Cohiba and Wine, Whiskey, Coffee: How to Pair the Best Drinks with Cigars
Cigar pairings help you get the best out of your favorite Cohiba, Cuban classics, and other top-shelf cigars, so you enjoy another level of cigar-smoking bliss.
In addition, taking the time to savor a great cigar and drink is the perfect way to relax with friends, entertain guests, or simply watch the world go by.
Creating the best drink with cigar moment is about personal taste, so it can take some time to determine what cigar pairings suit your preferences best.
Use this guide to learn cigar pairings tips and suggestions to help you discover cigar and drink pairings right for you.
How to Pair Cigars and Drinks
Pairing cigars with alcohol isn't a perfect science, yet there are ways to ensure the best possible outcome. Personal preference and trial and error are at the heart of every successful cigar pairing.
So, not all cigar smokers follow the same method for finding the best drink with cigar pairing. However, the most popular pairing method is to pair a cigar and a drink of similar characteristics and structure.
A strong cigar can overpower milder beverages, just as strong drinks can drown out the subtleties of a mellow cigar. Also, pairing cigars and drinks with similar flavor profiles can make the tastes you enjoy fuller and more satisfying. This pairing method ensures a balanced pairing experience that allows the core flavors of the cigar and drink to shine.
Contrasting cigar and drink pairing is another method that some cigar pairing enthusiasts prefer. The principle is similar to combining sweet and spicy food. The idea is to let opposing characteristics come together to create a refreshingly new sensory experience.
Unfortunately, while this cigar-pairing style can be immensely rewarding, it can also be frustratingly underwhelming for some.
No matter your choice of pairing method, the key is to experiment and know that not every cigar and drink pairing will be perfect. It takes time to discover which pairings will bring you the most joy.
The journey can be frustrating at times. You don't want that special Cohiba cigar to be diminished by a lackluster pairing experience.
So, patience and consideration are required when choosing cigars and drinks, yet it's a worthy adventure that can lead to endlessly rewarding sensory discoveries.
What Drinks Pair Best With Cigars?
There are endless cigar pairings options no matter the type of beverage you prefer.
However, certain drinks lend themselves to cigar pairings more than others. So, it's best to choose drinks with characteristics that complement a cigar or, at the very least, help bring the tastes you like to the forefront.
Drinks that have a structure that is firm enough to match cigars make great pairing companions. These include:
Favorite spirits like whiskey, bourbon, brandy, and rum
Craft beer
Fortified wines like Port or Sherry
If you prefer a non-alcoholic pairing beverage, coffee or espresso is one of the best drinks with cigar pairings that you can enjoy anytime or while on the go.
What are the Top Drinks to Pair with Cohiba Cigars?
Genuine Cohiba cigars are the world's most exquisitely complex and flavorful smoke. So, you want to pair cigars with drinks of equal quality to ensure the best cigar and drink pairing experience.
Here are a few tips on creating satisfying Cohiba pairings with the most popular drinks.
Cigar and Coffee Pairing
While distilled spirits get most of the spotlight regarding cigar pairings, Cohiba cigars, and coffee deliver intensely gratifying pairings.
Not only are tobacco and coffee beans cultivated in similar climates, yet they also share similar characteristics in body and taste. In addition, coffee's richness and acidity help to draw out subtleties in the tobacco that other beverages cannot.
As with any pairing, you want to find a balance between the coffee and cigar's strength, body, and taste. So, it is best to pair a milder cigar with mellower coffee drinks and richer cigars with more robust coffee.
A light-to-medium roast coffee pairs well with milder Cohiba cigars. The Cohiba Siglo IV is a deliciously smooth choice. In contrast, stronger Cohiba cigars are best paired with medium-to-dark roast coffee or espresso.
For example, offerings from Cohiba's Maduro 5 line are great dark roast coffee companions.
In addition, Café Cubano offers a most gratifying experience for the ultimate Cohiba and coffee pairing. A Cohiba cigar's complex flavor and texture find an ideal match in this beverage's combination of rich espresso and a splash of brown sugar.
Cigar and Whiskey Pairing
Due to shared structure and taste, a cigar and whiskey are beautifully matched pairing partners. Various Scotch whiskies can offer a wide range of flavors to complement cigars, including wood, spice, vanilla, honey, citrus, toffee, pepper, peat, floral, and toast notes.
So, whiskey is the favorite choice for many cigar smokers looking to take their Cohiba cigars to another level of enjoyment.
Scotch whisky, especially of the Highland variety, is the traditional favorite for Cohiba and drink pairings. These spirits add perfectly complementary texture and taste to the cigar smoking experience.
For many, the best Single Malt Highland whisky is the only pairing partner worthy of the finest Cohibas, such as the famous Cohiba Behike BHK 54. Yet there are great options from each of Scotland's whisky-producing regions, whether Highlands, Speyside, Campbeltown, Islay, or Lowlands.
American whiskies, including Tennessee whiskey, Kentucky Bourbon, and Rye, are also great for cigar pairings. American whiskies can run a full spectrum ranging from rustic to refined. So, whether you are searching for a livelier pairing experience or one with a touch of sophistication, you will surely find a great cigar pairing American whiskey.
Today numerous top-shelf American whiskies offer the sturdy yet smooth character necessary to complement richer selections from Cohiba's Behike, Maduro 5, and Clasica lines.
