Cigars and Spirits: Best Cigar Pairings for the Hot Summer Season

July 19, 2018

From a flavorful Maduro wrapper to milder and sweeter blends, finding the right cigar to pair with wine, cognac, whiskey, and rum is important to taste, mood, style and swagger. Here are a few pairings to heat up your summer nights.

Rum

Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, enjoying a summer ball game, or lounging on the beach reading the latest news about the 2020 Porsche Taycan, cigars pair well with rum.

A great pairing is a JR Epicure Especial with your favorite rum. With its rich flavors, the full-body cigar pairs well with a Cuban rum as you pick up the earthiness in the cigar with its Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan wrapper blend. Another rum pairing is rum with medium-bodied cigars like the Romeo y Julieta Belicoso with its hints of cedar, hazelnut, and sweet spice taste.

For more information on the best Rum and Cigar pairings, visit this article where you’ll dive into more pairings you’ll enjoy.

Whiskey

A favorite pairing is Redbreast 15-Year-Old Single Pot Still Irish whiskey which pairs well with a Padron 1964 Anniversary Maduro. The cigar’s rich creaminess matches well with the whiskey’s caramel and toffee undertones.

For milder tastes, reach for Nikka Coffey Grain or the light-bodied Talisker 10-year-old. Select a milder cigar to partner with Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select which has hints of oak, vanilla, and spice.

Vodka

Vodka and crème de menthe can be paired with milder cigars. If making mojitos, go for a Rocky Patel Vintage 1999. The cigar’s buttery, toast, and nuttiness with its Dominican and Nicaraguan filler, has pepper undertones that pair nicely with summer mojitos.

Cognac

A cool summer pairing is Hennessy XO Cognac with its fruity sweetness followed by nuts, woodsiness, and caramel. It’s a good match with the La Aurora Broadleaf Maduro cigar that has lush notes and flavors of caramel, coffee and honey.

Bourbon

Blanton Special Reserve bourbon pairs well with Arturo Fuente’s Hemingway Short Story. The bourbon’s spice, vanilla, and grassy flavors marry well with the woodsy Cameroon wrapper. While not bold, the pair complements each other well.

Partner a rare bourbon with a Davidoff Puro D’Oro Corona. This notable cigar with its Dominican wrapper has sweet and spicy coffee notes. An alternative is to pair your bourbon with Joya De Nicaragua’s Antano Gran Reserva. It has a medium-full strength with a Nicaraguan wrapper and leathery, pepper, coffee, and caramel taste.

Beer

An amazing summer pairing is Tusk & Grain Scotch-Style Ale and a Padron 1926 Serie No. 90 Maduro. With its Nicaraguan wrapper, raisin, berry, caramel, leather and pepper components linger as a sweet mocha and dark chocolate taste sets in with cedar and leather undertones. The ale has hints of caramel, cocoa, vanilla, and hazelnut that work well with spices from the cigar.

Wine

Pair a Pinot Noir with a medium- to full-bodied cigar like a Partagas Cifuentes. A Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a medium-bodied Cohiba Dominican Robusto can bring out the velvety wine taste. Try a Chilean Casa Lapostolle Casa Cabernet Sauvignon for medium- and full-bodied cigars. With white wine, marry Chardonnay with an Ashton Classic 898 which is delightful to the taste buds.

Iced-Coffee

While not a spirit, mixing coffee liqueurs in iced-coffee can enhance mild- and medium-bodied cigar flavors. Irish cream in iced -coffee paired with Rocky Patel Java Mint cigars enhances the chocolate, mint flavors. When making iced coffees, make stronger concentrations to serve over ice.

Other Summer Drink Ideas

• Brandy and crème de menthe makes a delicious Stinger.
• Have Scotch or India pale ales (bitter hops) with full-flavored cigars.
• Cool refreshing summer drinks include Italian Negronis: gin and an orange twist, or a Mint Julep: bourbon and fresh mint.

There’s never a better time to enjoy spirits than with a few good friends and a couple of good cigars, most of which can be purchased right here at JR Cigars. JR Cigars specializes in the finest premium cigars deals and you can buy cigars online for your upcoming summer event or next pairing with friends.