Cigars & Coffee

There is perhaps no better all-around compliment to a tasty smoke than coffee.

History tells us that a goat herder witnessed his flock excitedly prancing about
after eating berries from a strange tree. Soon these berries made their way to a
monastery where monks discovered the berry could be processed into a lively drink.
Soon thereafter this energy- infused liquid emerged on the Arabian Peninsula where
the Arabs would cultivate the berry and develop it into what we now know as coffee.
Eventually Pope Clement the VIII gave papal approval to the drink that emerged from
a berry that would later be mislabeled a bean and the European coffee trade was off
and running. With this came the rise of the Coffee house and the economic
domination of coffee around the Globe.

The American Colonies were slow to embrace coffee, with tea still the preference.
That all changed, however, with the uproar caused by over-taxation of tea, which
culminated in the infamous Boston Tea Party. Coffee has been an American staple
ever since and is now second only to water as the most consumed beverage on the
planet. So what better way to enjoy a great cigar than with this legendary fluid!

Coffee is produced seemingly in every corner of the World, each region delivering
its own unique character. Some of the most cigar-friendly are the rich, yet smooth
Kona blends from Hawaii, highly-prized full-bodied blends of Guatemala, the
aromatic Kenyan blends and the velvety blends of Indonesia. Other areas such as
Ethiopia, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Colombia also produce sumptuously tasty coffee
brews, as does the World�s number one producer of coffee, Brazil. A CAO Brazilia
Samba is a natural pairing choice of course! One of the all-time great cigar-worthy
coffees is a unique brew first blended by the Dutch using rich Mocha coffee beans
from Yemen and lush Javanese beans to form the unique and immensely popular Mocha
Java blend. This brew is simply the ultimate pairing choice for an opulent Avo
Classic No. 9. There is also fine Dominican, Nicaraguan and Honduran coffee blends
to be found that are simply ideal for pairing with the corresponding cigars of
these famous cigar-producing nations.

The region is not the only factor that can determine a coffee�s character, but also
its type of roasting. From light to dark roasts, coffee can exude considerable
character that will pair easily with your favorite cigar. One of the most popular
in the US is Medium Roast often referred to as City or American roast. This covers
a broad spectrum of coffees that will be right at home with a good smoke. A CAO
America Potomac is fine pairing choice, for example, to a fine American roast. Dark
roast, including thick and savory espresso, is a popular European style roast that
is famously enjoyed by the Viennese, the French and the Italians amongst others.
These rich and boldly-flavored coffees will find glorious companions with
Montecristo Media Noche, Nub Maduro or Alec Bradley Black Market cigars. Whatever
your selection, rest assured, there is a cigar pairing just waiting to send your
taste-buds into hyper-drive!

Cigars & Tea

Black, Chai, Green and Herbal teas can pair nicely with premium cigars
Tea may not be the first beverage that comes to mind when searching for a cigar
pairing drink, yet tea can offer a uniquely satisfying experience to one and all.
For thousands of years tea has ranked amongst the World�s most indelible beverages.
From China to the Republic of Ireland, across the oceans and all points in between,
tea is deeply entrenched the cultural identities of peoples everywhere. Tea
varieties and blends vary as much as the nations that grow and process them, so a
brief survey of the basic categories of tea will go a long way to understanding the
pairing potential of tea and cigars.

Although there are numerous ways that tea is processed, there are four main
categories that all tea can usually fall under, with the level of oxidation the tea
leaves go through determining the category. The higher the level of the oxidation,
the richer and fuller the taste will be. Black tea, for example, has a very high
level of oxidation which imparts deep color and often flavors of dark chocolate,
raisins and exotic fruit which pair exceedingly well with cigars.

A quintessential cigar-worthy choice, the Black tea category includes Ceylon tea
and the ever-popular Irish Breakfast Tea and Earl Grey blends. Enjoy a Romeo y
Julieta 1875 Bully with English Breakfast Tea for a fabulous way to kick off the
day. Black tea can also generally be found in Chai tea, a tea usually infused with
milk, sweetener and spices that can make for a most interesting cigar pairing
choice.

