich chocolate from cocoa beans shines through in each puff, while dried apricots and jalapeño peppers lend a delicious note. The flavor of Kamiki begins with fumes from dark fruits like figs, which are wonderfully balanced by notes like raisins, and then turn peppery.
#10 Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey & Padron 1964 Anniversary
The delicious scent of brown sugar and vanilla is the first thing you notice while sipping Knob Creek. There are flavors of clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak wood on the palate, with just enough sweetness to make them enticing without being overpowering. Padron 1964 Anniversary is a complex and full-bodied cigar that will have you wanting more. This award-winning cigar combines cayenne pepper aromas with earthy undertones and cinnamon sweetness. Because of the inherent sweetness of these old tobaccos from Nicaragua, which have been tastefully matured until it’s time to set them loose on you, they all come together so nicely without being cloying at any moment!
Pairing Cigars with Canadian Whiskey
Canadian whiskey is stereotypically smooth; it pairs well with mild cigars that don’t overpower its delicate characteristics. This coupling, however, is frequently a chance to defy the rules. Cigars with leather notes (which generally fall into the full-bodied category) tend to have those qualities accentuated by the vanillin in Canadian whiskey. Additionally, nutty tones in a cigar will favor spicier Canadians with high rye content. It combines well with these three cigars, which are light to medium-bodied with Connecticut-seed wrappers and add delicate flavors like toast, mint, and spice while enabling the whisky’s spiciness to bloom without overpowering it.
Cigars That Go Well With Canadian Whiskey
- My Father, Connecticut Robusto
- Avo XO Preludio
- Davidoff Winston Churchill Churchill
Pairing Cigars with Irish Whiskey
The most generally accessible examples in this category are smoothly blended whiskeys, popular among Canadians. Again, pairings with moderate to medium cigars are suggested. If the tobacco has a fruity side with which the whiskey can dance. They don’t, however, always have to be handled with care. Remember how nicely Irish whiskey mixes with coffee, and you might want to explore a java-flavored cigarette (a flavor associated with full-bodied cigars)—three cigars for three different causes. The first brings toast and nuts as a nod to the candy bar. The second ingredient is coffee, which is added to the drink. The third cigar, a very light cigar, emphasizes lemon and butterscotch.
Cigars That Go Well With Irish Whiskey
- Alec Bradley Black Market Esteli
- La Palina Classic Rosado Robusto
- Gran Habano Connecticut Lancero
