Chocolate and peanut butter. Beer and pizza. Buzz and Woody. Ruth and Gherig. There are just some things that work well together. And no matter what you do, you will never beat them and spend all of your time trying to find a more iconic pair than what already exists. I can count on one hand how many times I have smoked a cigar without an old fashioned in the other hand. And, there is a reason there aren’t more times…because, honestly, why would I waste the time smoking without drinking? Why would I waste chocolate without peanut butter? Why would I waste beer without pizza? I wouldn’t. And the Yankees wouldn’t have been the same without Murderer’s Row. And Toy Story would have been nothing without the rivals-to-friends of Buzz and Woody.
But how do you pair a cigar with the right drink? For me, bourbon mixed with sugar, bitters, and a bit of fruit is a good combination with anything. But I reached out to John Gaglio from La Aurora to get a little more guidance on how to deepen my pairing of the two, and here is what I learned.
Which leads the way?
People will tell you that Ruth was the main attraction and Gherig was the sidekick. They will tell you that peanut butter is the Robin to chocolate’s Batman. I think there are some fun party debates that could be had in those spaces. But with cigars and cocktails, there has to be a Batman. There has to be a Robin. What is the main attraction? Your favorite cigar? Or your favorite drink? I suppose there is a bit of preference here. Do you come home after a long day for a drink or a cigar? Well, I asked John to give me his insight. His take? The only way to do it right is more of a Hall and Oats vibe, they work better together.
“100%. Cigars and cocktails, as well as pairing spirits straight, are great ways to enhance your cigar-smoking experience. I tend to match the cigar’s strength and intensity to the alcohol content, so that no one product overpowers the other. That is, I would not pair a mild Connecticut with an overproof cask-strength expression because it would overpower the nuance of that wrapper.”
What cigar flavors pair best with cocktails?
What should I being paying attention to? With wine and food, there are notes that you have to identify that will help you land the right kind of flavor simbiosis. I am assuming that there are going to be very specific flavor profiles in cigars that will pair well with my old fashioned, right? I mean, if I am having an Okinawa Fashioned, it may work best to steer toward a stronger cigar flavor, something with a deep fruity profile. Does it need to be Japanese?
“The wrapper is where the majority of the flavor notes come from for a cigar, so again, similar to alcohol content and strength, finding overlap is helpful to heighten the notes. For example, a Corojo wrapper with spicy notes would go great with a high-rye mash bill or a smoky Scotch. A mild Connecticut wrapper with notes of hazelnut and sweet creaminess is my favorite go-to for a cup of coffee. A rich Maduro with notes of molasses and caramel paired with a bourbon or high-corn mash bill will amplify the sweetness of both. And of course I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our E. León Jimenes rums. The 110 Aniversario was created by Guillermo to be the perfect expression to pair with La Aurora’s cigars. I definitely fell into the category of “I don’t drink rum” prior to drinking this rum, but it’s a Spanish-style rum, meaning that it is linearly aged, just like a bourbon or scotch, and my absolute favorite pairing is the 120 Aniversario Lancero paired with the 110 Aniversario rum. It’s actually how I just celebrated my 40th birthday!”
Are dark or light liquors better with a cigar?
As you know, I am a dark liquor guy. Bourbon, whiskey, scotch, and spiced dark rum are all I go for. Tequila, gin, vodka, and light rum are not my vibe. So, does that limit the cigars I can or should go for? I will let John guide me.
“Tried and true for sure. But we’ve had great events where we’ve paired our cigars with tequila and other spirits. I do have a penchant for following the “what goes together grows together” rule and, for example, would pair our Fuerte Sol (Mexican San Andrés wrapper) with a smoky Mezcal from the same area if possible. But that being said, try new and different things and see what works for you. You might surprise yourself the same way Elvis’ famous banana, bacon, peanut butter sandwich works out so surprisingly well.”
What is the beer and pizza?
Ok, what is the Ruth and Gherig? What is the chocolate and peanut butter? There has to be an iconic pairing that is the must try or the go-to for those in the know on all things cigars and spirits.
“Dominican Corojo and Dominican Rum is the beer-and-pizza cigar pairing that works every time for me. In the States, however, whiskey is king, and similarly the corojo or habano wrapper paired with a solid 80-90 proof bourbon feels like the iconic pairing. The sweetness of the bourbon pairs tremendously with the spiciness of the cigar wrapper and never disappoints. But… speaking of pizza. Ed and I eat a lot of pizza. And one of my favorite cigar/meal pairings was a solid margherita pizza we picked up paired with our Preferidos Sapphire Perfecto at Galiano Cigar Room in Coral Gables. 10 out of 10 experience. Highly recommended.”