Green Tea is another category that encompasses an astonishingly varied spectrum of

tea, making it a wildly popular choice for tea drinkers around the World. The wide
variety of Green teas makes for a diverse collection of flavors that will prove
beautifully textured matches to a good smoke, especially those with Candela or
Claro wrapped sticks or those with a pronounced herbal note. Give any of the Nat
Sherman Host Selection cigars a try with your favorite Green Tea for a smooth and
subtly sweet pleasure cruise. A wonderfully gratifying variation of Green tea is
Genmaicha, a Green tea that has been infused with roasted rice which delivers a
deliciously inviting flavor that pairs well with a Perdomo Mini Cigarillo Sun
Grown.

In between Green and Black tea is Oolong tea, another category that imparts a wide-
ranging spectrum of taste that can range from malty, dark cocoa to lighter floral
flavors. The highest quality Oolong tea is among the World�s most expensive teas
and can offer an amazingly gratifying experience with a premium cigar. Try a
premium Oolong tea with a Gurkha Class Regent Torpedo for an amazing pairing. And
finally White Tea emerges as rare and highly-prized range of teas that are among
the healthiest of all teas.

Usually harvested only a few days a year, White Tea goes through very little
processing and is rich in antioxidants, making it a soft and sweet choice that
delivers intensely pleasing mild-bodied flavors and a silky smooth satisfaction
with every sip. White tea also has the lowest caffeine content of any non-herbal
tea. For a truly luxurious tea and smoke experience, try a fine Jasmine Pearl tea,
which is usually comprised of green, black and white tea leaves that are rolled
into small balls or �pearls� that expand and flower in water, imparting a
sumptuously smooth drink. Pair with a Macanudo Gold Label Hampton Court cigar for a
beautifully mesmerizing treat.

There are also herbal teas that don�t fall into the regular categories, but impart
their own delicious experience to cigars. Herbal tea is a very broad category that
incorporates just about anything that doesn�t come from the tea plant, Camellia
sinensis. One of the favorites amongst cigar-loving tea connoisseurs is Red Tea.
Red Tea is actually Rooibos from the root of the African Red Bush, delivering a
pleasing earthy texture that is on full display when blended with vanilla, citrus
or spice. Keep with the red theme and pair this delicious nectar with a Gurkha Red
Witch Robusto.

Whatever your flavor, there is a tea to match your cigar. It really is all about
what YOU enjoy. So light up your favorite smoke and pour your favorite cup of tea.
The experience should be a most pleasantly relaxing journey that you can revisit
again and again. And if tea or coffee isn�t your thing, but you still desire a
deliciously warming experience, hot cocoa is a sweet and surprisingly complimentary
cigar companion. A Drew Estate Natural Root Deluxe is a sumptuous pairing partner
to hot cocoa any time of year.

Soda
When it comes to pairing cigars with carbonated drinks, it can be a tricky
experiment so hold on to your hat.

Carbonation and smoke can lead to a rather tender tongue, so while trying to keep
it to a minimum, soda can provide a most delicious change of pace.

With the advent of make-your-own soda machines, such as Soda Stream, it is easier
than ever to control the level of carbonation and even blend flavors to achieve the
ultimate cigar-worthy beverage. For more conventional sodas, Root Beer is the go-to
choice for cigar aficionados and provides for a voluptuously satisfying respite.
Try Henry Weinhard�s Draught Style Root Beer with a Padron 3000 Maduro for one of
the best every day pairings. For more luxurious excursion, give Rogue Brewing�s
lush Root Beer a go with the Jericho Hill OBS. Regular colas such as RC Cola or Dr.
Pepper are also popular cigar pairing choices.

No matter your choice of beverage, experiment with your tastes and find what brings
you the most sensory joy, so just sip and puff to your own delight no matter the
time or place! Of course, if you have another pairing suggestion that you�ve tested
to be great � we�d love to hear it! Let us know in the comments below.