Cigar + Drink Pairings

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King Of Hearts
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Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by King Of Hearts »

A good cigar calls for a stiff drink.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/category/index/id/16" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by EINY »

Cigars are a great love of mine. Living in the UK I have the great benefit of an excellent selection of Cuban produce, but with contacts (and formerly a residence) in the US, I have been able to take advantage of (and smoke many hundreds) of north, central and south American cigars. Is there a cigar thread on HD? If not, there damn well should be.

I have been a great fan of Pete Johnson and his Tatuaje and phenomenal Cabaiguan brands (absolutely the closest thing to the Cohiba SIglo that you can get legally in the US)
http://www.tatuajecigars.com/site/smoke ... n%20Guapos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Cabaiguans are simply delicious - creamy, smooth smoke, splendid construction and balanced until the last inch.

La Flor Dominicana do some awesome smokes (some very powerful) their magic boy however is a chisel:
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatu ... w/id/16514" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Astonishing flavours. Have enjoyed many of these at Barclay Rex in NY.

Lastly, if I may, a shout to the FernanDez clan from Esteli Nicaragua, who have done wonders with the "Diesel- Unholy Cocktail" a dark, chewy maduro monster- the Diesel is a force to be reckoned with - sweet, licorice, tar-like aromas unlit, with a characteristic sweetness of a well matured maduro once lit.

Pairings? I like HINE with cohibas, espresso with the chiselito and a cheap whiskey sour with the Diesel (Jim Beam?)....

Let the cigar discussion commence!
You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. Frank Zappa
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by King Of Hearts »

EINY wrote:Cigars are a great love of mine. Living in the UK I have the great benefit of an excellent selection of Cuban produce, but with contacts (and formerly a residence) in the US, I have been able to take advantage of (and smoke many hundreds) of north, central and south American cigars. Is there a cigar thread on HD? If not, there damn well should be.

I have been a great fan of Pete Johnson and his Tatuaje and phenomenal Cabaiguan brands (absolutely the closest thing to the Cohiba SIglo that you can get legally in the US)
http://www.tatuajecigars.com/site/smoke ... n%20Guapos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Cabaiguans are simply delicious - creamy, smooth smoke, splendid construction and balanced until the last inch.

La Flor Dominicana do some awesome smokes (some very powerful) their magic boy however is a chisel:
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatu ... w/id/16514" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Astonishing flavours. Have enjoyed many of these at Barclay Rex in NY.

Lastly, if I may, a shout to the FernanDez clan from Esteli Nicaragua, who have done wonders with the "Diesel- Unholy Cocktail" a dark, chewy maduro monster- the Diesel is a force to be reckoned with - sweet, licorice, tar-like aromas unlit, with a characteristic sweetness of a well matured maduro once lit.

Pairings? I like HINE with cohibas, espresso with the chiselito and a cheap whiskey sour with the Diesel (Jim Beam?)....

Let the cigar discussion commence!
Wow, this sure lit your fire, or cigar. :clap: :clap: :clap: I wish I knew more about cigars, my most often smoke is Arturo Fuente, anything by them is ok with me. I also like La Gloria Cubana D'Oro #1 Maduro. A friend of my highly recommends Rocky Patel Winter Collection 2012 Toro.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by eviljesus »

I dabble in the cigar area, but struggle to find anything of worth in australia (im sure im looking in the wrong place). This is more the fact Im not exactly sure what I should be looking for, and what prices I should expect to pay.

The cigars I have smoked have been the average Henry Winterman's from the supermarket and an el producto (that was the wrapper) from the tobacconist.

Piping is more my forte, and I can list out a good range of tobacco's there!
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by qball »

Don't get me started on my other passion. I think I have 6 humidors and one wine fridge full of sticks.

I probably have 600 or so aging in my collection. I am a big Fuente fan in addition to the nice smokes I get from a certain island nation south of Miami.

Cigars and Scotch... excellent combo!
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by EINY »

Arturo Fuente make some fine cigars. My two particular favourite vitolas are the Hemingway short story (perfect spring morning smoke) and the Cuban Belicoso from the Sun Grown range. The Belicoso is a marvellous cigar, the sun grown range having a particularly earthy note to it. I have previously likened this cigar to like "sucking on a lump of coal". Not as unpleasant as it sounds. They did a candela for a while (green wrapper) but I haven't tried one for a while.
You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. Frank Zappa
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by EINY »

eviljesus wrote:I dabble in the cigar area, but struggle to find anything of worth in australia (im sure im looking in the wrong place). This is more the fact Im not exactly sure what I should be looking for, and what prices I should expect to pay.

