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

 

[ShallCarry]

Couple nights ago I had a glass of Laphroaig Cask Strength with a bit of water added to bring out the more subtle flavors of the scotch. I enjoyed it with a CAO Brazilia. The stronger flavor of the Brazilia easily handled the dominant flavors of the scotch. Quite nice.

 

[strife]

Rumor has it that a bottle of Kirkland Single Malt Scotch is repackaged Macallan 18 yr old! Costcos in NY don't sell liquor but if they did I'd surely check it out. Supposedly less than half the regular cost.

 

[dpricenator]

Costco has dood prices on booze, but it's not half price. Maybe half price a 1:30 am type liquor store, but not an average retailer. Either way good deal....I love scotch..and I love cigars...I'll be honest that it doesn't really matter which scotch or which cigar,just smoke it and drink it. damn it tastes good don't it? .02....

 

[Phi Delt]

The Kirkland branded stuff is super cheap though! And they always get a 'major' player to rebrand something for them. Their vodka is crazy cheap for a 1.75L bottle. $29 last time I was down, compared to $49 for Goose. the Kirkland brand is $70 up here in Canuckland...

 

[terrantheman]

I think what you're doing is really messing with something that is so very subjective and you've only chosen scotches of the islands. Those scotches all 4 of them are so salty and briney from there region that they have very prominent flavors so therefore you could match almost any full flavored/bodied cigar with them and you'll be doing just fine. I would go Boli, opus x, many tats, and really many cubans etc....

 

[indyrob]

I like a good sherried highland with a Bolivar. They seem to compliment the line a lot. Bourbon casked seem to play well with PLPC's. Lagavulin goes really well with Partagas Coronas.

 

[indyrob]

Yes...the Kirkland is a Mac.

 

[ShallCarry]

Not on the list, but I just tried Bowmore 17yo with a CAO Maduro. The combination was an incredibly pleasant surprise. The two flavors combined for a synergistic effect bringing out new flavors not present in either the scotch or the cigar alone. Fantastic pairing.

 

[tazbigdog]

Are you serious that Kirkland is a Mac? If so, I'll have to run over there and pick up a bottle!:ccool:

 

[rick12string]

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"..

I do the same thing whiskey neat and water on the side to cleanse the pallet when needed. I use Brita filtered water, works great for me.

 

[strife]

Are you serious that Kirkland is a Mac? If so, I'll have to run over there and pick up a bottle!:ccool:

Apparently so, maybe not exactly the same, I notice that the Kirkland states that the scotch is finished off during the final 6 months in Sherry casks where I was under the impression The Macallan 18 was for the full 18.

Kirkland Signature 18 year old Scotch

 

[Veritas]

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.

Same here. I've had pairings at events that were spectacular, but I don't know enough about the subtleties of the flavors (of the spirit or the cigar) to be able to recreate them at home. I have a selection of single malts and really should start taking notes when I pair them.