Cigar Pairings

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It’s no secret that I enjoy a cigar from time to time. To stay on top of trends and information, I will also read the Subreddit /r/cigars. Yesterday they had a fantastic thread about cigar pairings and I thought this would be a good opportunity to give my two cents here on my own blog*.

Pairing isn’t something I think I’m particularly good at, but I have been trying different combinations and have a shortlist of good v. bad v. would like to try. First the good:

  • Arnold Palmer. This is actually my favorite drink to pair with cigars. It’s sweet and cold and a nice ying to the cigar’s yang.
  • Stouts. The thread mentions Founder’s Breakfast Stout which is very good! I also enjoy Dogfishhead Chocolate Stout. 
  • Some Sours. With certain cigars I like to drink Rodenbach, one of my favorite sours.
  • 7&7 or Whiskey Sour. In general Whiskey/Bourbon is supposed to pair well with cigars, and I think these two mixed drinks take some of the bite out of the booze/cigar.
  • Scotch. When I first started smoking cigars, I was told drinking scotch is a must. It took a while, but I’m coming around to it. My favorites are Balvenie 21 and Glenlivet 15.
  • Coffee.  I think coffee (with a little bit of sugar or milk) pairs really nicely with the cigar. Both can have bold flavors that play off each other.

Now, some of the bad:

  • Soda. I don’t know why, but while I usually like soda (Coke, Cherry Coke, etc) I cannot drink it with a cigar. Maybe it’s the carbonation or massive amount of sugar…or both. 
  • Light Beer. I in general don’t like light or hoppy beers, and I feel they don’t pair well with cigars.

As for what I’d like to try…there is only one on that list. I while back I read an interview with Brad Paisley and he said he likes to drink Yoohoo with his cigars. I would love to try that. It sounds like it would be really good.

Are you a cigar smoker? What do you like to pair with your cigar? What’s your favorite pairing?

*I’d like to expand out the cigar area of this blog in an effort to document my thoughts as well as create less overlap for the other blogs I write for.

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