In addition to American and Scotch whiskey, there are various Cohiba-worthy whiskies made in Ireland, Canada, Japan, and elsewhere that are not to be missed. No matter the type of whiskey, you will discover many uniquely engaging Cohiba and whiskey pairing opportunities.
Cigar and Wine Pairing
Many delicious cigar pairings are also waiting to be discovered in the expansive world of wine.
Red wines are favored for their richness and tannic qualities, which strike a balance with many of today's bold cigars.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Grenache, Malbec, Syrah, Zinfandel, and other firmly structured red varietals can form mouthwatering pairings with cigars.
For milder cigars, Pinot Noir, Barbera, and other red wines are best as they won't overpower the cigar's character.
Wine and cigar pairing can be tricky at times, and over the years, many have written off pairing white wine with cigars altogether. However, white wine can offer deeply compelling pairing experiences.
Well-oaked Chardonnay proves a popular choice that melds beautifully with elegantly structured Cohiba cigars from the Linea 1492 series. The finest Fume Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and others can also deliver satisfying pairing options.
However, one of the most coveted white wine pairings contrasts the sweetness of a vintage Sauterne with the rich earth, leather, and spice of top Cohiba cigars.
Champagne and other sparkling wines have had a long association with cigar pairing. The airy effervescence of the wine can titillate the senses when paired with a top-rated cigar. Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, and less carbonated Moscato wines make great cigar pairings after brunch, dinner, or any time a celebration is in order.
Fortified wines provide some of the most engaging cigar pairing experiences with their rich body, taste, and elevated alcohol content.
Port, Sherry, and Madeira are three legendary fortified wine types ideally suited for Cohiba cigar pairing. These wines offer richly textured characters that can include a range of flavors from dark berry, earth, chocolate, and spice to nut, raisin, caramel, and citrus.
A great cigar, such as the Cohiba Piramides Extra, and vintage Port is one of the pairing world's guiltiest pleasures.
Other Cigar and Drink Pairing Options
You aren't restricted to pairing your favorite cigars with coffee, whiskey, or wine. There are numerous other pairing options you can try. For non-alcoholic drinks, tea can make for a satisfying alternative to coffee.
Craft brews are fabulous cigar pairing options, with porter, stout, and Belgian-style ales providing deliciously complex structures capable of sharing the spotlight with the richest Cuban Cohiba cigars.
Distilled from wine or other fermented fruit, brandy such as Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, and others offer superb cigar pairing options.
Overshadowed in recent years by the recent explosion in popularity of whiskey and other spirits, brandy delivers a beautifully composed structure and taste ideally suited for complementing the best cigars.
Cognac and Armagnac, in particular, are famous Cohiba cigar pairing drinks that match each cigar's complexity and refinement.
There are many other distilled spirits you can pair with Cohiba cigars too. For example, rum is a natural cigar-pairing beverage often distilled in cigar-producing countries and can feature similar qualities.
Aged rum, in particular, can feature a mix of sweet, spicy, and woody notes that are natural fits for many of the best Cohiba cigars.
Tequila is another spirit that has gained popularity as a great cigar-pairing option. As with rum, well-aged Anejo or Extra Anejo tequila provides a sumptuous character complementary to cigars.
With an often complex composition, top-shelf gin has also gained notoriety for offering uniquely rewarding experiences that can take pairing to another level.
In addition, gin is a go-to favorite for cocktail fans. Whether with gin or not, mixed drinks can be hit or miss when it comes to cigar pairings, especially those on the sweeter end of the spectrum.
However, timeless cocktails, such as a classic Martini, Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Cuba Libre, Margarita, Irish Coffee, or others, can provide endless cigar pairing delights.
Tips For Pairing Cigars and Drinks
Cigar and drink pairing is a very personal endeavor, with each cigar enthusiast having specific preferences different from one another.
While pairing complementary cigars and drinks is a good rule of thumb everyone can follow, there are a few other pairing tips that can help make for a more enjoyable cigar and drink pairing process.
You might be in the early stages of your cigar pairing adventure or are concerned about ruining prized Cohiba cigars with the wrong drink.
So, it's best to do a little experimenting first. In addition, if you have other cigars on hand that you don't mind lending to your experiments, you can save your high-end smokes when you are comfortable making the leap.
However, there is only one way to know if you have found your ultimate pairing: light up those Cohibas and enjoy.
Keeping a journal or diary of your tasting experiments lets you focus on the best pairing for your tastes. By recording details about your pairing experiences that you can reference anytime, you can further refine pairings as you explore the best drink with cigar combination.
So, it helps to keep track of as much information as possible about each pairing, including what you liked and didn't like about it, the mouthfeel, flavor interactions, complexity, aftertaste, and finish.
Asking for recommendations when visiting a cigar shop or lounge is another tip that can increase your chances of pairing success. This comes in handy when, for example, you are in the comfort of your man cave and you’re ready to pair your favorite Cohiba cigar with whisky.
If they don't have your favorite and you are not sure which available whisky options are best, the cigar lounge staff should be able to point you to a whisky that complements the woody, spicy, and sweet nuances of your cigar.
Explore Great Cigar Pairings
The cigar and drink pairing journey can be a magical experience with deliciousness and instant gratification at every turn.
So, whether you are a cigar-smoking novice or a seasoned aficionado, put your pairing techniques into action and confidently enjoy Cohiba cigars and drink pairings.
