Top 5 Holiday Drink and Cigar Pairings

[KevinI]

Top 5 Holiday Drink and Cigar Pairings

Introduction:

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, there is nothing quite like a good cigar and drink pairing. Whether it’s an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink makes no difference to me - all I am looking for is a profile, and flavors that complement the cigars that I have come to love.

For the purposes of this article though, I decided to put together a list of some of my favorite holiday drinks and cigar pairings to give you a little bit of time to try them out for yourself before the end of the holiday season. If you are reading this during the spring or summer though, don’t fret, these pairings work just as well on a comfortable summer night as they do in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve.

There was a lot of testing done to get this list together (something I won’t complain about), so if you enjoy any of these pairings just half as much as I did, then you can be sure that you will be merry and jolly this holiday season.

Alright, let’s get into the pairings!

The Pairings:

1.     Cabaiguan by Tatuaje and a Pumpkin White Russian

Over the years, I didn’t pay too much attention to Cabaiguan, and after revisiting the blend a lot recently, this was a critical mistake on my part. The creaminess, and underlying vanilla notes paired perfectly with this pumpkin white Russian in a way that brought out the best in both the cigar, and the drink. A word of advice from me: take it slow with this one. The white Russians go down rather quickly, and before you know it, you’ll be 6 drinks deep and dropping ash on your pants.

2.     ADVentura The Conqueror and a Maple Old Fashioned

A very different kind of pairing than our first one, I was looking for something a bit heavier that would serve as the perfect nightcap. The natural sweetness and evident spiciness of The Conqueror paired beautifully with the maple and oak notes of this maple old fashioned. To be honest though, I don’t think there is anything that wouldn’t pair well with The Conqueror – it has quickly become one of my favorite cigars over the past year.

3.     Viaje Farmer Bill Hatchet Holiday 2021 and a Cranberry Mule

A holiday-themed cigar and a holiday-themed drink? It’s off to a great start already. But wait, there’s more! The tartness of the cranberry paired surprisingly well with the leather and earthy tones of Farmer Bill Hatchet in a way that I can’t quite explain. I try not to overthink these things though – “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, or whatever they say.

4.     Aladino Maduro and a Cosmo

This pairing was absolutely the most surprising pairing. This was recommended to me by a coworker, and I figured I’d give it a shot in the name of Kris Kringle. The sweetness and tanginess of the cosmo were the perfect accents to the rich, earthiness from the San Andres wrapper of the Aladino Maduro blend. Don’t knock it till you try it; this is one pairing I plan to revisit again tonight.

5.     Dunbarton Red Meat Lovers and a Lager

This was likely the most versatile pairing of the bunch – I can enjoy this pairing on the night before Christmas, a hot summer day, or absolutely anywhere in between. The crisp hops, and rich malt of the lager were a warm welcome to the spiciness and natural sweetness that came from Red Meat Lovers. Take this pairing up a notch with a nice, rare porterhouse and you will have a night to remember.

Closing Thoughts:

I am by no means an expert in drink pairings, or really anything for that matter, but, if you take one piece of advice from me it would be this: just give these pairings a try, you won’t be disappointed. As you can probably tell, I really enjoy experimenting with cigar and drink pairings, so be sure to drop a comment on what your favorite holiday drink and cigar pairings are! Until next time.