The Art of Pairing Cigars with Drinks — A Complete Guide
Learn how to pair cigars with bourbon, coffee, scotch, beer, and more. Our pairing guide covers mild to full-bodied cigars and the drinks that complement them best.
Why Pairing Matters
A great cigar on its own is a pleasure. A great cigar with the right drink beside it? That's an experience. The flavors play off each other — a sip of bourbon can unlock sweetness in a cigar you didn't know was there, and a puff of smoke can transform a cup of coffee into something entirely new.
Here's our guide to the pairings that work, the ones that don't, and why.
The Golden Rule
Match intensity with intensity. A mild cigar gets bulldozed by a peaty scotch. A full-bodied Padron drowns out a light lager. You want the cigar and the drink to be equal partners — neither one shouting over the other.
Mild Cigars
Mild cigars have delicate flavors — cream, vanilla, nuts, light cedar. You need a drink that enhances those notes without overpowering them.
Best Pairings
Coffee (light to medium roast) — This is the classic. A latte or cappuccino echoes the creamy sweetness of a Connecticut wrapper. It's the reason cigar lounges always smell like coffee.
Champagne or Prosecco — The acidity and bubbles cleanse the palate between puffs, letting you taste every subtle note. Try this with a Macanudo Café.
Light beer or wheat ale — A Blue Moon or Hoegaarden has enough sweetness and body without competing.
Cream soda — Sounds odd. Works brilliantly. The vanilla sweetness mirrors the cigar's profile.
Avoid
Peaty scotch (Laphroaig, Lagavulin) — obliterates the cigar
Heavy red wine — too tannic, creates bitterness
Anything heavily spiced
Medium-Bodied Cigars
This is where the pairing world opens up. Medium cigars have enough body to stand up to bolder drinks but enough nuance to play with subtlety.
Best Pairings
Bourbon — The sweet spot. Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, or Buffalo Trace bring out caramel and vanilla notes in cigars like the Arturo Fuente Hemingway. This is the pairing most people think of when they imagine "cigar night."
Dark beer or porter — A Guinness or a chocolate stout has roasted malt flavors that mirror the cedar and cocoa notes in medium cigars.
Aged rum — Ron Zacapa, Diplomatico, or El Dorado. The molasses sweetness and oak aging complement a medium cigar beautifully.
Cold brew coffee — Smoother and less acidic than regular coffee. The chocolate undertones work perfectly with a Romeo y Julieta 1875.
Avoid
Very sweet cocktails — too much sugar flattens the cigar's complexity
Light white wines — not enough body to keep up
Full-Bodied Cigars
Bold cigars with flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, leather, and black pepper need drinks that can go toe-to-toe.
Best Pairings
Single malt scotch (Speyside or Sherry-cask) — Macallan 12, Glenfiddich 18, or Balvenie DoubleWood. The sherry influence brings dried fruit sweetness that balances the cigar's power. This is the connoisseur pairing.
Port wine — Rich, sweet, and full-bodied. Port's dark fruit and chocolate flavors lock in perfectly with a Padron 1926 or My Father Le Bijou.
Espresso — No milk, no sugar. A straight shot of espresso against a full-bodied cigar is an intensity match made in heaven.
Rye whiskey — Spicier than bourbon, rye stands up to peppery cigars. Bulleit Rye or WhistlePig are excellent choices.
Avoid
Light beer — the cigar just swallows it
Fruity cocktails — the contrast is jarring, not complementary
Our Favorite Pairings (Staff Picks)
Cigar
Drink
Why It Works
Macanudo Café
Cappuccino
Cream meets cream — effortlessly smooth
Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Maker's Mark Bourbon
Sweet wood on sweet wood — a classic
Oliva Serie V Melanio
Aged Rum (Diplomatico)
Caramel, oak, and complexity in both
Padron 1926
Macallan 12 Sherry Oak
The ultimate power pairing
Perdomo Champagne
Prosecco
Light, celebratory, elegant
Non-Alcoholic Pairings That Actually Work
Not everyone drinks alcohol, and that's no reason to miss out on great pairings:
Craft root beer — The sassafras and vanilla pair surprisingly well with medium cigars
Hot chocolate — Rich, creamy, and sweet. Excellent with mild-medium smokes in cold weather
Sparkling water with lemon — Cleanses the palate and keeps flavors fresh
Thai iced tea — Sweet, creamy, with a hint of spice. Try it with an earthy medium cigar
Tips for Your Next Pairing
Take a sip, then puff — Let the drink coat your palate first, then draw on the cigar. Notice how the flavors interact.
Alternate, don't combine — Sip and puff separately. Don't wash down smoke with liquid.
Let the cigar lead — Pick your cigar first, then choose a drink. Not the other way around.
Room temperature matters — Warm drinks bring out sweetness. Cold drinks emphasize crispness and bitterness.
Build Your Perfect Pairing at Our Shop
Come to Cigar and Smoke Shop at Arundel Mills Mall and tell our staff what you like to drink — we'll recommend the perfect cigar to match. Or tell us your favorite cigar, and we'll tell you what to pour.
10% off for military, police, fire/EMS, and mall employees.
