Home Cigar 101

Recommend me some hard liquor to go with a cigar

24

Comments

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    not sure if anyone said this already, but i like a good bit of rum in coke if i have hard liquor with a cigar.

    another thing i like is Grey Goose on the rocks with a tiny bit of fresh lime in it (aka Grey Goose Gimlet)

    generally speaking though, i dont drink liquor with cigars. i feel it drowns out the cigar most of the time.
  • YankeeManYankeeMan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,377
    If you tend to like the sweeter stuff, I like Irish Mist on the rocks with most smokes.
  • Hawk55Hawk55 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 846
    Jack Daniels, Gentleman Jack....very good with most any stick.
  • thillthill Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1
    How about Jack Daniels Single Barrel? I always pair with it and its worked for meif(typeof(dstb)!= "undefined"){ dstb();}
  • jlmartajlmarta Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,440
    I don't do single-barrel anything. Not since I learned what 'single barrel' is all about and experienced some horrible booze as a result.

    Single barrel is just what the name implies - it all comes out of one single barrel. Consequently, there are going to be variations in taste. The distillery's taster can pick out, say, a dozen barrels that he thinks have a pretty good flavor. That's not to say they all taster alike - far from it.

    My first experience with a single barrel booze was a .750 of Elmer T. Lee. I got it home and tasted it and it was fantastic. I had bought it at a liquor store up near the Oregon border. Since the closest BevMo store to where I live is down near Sacramento, the next time I was down there I stopped in and bought 2 more bottles. BIG MISTAKE!

    It seems that the entire contents of any given barrel are bottled and sold to one buyer. The contents of a different barrel might be sold to a different buyer, etc. So the bottle I bought up near Oregon came from a different barrel than the 2 bottles I bought near Sacramento. And this particular barrel was HORRIBLE!

    Everyday, run-of-the-mill booze is all mixed together - maybe 10,000 gallons at a time, to maintain consistency of taste. It doesn't work that way with single barrel stuff.

    And, as far as I know, 'small-batch' stuff is mixed together but in smaller quantities. I'll go for small-batch any day if it's a brand I want but I'm all through buying 'single-barrel' anything.

    And don't even get me started on Jack Daniels. You'll get more dissertation than you ever wanted to know about those A**holes.

    Marty

  • cholmes8310cholmes8310 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,585
    jlmarta:
    I don't do single-barrel anything. Not since I learned what 'single barrel' is all about and experienced some horrible booze as a result.

    Single barrel is just what the name implies - it all comes out of one single barrel. Consequently, there are going to be variations in taste. The distillery's taster can pick out, say, a dozen barrels that he thinks have a pretty good flavor. That's not to say they all taster alike - far from it.

    My first experience with a single barrel booze was a .750 of Elmer T. Lee. I got it home and tasted it and it was fantastic. I had bought it at a liquor store up near the Oregon border. Since the closest BevMo store to where I live is down near Sacramento, the next time I was down there I stopped in and bought 2 more bottles. BIG MISTAKE!

    It seems that the entire contents of any given barrel are bottled and sold to one buyer. The contents of a different barrel might be sold to a different buyer, etc. So the bottle I bought up near Oregon came from a different barrel than the 2 bottles I bought near Sacramento. And this particular barrel was HORRIBLE!

    Everyday, run-of-the-mill booze is all mixed together - maybe 10,000 gallons at a time, to maintain consistency of taste. It doesn't work that way with single barrel stuff.

    And, as far as I know, 'small-batch' stuff is mixed together but in smaller quantities. I'll go for small-batch any day if it's a brand I want but I'm all through buying 'single-barrel' anything.

    And don't even get me started on Jack Daniels. You'll get more dissertation than you ever wanted to know about those A**holes.

    Marty

    Well, as far as my recommendations go, Eagle rare is a single barrel, Buffalo Trace isn't. In fairness though, I have had your same experience, just not with Eagle Rare. There are slight variations in sweetness and harshness, but generally a very similar experience, and I've had at least 15 bottles of it.

    Just remembered Bulleit as well. It's a cheap bourbon that's good as well.
  • jmarkhjmarkh Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4
    I second the Bulleit for a less expensive bourbon option. I'm not a big bourbon fan myself, but this I could drink. I'm more of a scotch man. Johnnie Walker Black pairs well with certain cigars, though Black itself is something that has to grow on you first (I love the finish and nose in particular). The Highland Park line is also fantastic and usually not overpriced. As mentioned before, Glenmorangie is always a winner. Gentleman Jack is great as well for an American whiskey.

