Whiskey and Cigars: Pairing Life's Luxuries

Like two peas in a pod of the luxury world, cigarswrestling to see who has to pay the bar tab.
and whiskey can often be found together. BothHowever strong each item is, when paired together,
known as two of the finer things in life, when usedthey actually work with each other, complimenting
jointly, they work to enhance the drinking andeach other's strengths and erasing weaknesses.
smoking experience. This is particularly true when theA nice strong scotch is the Lagavulin Single Malt.
drink being consumed is single malt scotch. Known asCharacterized by peatiness and iodine overtones, the
the Cuban cigar of the whiskey world, single maltLagavulin couples well with the Joya De Nicaragua
scotch is the perfect drink to take out for a smoke.Antano 1970, a very full bodied, robust cigar. When
What is Single Malt Scotch?this scotch and this cigar are consumed together, the
While many people know what single malt scotchresult is a very flavorful, potent, and, above all,
entails, some people may not be completely clear.smoky experience. For this reason, if this experience
But, in actuality, the concept of single malt scotch iscould talk, it would sound like Beau Arthur.
singularly simple: single malt scotch is essentiallyWhat Kind of Cigars Contrast with Single Malt
barely-malt whiskey made in Scotland that comesScotch?
from only one distillery, allowing it to carry distinctOn the other end of the spectrum, there are a
aromas and flavors. In terms of whiskeys, single maltvariety of cigars that contrast with single malt
scotch is the most laudable: the Scottish have thescotch, hitting heads to offset each other. Because
title of world's greatest whiskey in the bag...pipe.these cigars and whiskeys have different attributes -
Why are Cigars a Good Fit with Single Malt Scotch?putting the weak with the strong and vice versa - it
Cigars and single malt scotch have similar mantras:may seem like these pairings will result in some sort
they both invoke specifics of the land and theof rivalry: the cigars and the scotch brawl, the fight
maker; tobacco plants and barley both aim toensuing until the cigars are crushed and the scotch
remember their roots. To demonstrate this, cigarstipped over. But, in actuality, the contrast works
from different regions have different flavors: arather well.
Dominican Republic cigar will taste different than aThere are two main routes to take when contrasting
cigar from Honduras. This is because each cigar aimswith single malt scotch. The first route couples a
to capture the distinct taste of the land and of thestrong cigar with a mild single malt scotch while the
tobacco manufacturer, leaving no two cigar brandsother route couples a mild cigar with a strong single
alike. Single Malt Scotch is the only type of whiskeymalt scotch.
that possesses this same ability; giving drinkers a cupStrong Cigar and Mild Single Malt
of originality.Pairing together a strong cigar with a mild single malt
Some whiskeys journey through so many distillerieshas the ability to take away from the pungency of
that they - like a whiskey that has drank too muchthe cigar, arming the single malt with a little more
of itself - forget who they are. This results in agusto. This results not in the cigar losing its flavor, but
whiskey with flavors that are vague, with littlein the scotch becoming enhanced. As both a full body
semblance to the roots of their homeland. Single Maltand mild body meet in the middle, the result is sure
Scotch, however, stands out because it is processedto please about anybody, whether they themselves
through a single distillery. In addition, while otherare full or mild..
whiskeys can contain mixtures of corn, wheat, andA very mild single malt scotch is a Dalwhinnie. Known
unmalted barley, single malt scotch uses maltedfor being slightly peaty and very aromatic, the
barely as the sole grain ingredient. This, ultimately,Dalwhinnie is about as smooth as they come. It's full
succeeds in instilling single malt scotch with the trueof sweet flavor and tastes a bit like it's coated in
taste of Scotland.honey. A Dalwhinnie goes perfectly with a La Aurora
What Kinds of Cigars Compliment Single Malt Scotch?100 Anos. Made from very rare Corjo tobacco, these
There are a variety of cigars that compliment certaincigars are full of flavor and body. When taken
whiskeys, as if telling them that they have nice ryes.together, the Dalwhinnie and La Aurora work to
With single malt scotch, however, there are certainprovide an experience that is strong and mild in all the
cigars for which this feat is tailor made; there areright places.
certain cigars that go better with single malt scotchMild Cigar and Strong Single Malt
than with nearly anything else.A mild cigar can use a good strong single malt, a
There are two main routes to take whenstrong drink that can provide enhancement,
complimenting single malt scotch. The first routesmoothness, and open the humidor when the lid's on
couples a mild cigar with a mild single malt scotchtoo tight. Like pairing a strong cigar with a mild single
while the other route couples a strong cigar with amalt, the attributes of both enhance each other, like
strong single malt scotch.opposites that attract, pulling the best characteristics
Mild Cigar and Mild Single Maltout.
When pairing a mild cigar with a mild single malt, theThe Laphroaig single malt scotch is among the
outcome isn't just a bunch of mildness: the mild cigarstrongest flavored scotches around. While these are
and mild single malt won't cause an urge to meditatetypically aged for ten years, some rare ones are as
among those who consume them. Instead, theold as 40. While some people have found that the
mildness of each works together to enhance eachpeaty aroma of the whiskey is enhanced by adding a
other, resulting in a very unique experience.bit of water, others find that it is enhanced by
A Highland Park single malt scotch and a La Florsmoking a Macanudo. Macanudo cigars may as well be
Dominicana are examples of two things that go wellsynonymous with the word "mellow" as they fill the
together, tag teaming each other to create a trulysmoker with a sense of smoothing calm. When
luxurious experience. Highland Park scotches areconsumed together, the Laphroaig and the Macanudo
known for being smooth, balanced, and filled withwork together to supply the consumer with a mellow
overtones of honey. A La Flor Dominicana is a mildpeatiness.
cigar with anything but mild flavor, filled with theOverall, these two things go together as well as any
tastes of the Dominican Republic. When consumeddynamic duo: Laurel and Hardy, Laverne and Shirley,
together, a Highland Park and a La Flor DominicanaCigar and Single Malt. While some cigars complement
work together to enhance the experience, drawingsingle malt scotch, others contrast with it. But, both
out the best attributes of the tobacco and theequations equal satisfaction. Allowing the true flavors
whiskey.of each other's lands, cigars and scotch single malt
Strong Cigar and Strong Single Maltwork to bring together the best of all cultures
Pairing together a strong cigar with a strong singleinvolved, leaving the world a little smaller, and a little
malt may seem like asking for trouble, as if each itemmore luxurious.
will try to be stronger than the other, ultimately arm