We've shared our favorite cigar food and drink pairings many times before, but there's no better time to do it than now. This time of year is forever associated with that special connection formed when two things make a perfect match.
As we enter the season of romance, what cigar-crossed lovers will make it into our cigar-pairing Valentine's Day special?
The art of pairing cigars
Pairing cigars with drinks is not an exact science but more of an art. Sometimes, you want flavors that complement each other, such as creamy coffee and rich dark chocolate. Other times, you want contrast, like using a peppery smoke to soften the edges of a full-bodied red wine. Like a first date, sometimes it goes better than others, but you soon start to find what works for your palate.
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, we've been doing some matchmaking of our own. Our list below picks out perfect pairings between some truly standout cigars and the drinks to serve alongside them for an unforgettable experience this February 14th.
Full-Bodied Nicaraguan Puro and Aged Rum
The love affair between cigarmakers and Nicaragua dates from the Cuban exodus of the 1960s, and Nicaraguan puros now rank among the most-loved smokes on the planet. You won't find a more romantic name than Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Robusto, a puro that pairs well with 12-year Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Venezuelan Rum.
While not strictly a puro (due to its Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper), My Father No. 4 Lancero's filler and binder are Nicaraguan, and the name is steeped in the history of the country's tobacco industry. Spicy with
Corpse Reviver Cocktail and Boneshaker Maul
A classic cocktail named after its ability to help people get over a hangover. It uses a crazy combination of ingredients, including Gin, Cointreau, Cocchi Americano, lemon juice, and a dash of absinthe. This drink was made to jump-start your body after a night of drinking, and it does just that. It’s incredibly strong and is known to bring you back to normal after all the shots you did the night before.
A great pairing for this is the Boneshaker, a heavy, intense smoke that will certainly help you wake up in the morning. Both the strength, the intensity, and the name make this cigar a terrific pairing for the cocktail… you can thank us in the morning.
Medium-Bodied Habano and Single Malt Scotch
A good medium-bodied Habano cigar sits well alongside whiskey from around the world. For a top-drawer single-malt scotch whisky, we recommend Oliva Serie O Churchill. This chunky 7 x 50 stick is the ideal indulgence for Valentine's Day, with flavors of chocolate and sweet spice that are perfect for the occasion. It will also go well with cognac if that's your drink of choice.
If you prefer your whiskey American, go for a Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel-Aged Maduro, available in a 7 x 54 Churchill or an even bigger 7 x 60 Gordo Vitola. These puros are wrapped in a Nicaraguan Maduro leaf and aged for 14 months in bourbon barrels. You'll get the distinctive taste of the whiskey along with coffee, cocoa, and leather on the draw.
Ginger Smash Cocktail and H. Upmann Connecticut
The Ginger Smash is an age-old cocktail that’s seeing a revival in the modern era. With the Millennials' love of all things unique and their obsession with Ginger, this smooth and complex cocktail is once again becoming a mainstay at bars across the country. It’s a blend of Gin, Apple Liqueur, lemon juice, ginger, and a dash of an allspice dram.
Other fruits, such as pears, can also be added, giving it a light, fruity taste with good spice from the dram and the ginger. The H.Upmann Grupo de Maestros is the perfect match for this cocktail. It gives off a smooth and creamy aroma and has a light and fruity flavor profile, including a dash of spice towards the end.
Connecticut Broadleaf and Cognac
Make this Valentine's Day one to remember. Limited-edition cigars are a snapshot in time, a once-in-a-lifetime moment to share with the person you cherish. A fine example is the Arturo Fuente Anejo, a rare special-occasion cigar first produced in 2000 and wrapped in a delicious cognac-aged Connecticut Broadleaf.
Pair with a VSOP or vintage cognac to bring through the flavors in the wrapper. Most cognac is a blend of several years, including the complexity of different ages of eau de vie. But there are vintages out there where the cognac is made from a single year's crop. Either way, it's a warming combination, perfect for a cold mid-February evening.
Brown Derby Cocktail and Punch Diablo
The Brown Derby is a West Coast cocktail named after the famed L.A. diner of the same name. It’s a simple drink with three main ingredients: bourbon, grapefruit juice, and honey-based syrup. This combination gives it a complex profile: the syrup gives it a rich taste, the bourbon adds a bold spice, and the grapefruit juice adds a light sweetness and fresh taste.
The Punch Diablo complements the Brown Derby well. Its dark wrapper adds heavy touches of rich chocolate and leather, while its filler tobaccos add a touch of spice.
Sweet Smoke Cigars and Full-bodied Red Wine
Red is the color of passion, and that's true of wine and cigars alike. A full-bodied red wine works well with steak and pasta marinara, plus it's the color most commonly associated with roses, the most romantic flower of all.
To develop the creamier taste in the wine, you'll want a handmade cigar like the Cohiba Red Dot. With a heritage, you can trace right back to Cuba, and now produced in the Dominican Republic, Cohiba Cigars have that Caribbean fire and intensity. But there's sweetness, too, with hints of caramel that will help to enhance the complex tannins in the wine. And they're in keeping with the color scheme!
Chocolate Cigar and Espresso Martini
If you're not leaving the house this Valentine's Day weekend, choose a chocolate cigar and pair it with your morning coffee or an ice-cold Espresso Martini. The flavors will dance around each other, perfectly complimenting one another on your palate. Plus, chocolate has to be one of the most iconic flavors of the most romantic day of the year.
The Tabak Especial by Drew Estate Toro Dulce is the play here. Drew Estate Cigars are known for their flavored smokes, and they're some of the best. Tabak Especial Dulce blends bring creamy latte and chocolate notes to the party, making them the ideal companion for your cocktail or cup of joe.