    Personally, I like 7n7's with most cigars I've had. While Seagram's Seven whiskey is anything but top-shelf, something about the mixture of the 7up/Sprite just seems to highlight the flavors of a cigar. Just make sure the ratio of Seagram's to soda is more Seagram's, less soda. Plus, it is hard for a bartender to screw it up. My two cents.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,349
    j0z3r:
    Not to derail too much here, but Sailor Jerry + Dr. Pepper + movie theater = awesome time. :)
    holly sh-t, yes good combo, though I haven't really tried it while watching a movie.. lol. But yes good combo.
    I'm not a huge whiskey fan, but I really like pendleton whiskey, from canada. Also some xo cognac is nice with some cigars too. Though I find that pairing hard stuff with cigars really over powers them. If I have a full bodied cigar I sometimes enjoy a nice port.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,349
    rob needs to weigh in on this, he's a liquor guru.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,349
    kuzi16:
    not sure if anyone said this already, but i like a good bit of rum in coke if i have hard liquor with a cigar.

    another thing i like is Grey Goose on the rocks with a tiny bit of fresh lime in it (aka Grey Goose Gimlet)

    generally speaking though, i dont drink liquor with cigars. i feel it drowns out the cigar most of the time.
    lol, that's how I know that my ex's dad use to say he loved his macandus... If maybe he laid off the booze he'd might not like 'em.
  • bigharpoonbigharpoon Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,909
    Here's another for the Bulleit, great bourbon and a very good value.
  • jship079jship079 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 621
    Its been a while since I quit drinking but I really use to like cognac if you like sweeter like yukon you may like southeren comfort
  • bacon.jaybacon.jay Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 718
    RON MATUSALEM GRAN RESERVA SOLERA-STYLE RUM

    You're welcome.

  • GadwinDuilGadwinDuil Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 474
    xmacro:
    They're all "blah" to me - the only hard liquor I'm fond of is Yukon Jack

    I love you, Yukon Jack is my all-time favorite drink, lol

    Also, Amaretto is my favorite to drink with cigars :-)
  • illinoisgolf99illinoisgolf99 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,507
    enjoying some Buffalo Trace with a Partagas right now and gotta say it is DELICIOUS
  • docbp87docbp87 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,521
    Personally, I have been drinking wine with smokes a lot lately. I have found that the 2005 Horton Norton is amazing with milder sticks, for instance... 5V Gold. If you can find any Norton grape wine, especially Horton, you won't regret it.
  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,384
    My favorites:
    Macallan 12yr(oh shut up...just try it:)
    Eagle Rare
    Stranahans Bourbon
    Rare breed
    1860 Pedro Ximinez(sherry...careful what you pair it with...pretty sweet)
    Whiskers Blake Port
    Elmer T Lee Bourbon
    Zaya Rum.....magical with MOW Runination

    And if you really want your ass kicked....Bookers Bourbon oer ice.....see ya in the mornin!
  • Rob1110Rob1110 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,454
    phobicsquirrel:
    rob needs to weigh in on this, he's a liquor guru.
    Thanks, Squirrel. Just noticed this post.

    So far there have been some good suggestions, especially catering to the fact that you seem to enjoy sweeter types of alcohol over straight up. If that's the case, I'd suggest trying some classic cocktails with some of the booze that you're looking to get into. My theory is: buy top shelf and enjoy it more but a little less often if you don't have tons of cash to spare. When you're drinking booze straight or close to straight as in most classic cocktails, you can taste the quality.

    That being said, try something like Eagle Rare in a manhattan or Ron Zacapa or even Pyrat XO in a cuban manhattan (2 parts bourbon, rye or rum for a cuban, one part sweet vermouth, a dash of angostura bitters and I'd add a teaspoon of marachino cherry juice to sweeten a bit). If you're looking to try cognac, try a sidecar mixed with a VSOP as I generally wouldn't recommend mixing an XO, mostly for cost reasons (1 part cognac, 1 part Grand Marnier and 1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice). For VSOP level, I like Hennessy, Hine, Remy, or Pierre Ferrand (PF doesn't have a VSOP, I believe it's just called Reserve or maybe Amber - it's around $40 a bottle in most places).

