CIGARS AND SPIRITS

Spirits and Smoke
A extensive menu of spirits can be enjoyed in superb combination with a grand variety of cigars. Each flavor enhances the other. The recent trend of vintage cigars can be traced to the kindred labeling of high end spirits and wines, with the year of production being affixed to the bottle or box. The enjoyment of leaf with an alcoholic beverage really knows no limits: but high on the list are single malt scotches, bourbons, Irish whiskeys, rums, brandies, cognacs, vintage ports, Armagnac, champagnes and red and white wines. Many of the Imported and Exotic beers also will serve to enhance the enjoyment of one's special cigar.

Like the association of fine wines with a particular cuisine, the pairing of spirits with cigars really comes down to one of personal preference. There is absolutely no right or wrong way of doing it. it is matter of your individual taste and style, what brings pleasure and what does not. Other diverse and inexplicable factors also may play a role in the enjoyment quotient such as a special setting, season of the year or time of day, the particular locale as well as the company of others.

Although there are no rules, it is sometimes offered that you should try to match relative flavors and weights. The length of the cigar and ring size will affect taste and enjoyment — longer and larger cigars will generally provide an extended, smoother and tastier smoke. A robust, strong flavored cigar would call for a full bodied drink, while a lighter, milder cigar might suggest a champagne or delicate white wine. But experimentation is the key to success-- and besides, trial and error provides a great deal of fun in itself. Be prepared for startling surprises, as a very dull cigar may come to life with hidden distinctive flavors in the company of a solid cognac or port.

In this series of Sober Musings that appear on the Jernigan's website one addresses in a comprehensive way the various categories of spirits, wines and beers. See BACK TO BASICS: TRADITIONAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, WHAT, WHEN AND WHERE. In searching for pairings partners, there is a very wide variety of alcoholic beverages with which to experiment. Some offerings are traditional, for example, port and cognac. Others like the single malt scotches and Irish whiskeys offer infinite opportunities — there may be 1000 or more single malt scotches in the world — while it would be nice to claim personal experience with all of them, at one time there was (and maybe still is) an establishment in Dallas Texas that featured some 500 such distinctive scotches. Rums present an interesting opportunity as well, largely because many of those involved in producing vintage cigars and specialty rums share a common heritage. Wines are another venue for experimentation: the key again is matching strength with strength, a nice Chardonnay could work well with a medium bodied cigar, and a bold Cabernet Sauvignon with a robust, heavy cigar. Pinot Noir Reserves, along with the outstanding Italian wines, are great candidates for partnering as well. A full bodied cigar in combination with an Antinori Vin Santo wine is guaranteed to create a pleasant after-glow.

Beers with strength of character and bold flavors present marvelous encounters between a brew master's creation and a favorite cigar. Generally speaking, the imported beers and select exotic produced in this country are strong enough to blend nicely with a great cigar. It is for this reason that we at Jernigan's offer only specialty imports and exotic beers.

A few suggestions for blending cigars with spirits appear in the table below:

Non-Alcoholic Beverages and Smoke
Interestingly, non-alcoholic beverages also offer significant partnering opportunities. On occasion, circumstances make a non-alcoholic beverage more appropriate, and in such a case, any of the specialty coffees will offer a satisfactory substitute to accompany your special cigar. As coffee alternatives go, however, traditional espresso represents the king of kings, as it has strong, complex flavors that will complement the taste of a good cigar. According to Eric Risberg, a cup of espresso contains more than 600 different taste characteristics, which makes it an ideal accompaniment to a medium bodied cigar.

At Jernigan's we offer espresso served in a traditional way along with other select coffees. Even a strong breakfast tea might be compatible with a mild bodied cigar.


CONCLUSION

Our menu of fine foods and spirits is available on this website. Please let our friendly and experienced staff know if you would appreciate recommendations based upon the that menu for pairing your fine cigar with any of the listed alcoholic beverages, whether it would be a single malt scotch or other spirit, premium wine or imported or exotic beer. Jernigan's is always available to help, so just ask.