Drinking and smoking are as perfect a pair as burgers and fries — just ask any cigar aficionado.
But there’s an art to the pairings. Sure, it’s easy to picture men in dark suits sitting in leather club chairs, sipping Johnnie Walker and puffing stogies. But there’s truth to that image. You can never go wrong pairing cigars with “classic” brown liquors like bourbon, scotch and cognac.
Bourbon is the top-selling beverage at Indy Cigar Bar, according to owner Corey Johnston. The Northeastside bar serves 33 varieties and has nearly 500 different cigars in its humidor.
When it comes to pairings, Johnston advises beginners to match mild bourbons with mild cigars. Longtime smokers can typically handle full-flavored bourbons and cigars. “The idea is to not overpower either component,” he said.
It’s a simple guideline, whether you’re drinking scotch, port or high-end craft beers. All three are popular companions to cigars, as are coffee and hot cocoa for abstainers. The key is to match based on the intensity of the flavor profiles.
Simon Robinson, co-owner of cocktail and cigar bar Nicky Blaine’s, typically asks customers three questions before recommending an alcohol and cigar pairing. “The first thing I ask is how often they smoke cigars,” he said. “Then I ask how much they want to spend and how much time they have.”
The more time, the better. Cigars, like fine liquor, are best savored slowly.
Pairings from the experts:
Simon Robinson, co-owner of Nicky Blaine’s, 20 N. Meridian St.
Jack and Coke with a Fuente Fuente Opus X.
Johnnie Walker scotch with a Montecristo No. 2.
Corey Johnston, owner of Indy Cigar Bar, 3357 E. 86th St.
Booker’s Bourbon (127 proof) with a Davidoff Double “R”.
Pairings to avoid: Cigars with milk, eggnog, gin, soda and cranberry or grapefruit juice, according to Michael Gelb, author of the book “Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking.”
