American Whiskey and Cigar Pairings and Flights To Enjoy This Weekend
Pairing whiskey and cigars is a process, and what one person likes may not be appealing to others. That’s why for the last five plus years I have taught whiskey and cigar pairing seminars, not because I want to convert people to my taste, but because I want to teach them a method that they can use to determine what they like the best. You can read more about that method here.
But sometimes you just need a definitive decision. Maybe trying an entire flight of different-profile whiskeys isn’t feasible (you would be surprised at the limited whiskey selections at many cigar bars!). Trying a flight of whiskeys with varied flavor profiles is always going to be preferable, and you want to make sure the flavor profiles are different enough that they will offer different complementary and opposing flavors to enjoy with your cigar.
Sample Flights to Pair with Cigars
Four Roses (Formerly called Yellow Label)
Barrell Craft Spirits Barrell Dovetail (Double Gold, New York International Spirits Competition)
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey 1820 Single Barrel Whiskey (Double Gold, 2020 NYISC)
Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel (Double Gold, 2020 NYISC)
Old Forester Rye
Distillery 291 Small Batch Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Aspen (Gold, 2020 NYISC)
Wild Turkey Longbranch (Gold, 2020 NYISC)
Bernheim Wheat Whiskey (Gold, 2020 NYISC)
You’ll notice that each sample flight has a range of mash bills, styles, and proofs. Generally, you will want to keep it at less than 110 proof, but there are always exceptions. You can also add water to adjust the proof if you want to try something that is higher in proof. Corn whiskeys are also a great addition to any of these sample flights, and I highly recommend checking out Ironroot Republic’s Hubris Corn Whiskey or Balcones Baby Blue if you have a chance.
Cigar Choices
When it comes to choosing a cigar, it’s really all about personal preference. I tend to choose Nicaraguan-made cigars pretty exclusively with the exception of some Dominican brands like Arturo Fuente. I tend to gravitate toward Drew Estate products because there are just so many to choose from and they are carried virtually everywhere: Liga Pirvada, Liga Undercrown, Norteňo, Herrera Esteli, MUWAT, Nica Rustica, and of course the Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars that are available from Pappy & Co.
Some of the best cigars in the world are being made in Nicaragua right now, so try any brand you can find from any of the factories there, particularly the ones made in Esteli.
Whiskey and Cigar Pairing Recommendations
Davidoff Millennium and J. Carver Hunt Club Rye
Typically, rye whiskeys are a bit too spicy and bold to pair with a cigar, but when you find a cigar that is milder in its flavor profile that’s your chance to pull out those big, bold, and spicy whiskeys. This pairing brought together the chocolate and earthiness of the cigar with the grassy and apple notes of the whiskey for a really nice pairing. This one also went nicely with the Ironroot Hubris corn whiskey and the Four Roses (formerly Yellow Label), so you have some options there.
Westward Single Malt Single Barrel and Montecristo Nicaragua Series
This cigar is significantly different from the standard Montecristos you find in most cigar shops, which are typically made in the Dominican Republic, though there is a brand of the same name that is also made in Cuba. It’s a Nicaraguan Puro (all tobaccos in this blend are Nicaraguan) and it is made at the AJ Fernandez factory. It has a light peppery-spice and notes of cedar and cocoa that play nicely with the ripe fruity notes in the Westward Whiskey. But this cigar also went really well with the Larceny Barrel Proof and the Jim Beam Black, so you have options.
Liga Undercrown and Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond
This is another cigar that goes well with a wide range of bourbon flavor profiles. There are notes of leather, faint pepper spice, and cocoa that change as it burns. I originally paired this with a now-discontinued Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, but the new Old Fitz would likely be just as good, as the predominant flavors that complement the cigar are still the ripe red cherry and baking spice notes. Four Roses tends to go with just about anything because of the ten different recipes in the bottle, and Whiskey Row by Kentucky Artisan Distillery also brings baking spice notes to the mix.