The cigars I have smoked have been the average Henry Winterman's from the supermarket and an el producto (that was the wrapper) from the tobacconist.

Piping is more my forte, and I can list out a good range of tobacco's there!
EJ, I have just got into pipes myself - have been looking for a good quality tobacconist with whom to develop a relationship to purchase quality units and filling, but not having much success. The best pipe shop in London also seems to be the most expensive :-/ Davidoff, just by St James' Park.

The issue of "not sure what I am looking for" is soon sorted by finding someone whose taste you trust and doing a short tasting session of three or four cigars in small vitolas - a habano, a maduro, a conn and perhaps a corojo, chew them over and simply work out which one you like the best. As with HD there's a tonne of sites where you can go and read up on the various types of cigar out there. I'm not familiar with online vendors in .au but there are a lot in Holland and 2-3 in the states who you can get to ship you stuff.
You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. Frank Zappa
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by King Of Hearts »

EINY wrote:Arturo Fuente make some fine cigars. My two particular favourite vitolas are the Hemingway short story (perfect spring morning smoke) and the Cuban Belicoso from the Sun Grown range. The Belicoso is a marvellous cigar, the sun grown range having a particularly earthy note to it. I have previously likened this cigar to like "sucking on a lump of coal". Not as unpleasant as it sounds. They did a candela for a while (green wrapper) but I haven't tried one for a while.
I can smoke the Curleyhead Deluxe Maduro all day, and the price is amazing for the quality. I heard or read they are made from the scraps from the top cigars. You can get a box of 25 online for $62 + shipping.

Curlyhead Deluxe Maduro (6.5" x 43) BOX OF 25 In Stock $61.95 http://www.cigarsinternational.com/prod ... -AFA&cat=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by Prairiepiss »

I just had a curlyhead this past weekend. Nice cigar for the money. I am more partial to the Anturo Fuente Brevas Royale.

But I had another cigar last week that I just fell in love with. Problem is I don't know what it was. And I haven't been back to the cigar shop to find out what it was.

I've just started getting into cigars. I have two smaller 18 stick humidors full. Slowly finding what I like and don't like.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by HungoverHog »

Padron 3000 maduro or a oliva g maduro with a root beer. Yeah not a stiff drink but give it a try. It is a real treat.

I used to smoke a lot of CC's Partagas was my favorite marca but got in a financial bind and sold my last 10-12 boxes so I am back to NC's again. I used to really like the AF 858 flor fina. Padron and Oliva make some really nice sticks.

I smoke a pipe as well. I just really like tobacco. Trying to give up cigarettes as we speak. Not having a good time with it.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by King Of Hearts »

HungoverHog wrote:Padron 3000 maduro or a oliva g maduro with a root beer. Yeah not a stiff drink but give it a try. It is a real treat.

I used to smoke a lot of CC's Partagas was my favorite marca but got in a financial bind and sold my last 10-12 boxes so I am back to NC's again. I used to really like the AF 858 flor fina. Padron and Oliva make some really nice sticks.

I smoke a pipe as well. I just really like tobacco. Trying to give up cigarettes as we speak. Not having a good time with it.
I gave up cigarettes because of the price & I figured. if I'm going to smoke, I might as well smoke something good.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by blind drunk »

I used to occasionally smoke a pipe. I remember a guy in university who took up the pipe to help him quit smoking. It was quite something watching him smoke a pipe; he used to drag on it so hard that the bowl would glow red! I don't think it was working for him.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by Prairiepiss »

I couldn't use a pipe or cigar to help me quit smoking. They do nothing for me in that department. Mater of fact I usually crave a cigarette right after or during a cigar.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by Odin »

Started to smoke cigars when I was 19 or 20 years old. Felt they went allong really nicely with Scotch. A drink with a few rough edges. And a smoke as a good companion. Don't drink Scotch no more. I do smoke a few cigars a day.

