Cigars & Beverages, Part 1

Everyone has their own favorite liquid accompaniment to their favorite cigar and I am not going to try to dissuade anyone of their preferences, but I thought it might be fun to look at some of the more popular cigar accompaniments and let you know about my favorites. I'm taking this in two parts: today talking about non-alcoholic beverages and next week turning to intoxications. I also have no special knowledge on how to pair cigars with beverages, I just know what works for me--especially as it relates to reviewing cigars--so that is what I will be sharing.

WATER

When reviewing a cigar, I try to limit myself to just plain old bottled water the majority of the time. I take it chilled, but not with ice usually. I feel this allows the cigar to stand or fall on its own merits without adding any additional flavoring agents into the mix. Simple. Basic. It just works.

SODAS

Others swear by a variety of carbonated beverages while they are smoking. I have often swigged a diet cola of some kind (although rarely while reviewing), but others opt for regular colas or even the complexity of flavors that is Dr. Pepper. The theory is that carbonation helps to cleanse the palate, and I have found this to be true, although that is not necessarily something I want unless it is between cigars. Also, I feel that cola or any other flavored fizzy soft drink will necessarily bring with it other flavors that will influence how you taste a cigar. While this is not always a bad thing, it is something you should be aware of; if you find yourself not liking a cigar because it has some "off" flavor, it might be the specific beverage you are pairing it with.

As far as the "cleansing the palate" issue goes, I would assume that plain soda water would work the best, although I have never found that to be pleasing to drink.

COFFEE & TEA

Here is where we get to my favorite non-alcoholic beverages to pair with a cigar and I think there is one big reason why they work so well with a stogie.

I begin almost every morning of the year with 2 to 4 cups of strong, black coffee with a little sweetener (usually Splenda) in it. To me, the thing that can make that morning coffee the much more special is getting just the right cigar to smoke while I drink it. My coffee at home is Eight O'Clock Coffee, French Roast, Whole Bean, ground in a burr grinder just before brewing. If you want more and perhaps better coffee options, check out Toasted Foot every Thursday or Blowin Smoke and their Torcedor coffee options. My favorite cigars to take outside on a perfect Saturday or Sunday morning? My top pick is CAO's Gold Vintage and a close second and third are Oliva's Connecticut and Camacho's Connecticut. Later in the day, if there is coffee left in the thermal pot (no burner, so no burnt coffee), I have been known to pour it over ice and take that out with a more medium-bodied smoke during the early afternoon.

And that brings me around to my absolute favorite beverage (alcoholic or non) to pair with a cigar: unsweetened iced tea. This is not one that people talk about a lot. No one (that I am aware of) suggested it to me. I just sort of came up with it on my own. I can enjoy a big 32 ounce tumbler of iced tea with almost any cigar at any body or strength level, especially on a hot day (hot tea may work better on chilly winter days, but I have to admit not having tried it). I have tried sweet tea and that works, too, but unsweetened is just the key for me. Why, though, does tea (or coffee) work so well with a stogie?

I think it has to do with origins and processes. Tobacco leaves, tea leaves, and coffee beans all start from similar origins: grown on plants in different locations around the world to adopt flavors from those regions, especially through the soil. When "ripe" the leaves or beans are plucked from the plant and fermented or aged in some way to enhance and bring out the best flavors. When processing and aging is completed tea leaves, coffee beans, and tobacco leaves are all subjected to some kind of heat to release those flavors so we can enjoy them.

Next week, I will take a look at some of the alcoholic beverage pairings I have enjoyed with cigars in the past.

Add your voice to the discussion. What non-alcoholic beverages do you favor with a cigar and why? The "Comments" section is open...