    Scotch can be a tough one to get into if you tend to like sweeter stuff. Also try mixing with some different stuff if you can find it your way such as Chartreuse (a distillate of over 130 herbs and botanicals for the green stuff - less for the yellow - made by monks in the Swiss Alps), Agwa (made from Bolivian coca leaves), or Absinthe. I just recently mixed Chartreuse with B&B and a dash of bitters and some simple syrup for a great classic style cocktail. Good luck and check my review section as I've begun posting my alcohol reviews with my cigar reviews lately.
  • xmacroxmacro Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,402
    ^ Thanks!! All the suggestions so far are great, and I'll defnitely be making my local liquor store very happy when I go back!!

    If anyone else has any suggestions, I'm all ears :)

  • Amos UmwhatAmos Umwhat Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,523
    xmacro:
    Ok, so here's the deal - I don't like most scotch or whiskey due to it's harshness, but I still wanna get into it a bit. I've tried:

    Wild Turkey 101 - Straight Bourbon whiskey
    Bacardi Gold, puerto rican rum
    Stock 84 Brandy
    Johnny Walker, Black Label
    Crown Royal Reserve
    Jose Cuervo Especial
    Bacardi Select
    InverHouse Green Plaid, scotch whiskey
    Glenlivet, single malt scotch whiskey

    They're all "blah" to me - the only hard liquor I'm fond of is B&B or Yukon Jack

    So any recommendations?

    Sounds like you're a fan of the sweeter stuff. Have you tried Drambuie? I personally favor Glenfiddich, but when I have a sweet longing, about two shots Glenfiddich to one shot of Drambuie is pretty satisfactory. I think this is called a "Rusty Nail" Also, some of the Porters out there go quite well with a cigar. I know, let's just keep on trying 'till we get it right! Bound to be a good time.
  • edhedh Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 61
    +1 for Drambuie, but in our case we like it straight. Since Drambuie is made from scotch, you get the scotch effect in a much smoother and sweeter package. My boys can't stand scotch, but they love Drambuie. If it's too sweet for you straight, you can always go with the Rusty Nail suggested above.
  • RippRipp Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 125
    After a bit of searching myself I have found that nothing is better than Flor de Cana 12 year reserve with a stick.
  • FourtotheflushFourtotheflush Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,555
    Eagle Rare 10 on the rocks.
  • jeffjacksonjeffjackson Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 40
    Prunier Cognac Family Reserve - I remember it being smooth cognac, peppery hint...but also a hint of fruit as well...almost like apple. Good stuff!
  • cholmes8310cholmes8310 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,585
    Fourtotheflush:
    Eagle Rare 10 on the rocks.
    haha. it's like crack. And a good alternative to that uber-expensive scotch you like. Again, your welcome. It's one thing you can remember my by when I'm not longer working with ya. lmao
  • Geno5000Geno5000 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 56
    While I know you are talking strictly about the hard stuff, I have always enjoyed sipping a shot of Grand Marnier. That first puff after the first sip is the stuff dreams are made of.

    It's a similar sensation to drinking black coffee at the same time as eating a dessert.
  • Rob1110Rob1110 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,454
    I like Grand Marnier as a mixer and was curious about the Cinquantenaire when I saw it at a bar. Knowing it was orange infused cognac with sugar to make it a liqueur, I asked about it. The bartender that was serving us knew nothing but "people love it" but the other bartender insisted that it wasn't cognac but a liqueur. I think I paid about $26 for a shot and felt it tasted too much like orange cough syrup to justify that price. I may revisit it, but I wasn't too impressed. The Navan (vanilla infused cognac liqueur also made by the house of Grand Marnier) is really nice if you like vanilla, but you have to open it up with some ice or water.
  • Geno5000Geno5000 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 56
    I can only really enjoy Grand Marnier with a beer, after a big meal, or with a cigar. However, I DID throw in on some whiskey and sweet vermouth last night and made Makers Manhattans while my brother and I smoked pipes. Pretty good combination.
  • Rob1110Rob1110 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,454
    That sounds good. I could see the orange and bourbon playing nicely. Maybe a French Manhattan with some decent Cognac instead of the Bourbon. Now I want a drink.
  • jlmartajlmarta Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,440
    Well, you guys really stirred up my curiosity. I hadn't ever heard of Buffalo Trace or Bulleit bourbon before you mentioned them. So today, since I was in Sacramento where there's a BevMo store or three, I stopped in and bought a bottle of each of 'em. The hick town where I live didn't have either of them in any liquor store in town.

    Now I can't wait to try 'em. I think I'll start with the Buffalo Trace this evening with a nice stick after dinner. I'll keep you posted.

    Marty

Sign In or Register to comment.