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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by Prairiepiss »

This past weekend I smoked one of my AF Brevus cigars with a nice smooth rye on the rocks. It matched up pretty good. But it did not match up with the brown ale I tried. Wow it tasted like crap together. I normally like stouts so I'm thinking I need a heavier flavored cigar for beer drinking. But for everyday I don't like the heavy flavored ones. Any suggestions?
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by King Of Hearts »

Prairiepiss wrote:This past weekend I smoked one of my AF Brevus cigars with a nice smooth rye on the rocks. It matched up pretty good. But it did not match up with the brown ale I tried. Wow it tasted like crap together. I normally like stouts so I'm thinking I need a heavier flavored cigar for beer drinking. But for everyday I don't like the heavy flavored ones. Any suggestions?
I'm thinkin those beers are not a good companion for cigars. I had a Macanudo with my Scottish Export and it was pretty good.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by HungoverHog »

Prairiepiss wrote:I couldn't use a pipe or cigar to help me quit smoking. They do nothing for me in that department. Mater of fact I usually crave a cigarette right after or during a cigar.
Absolutely! Cigarettes are just a nicotine transfer device for me. I can't even say I really enjoy them anymore but I can't live without them. I am using nicotine gum to try to curb the urges. Cigars and pipes are just for pleasure. I rarely even inhale them. It is all about aroma and flavor.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by EINY »

King Of Hearts wrote:
Prairiepiss wrote:This past weekend I smoked one of my AF Brevus cigars with a nice smooth rye on the rocks. It matched up pretty good. But it did not match up with the brown ale I tried. Wow it tasted like crap together. I normally like stouts so I'm thinking I need a heavier flavored cigar for beer drinking. But for everyday I don't like the heavy flavored ones. Any suggestions?
I'm thinkin those beers are not a good companion for cigars. I had a Macanudo with my Scottish Export and it was pretty good.
I went on exactly this quest in 2007. I alighted upon a couple of sticks which match up to Stout well - here are my suggestions:

The La Flor Dominicana 600 Double Ligero is a rich, strong flavoured cigar - dark notes of leather, tar, earth. I paired it with a couple of pints of Guinness very successfully.

The Gran Consul size of the Joya De Nicaragua brand is another excellent cigar for a chewy beer. Interestingly, for a habano, the wrapper is not particularly "spicy" in the mouth. The very large ring gauge of this cigar helps to ensure a sizeable quantity of smoke on each draw - filling the mouth in a most satisfying way. The Gran Consul is a less refined cigar than the Dominicana but is still capable of delivering satisfaction - and I think the flavour profile suits beer well - that is to say - a classic Nicaraguan habano.
You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. Frank Zappa
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by mealstrom »

I'm a huge cigar freak - it's my main hobby. Each cigar is like one of my children. Ugly, stumpy, veiny children that I will eventually light on fire.

As far as cigars and alcohol, it really depends on what I'm drinking. Weekend mornings I usually make some coffee with Bailey's or something similar and sit on the back porch with a book before the world wakes up. For those days I love something light. Ashton Double Magnum, RP Connecticut, etc. Those are some beauties. Perdomo also has a Lot 23 which is phenomenal, and you can generally find for $5 - $6 depending on the taxes in your area.

For my afternoon/evening/after meal smokes (when I'm usually drinkin'. lol) I need something a bit stronger. With any drink that has a strong flavor I tend to go with an Ashton VSG, just about any Camacho, Tatuaje, or Kristoff.

During the week I generally smoke cheaper cigars since I don't want to go through 2 or 3 $8 a night. For that I love Devil's Weed (a friend of mine, Luis Molina, makes them). They'll never win any awards, but for the price you just can't beat them. They dont' have the taste of a lot of cheap cigars (JR Alts, La Finca, Free Cuba, etc), since they were originally intended to be $8 cigars. I also pick up scatterings of RP, Perdomo, etc for decent prices online and smoke those.

The King is Senior Pepin though. I've never had a cigar he rolled that wasn't great.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by qball »

Ashton Classic Magnum and some Knob Creek neat
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Blue corn malt whiskey and hand rolled cigars by HDNB.
Enjoyed both with my two sons recently and the whole world seemed like a better place!
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by Euphoria »

Apparently there are many members here who are cigar aficionados. Just a few of mine...
My preference is for a medium-full to full bodied smoke. I also enjoy a pipe now and then as well. Always goes well with a Rum & Coke or a couple of fingers of whiskey.
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Re: Cigar + Drink Pairings

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Holy Smokes! :lol:
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