Pairing Single Malts with Cigars....

[hawkan2580]

I thought this would be an interesting topic..

Below I will list some more common single malts and your job is to match up with a suitable cigar according to your own preference and experience... I will only list commonly available malts so there is bound to be stacks of people who have tried them and would have opinions.

Lagaluvin
Laphrohaig
Talisker
Ardberg

Please feel free to extend the list of single malts.. but keep it to commonly avaiable marquees and versions.. no single barrel 1972 released in 2 bottles only type deals...

[1f1fan]

You've got some good Islay malts there hawk...I will add another:
Bowmore 12. I'd pair the Bowmore up with a Bolivar.

The Laphroig is so peaty and pungent I can't think of a cigar that would pair up well with it. I have not had any of the other single malts you listed.

Some other less smoky malts:

Aberlour 10
Macallan (I just got the 18 for Christmas) $$$

Both of the malts above are aged in sherry casks. The Aberlour is fruity/spicy while the Macallan 18 is fruity/spicy also....but I found it more rich and complex with a slightly smoky finish.

For those not familiar with single malts, if it's from the Islay region it is heavily peat smoked. You are going to need one hell of a cigar to stand up to these!

I think the Aberlour or the Macallan would pair up with Partagas pretty well.

I've had a few other cigars that paired well with scotch, but I can't remember right now. I usually drink a beer or two with my cigars...sometimes the scotch can overpower.....make sure to have some water to sip on, that helps.

[hawkan2580]

Thanks for your input mate!

I, for one think that Partagas salamones goes extremely well with the Lagaluvin.. and so does partagas series series c 1 and series du con. no 1

Psd 4 goes well with the talisker..

RA coronas and RAG goes well with Ardberg

I add glenmoraigh (sp).. for matching with cohibas.. (the cohiba grassiness is complemented nicely with the more subtle peatyness and more fruitiness)..

[1f1fan]

Sounds good...I'll have to try some of those out!

How do you take your scotch...neat? On the rocks? Water?

I started out dropping a copule ice cubes in mine, but now I drink everything neat.

[coastalwader]

I love cigars and I love scotch.

For now, I'm pretty content in pairing whatever cigar I pull out of the humi with whichever bottle of single malt I happen to have at the time. :)

Now, having said that, I have had the pleasure of attending a few scotch and cigar tastings and I could see where this could be a very enjoyable pursuit.

[shatfield]

I definitely like scotch neat when I'm taste testing it. But when I smoke a cigar with it, I always put it on the rocks with a little water. To me, it doesn't overpower the cigar as much this way.

[hawkan2580]

I drink it pretty much neat.. just add about 3-4 drops of filtered water to each finger of whiskey (room temperature.. don't want to cool it down and reduce the flavours)...

I quite often also have a glass of perrier next to it.... (not because it is snobbish.. here it actually is one of the cheaper quality mineral waters and I happen to like it...)

I have found that it clenses the pallett nicely if the whiskey or cigar flavours become "unbalanced"..

[Kurtdesign1]

I quite often also have a glass of perrier next to it

I have found that it clenses the pallett nicely if the whiskey or cigar flavours become "unbalanced"..

Interesting...
I used to drink Root beer when having an everyday smoke because the carbonation seemed to cleanse somewhat decently but the soda flavor became a little too overpowering. Carbonated water would do just the trick I bet. Thanks for the heads up. San Pelligrino has a bit of a better flavor for me then Perrier. Just my own .02 c