Pairing Cigars with Tequila
It’s common to pair a nice cigar with a scotch or bourbon, and we’ve previously covered pairing cigars with beer, but there’s another alcoholic beverage you may have ignored with your pairing experiments: tequila. Here are some pairing tips to bring these two great worlds together.
First of all, if your only memories of tequila are rage drunks and insane hangovers, it’s time to update your software. Fine tequila isn’t the stuff you mixed with Mountain Dew in your dorm room, it’s a quality liquor that can reward the craftsmanship put into it. You can sip a nice tequila straight like you would any other fine liquor, and that’s how you want to treat your pairings. If a tequila comes in a plastic bottle and is meant to spike a pitcher of cheap margaritas, it’s not going to offer a lot to your cigar except so much burning.
The five categories of tequila range from silver, to gold, to reposado (rested), añejo (aged), and extra añejo (extra aged). Don’t just believe the label and pick up something aged thinking it’s the good stuff. Make sure whatever tequila you choose is 100% agave and not a blend with other sugars.
The fresher the tequila the more bright floral and fruit notes will be present. A nice silver tequila might have strong pineapple and cactus flavors and pair well with a lighter, ‘greener’ cigar. The more aged the tequila, the more earthy tones will emerge, and you can establish more complex pairings with a wider range of cigars.
As we always say when it comes to pairings- whatever you like is the best pairing. There is no hard and fast rule of what goes with what, so try what springs to mind, you may uncover a combination that lasts a lifetime! If you want any cigar recommendations to go with your next experiment, stop in and browse our excellent selection today!