back to top

Q & A: Top 5 Beverage Pairings?

Q.
What are the top 5 beverage pairings you recommend with cigars?

6/29/12 | by IS of Bangor, ME

A.

​Well first off, that is completely up to the individual and their likes/dislikes but we can break down what we like best:

Coffee: Really, any coffee-based beverage is the best in our opinion. Whenever we make our trips down to Nicaragua, this is a must-have when sampling blend after blend. It complements any blend (although you’ll get better results with a mellower cigar) and it also helps cut down nicotine absorption so that we can continuously enjoy cigar after cigar. 

Rum: When in Rum…Rum is a staple in every cigar-making country so it makes it easy to add this to the list. Whether you drink it on the rocks or mix it with soda, this beverage’s slight sweetness mixed with a little citrus pairs well with just about any blend, while cleansing the palate at the same time. 

Scotch: Pretty much the American standard when it comes to pairing. Scotch really works best if you’re burning something medium to full-bodied as it has a tendency to drown out the flavor of some of the mellower cigars on the market.

Beer: With the craft beer revolution upon us, it’s become increasingly more popular to pair beer with cigars. One easy tip while pairing the two: match up the wrapper color of your cigar with the color of the beer. 9 times out of 10 they’ll complement each other perfectly. 

Any Citrus Based Beverage: Caught you off guard, huh? I know this probably isn’t one that you’d expect, but hear me out. Drinking something like Sprite, gin and tonic, vodka and tonic, etc. (with lime of course), will cleanse your palate and cut through a cigar that has a long finish. I find these types of beverages perfect for an incredibly complex cigar. As the cigar transitions from flavor to flavor as it burns, your palate will be like a blank canvas able to absorb the new wave of complexities presented to you. It really makes it easy to pick up the nuances of a complex blend. Otherwise, the flavors might blend together a bit and muddle the experience. Believe it or not, lemonade, Long Island Iced Tea, seltzer water, and other similar drinks are excellent pairings with full-bodied, super robust blends.

by Bryan

Article Image
100% satisfaction guaranteed
Get the Latest Deals!
Sign Up for email