Pairing Cigars with Spirits: A Guide to 16 Popular Spirits
Over the years, the most common question we've been asked is some version of "What cigar should I smoke with this?" So we've put together a guide to 16 of the most…
Category
Spirit Guides
Where popular spirits come from, how they're made, and what to look for in a cigar to pair with each.
Scotch Whisky: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
Scotch is the drink that started most of our pairing nights, and it's still the one we reach for most often. It's also one of the most varied spirits on the planet.…
Bourbon: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
If Scotch is the dram we contemplate, bourbon is the one we pour when friends come over. It's sweet, approachable and full of the same caramel, vanilla and toasted oak flavours you…
Irish Whiskey: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
Irish whiskey has a reputation for being smooth, and it's well earned. Most of it is unpeated and many bottles are triple distilled, which makes it soft, honeyed and easy to sip.…
Canadian Whisky and Rye: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
As a pairing group that started in Toronto, we have a soft spot for Canadian whisky. It's often dismissed as a mixer, but there are some excellent sipping whiskies coming out of…
Japanese Whisky: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
Japanese whisky has gone from a curiosity to one of the most sought-after spirits in the world in about twenty years. It owes a lot to Scotland, but it has developed its…
Cognac: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
Cognac and cigars are one of the great traditional pairings. Picture a leather armchair, a balloon glass and a long Cuban. There's a reason the image has lasted: a good cognac has…
Armagnac: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
Armagnac is cognac's older, wilder cousin. It comes from a rural corner of Gascony and is mostly made by small family estates rather than big houses. It's bolder, more rustic and often…
Spanish Brandy: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
If cognac is elegant and armagnac is rustic, Spanish brandy is decadent. Brandy de Jerez is aged in old sherry casks using the solera system, and it's rich, sweet and dark, with…
Calvados: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
In our original brandy guide we admitted to keeping a decanter of Calvados on the desk "in case I need a quick but reliable pairing drink." It's still true. Calvados, the apple…
Rum: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
Rum and cigars grow up in the same neighbourhood. Sugar cane and tobacco thrive in the same tropical climates, and many of the best rums come from countries that also make world-class…
Tequila: Origin, Production, and Cigar Pairing
Most people's first tequila memory involves salt, lime and regret. Good tequila is a different animal entirely. A well-made añejo can be as complex as a fine whisky, and even a crisp…