Winter Cocktails Go Perfect with Cigars
We’ve written about pairing scotch, tequila, and coffee with cigars and the best cigars for Thanksgiving. But what about winter drinks? A neat bourbon or scotch goes great with cigars, but sometimes it’s nice to indulge in something a little different with your cigar, and they may bring out different flavors in the tobacco that you’ve never experienced. Here are a few of our winter drink recommendations:Allspice Dram
Allspice Dram isn’t officially a cocktail, though there are plenty of great recipes that use it (see The Wildest Redhead). It may seem counterintuitive that this liqueur from the West Indies makes a good winter drink, but pour some on ice, light your favorite cigar, and the clove and allspice flavors will complement the tobacco nicely.
Sazerac
The Sazerac is a whole lot of rye whisky, a couple different kinds of bitters, a bit of sugar, and an “absinthe wash.” No, you don’t bathe in the absinthe, though we imagine Toulouse-Lautrec and other Paris artists of the late 1800s would’ve loved that. Instead, you swirl a bit of absinthe around in an old fashioned glass, then pour the rest of the cocktail (mixed in a different old fashioned class) into it. The result is a deliciously strong, slightly anise-flavored cocktail that you should definitely sip slowly or you’ll get pretty drunk, pretty fast. Esquire has a great sazerac recipe.
Old Fashioned
A classic. We all know the drill. Sugar cube, bourbon or rye, angostura bitters, a twist of orange, and maybe a cherry. Not just any cherry though. You gotta splurge on something like Luxardo cherries, or else your drink is just a cheap version of what it should be. Need we say more?
Hot Toddy
The hot toddy is another classic, and there are several variations you can make, depending on how you’re feeling. Some recipes call for black tea, others call for chamomile (advised only if you’re ready to go to bed), and others still call for no tea at all. The hot toddy is also great for when your liquor cabinet isn’t fully stocked. You can use rum, whiskey, or brandy, and some really divergent recipes also say tequila is acceptable. But we’re not sure how we feel about that. Call us old school but we still like the pure hot toddy: whiskey or rum, a slice of lemon, honey, hot water, and maybe a cinnamon stick or a couple cloves. The only problem with the hot toddy is that it can get cold pretty quickly. So drink it fast, then have another. DISCLAIMER: we don’t advise you getting drunk, ok?
Irish Coffee
The original recipe for Irish coffee is simple: coffee, Irish whisky, a little bit of sugar, and a little bit of heavy cream. Over the years people have put their own spin on the drink, adding various coffee liqueurs, Irish cream, spices, and whatever sounds good at the time. We recommend sticking with the original recipe. It’s more dignified and will taste better with your cigar.
Do you have any winter drinks you like to sip with your cigar? Stop by our cigar shop and let us know.