Alcoholic Drinks to Enjoy with Cuban Cigars

What drinks go well with a Cuban cigar?

The answer: it depends. It depends on your personal preferences, or what you feel comfortable drinking. It even depends on the time of day. There is no straight-forward answer to this question.

However, a good rule-of-thumb is if you decide to have a drink while you enjoy your Cuban cigar, you should try to go with a drink that matches the relative flavor of the cigar. Full-bodied cigars call for a full-bodied drink. More delicate flavors like champagne would go well with a milder cigar.

Delightful Mixes between Cuban Cigars and Spirits

The only thing wrong about this generalization is that it avoids mistakes rather than help discover possible new marriages between Cuban cigars and drinks.

Delightful mixes happen when the complex flavors within a Cuban cigar and a spirit create a synergy. For example, a bland cigar may suddenly deliver tons of cocoa flavors while the accompanying whiskey will taste of orange peel. Both Cuban cigar and spirit may develop certain tastes that weren't evident at first.

Figuring out and predicitng the causes of such a transformation is harder than simply matching body weights. The spicy flavors of a cigar might explode when it's paired with a sweeter spirit because the tastes complement each other.

To get you started, we created a list of the more common drinks that enhance the flavor of mild cigars, and will not be overpowered by full-flavored Cuban vitolas.

Coffee-flavoured Liquors

There are many variations of coffee drinks such as Black Russian, Mud Slide and Nutty Irishman that taste great and will greatly enhance your cigar smoking experience. Coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream or Kahlua mixes go great with Cuban cigars.

Try smoking a cigar with a White Russian - which contains Kahlua, vodka, and cream.

Porto and Late Bottled Vintages

There are many different types and brands of porto. Porto has a somewhat sweet taste that makes it a great dessert drink and even a better companion to a fine Cuban cigar.

Late Bottled Vintage goes great with Cubans. Vintage Porto is even better, albeit more expensive.

Cognacs

Cognac is the traditional drink to have with cigars. When you buy cognac, pay close attention to the age designation of the bottle.

Very Special (VS) is the lowest category of age, and isn’t recommended for drinking with cigars. Very Special Old Pale (VSOP) indicates at least four and a half years of ageing. Mild and medium-bodied cigars go particularly well with this middle category of cognac.

The highest age bracket is Extra Old (XO). This is cognac that has been aged for at least six and a half years. Sometimes much older brandies form part of the blend.

Single-Malt Scotches

Scotch, especially single-malt, is another good drink to have with Cuban cigars. Some cigar lovers believe single-malt scotch is the best drink to have with a cigar.

Scotch on the rocks, or just straight up, will not be overpowered by a strong cigar. And unlike cognac, you can drink scotch at any time of the day. But like some full flavored cigars, scotch can be an acquired taste.

There are hundreds of different blends of scotch available, so it’s difficult to recommend a particular blend to pair with a cigar.

Rums

Rum, in its cheapest form, can ruin even the best Cuban cigar. It amplifies any roughness in the smoke until the smoking pleasure is completely gone. However, if you buy carefully, the right rum can be a perfect complement to a good cigar.

Martinis

Martinis come in a variety of flavors. The one thing they all have in common is their high alcohol content, which holds up very well with full-flavored cigars.

Beers and Ales

Beers should usually be paired with a mild Cuban cigar. But an India Pale Ale can accompany almost any cigar, even ones that are full-flavored. The bitter hops in an India Pale Ale come out shining with a cigar.

Finding the Right Combinations

The problem of what to drink with a Cuban cigar may seem insurmountable to the new cigar smoker.

But if you keep in mind that finding the ideal drink to go with your favorite Cuban cigars simply comes down to testing different combinations, you will undoubted find one that will please you and contribute to the enjoyment of cigar smoking.