Spirited Pairings – Episode 1

Here at Casas Fumando we dive deeply into the love of a good drink, and a great cigar. Recently, the Baddish Group reached out to us and asked if we’d like to take a stab at pairing some of their more sought after spirits with some great cigars. Naturally, we obliged and were sent a few samples of some great drinks. This is the first post of two in which I take a go at pairing some of these samples with some of my favorite cigars that I have smoked this year. I aim to have our second post up this Wednesday, as long as the weather holds long enough for me to finish one last pairing. It’s a bit backwards from you’d normally expect from me as usually the focus is on the cigar, not the drink. But I think it was a great way to spotlight these spirits, and if it works out I may try to do a few more of these posts in the future.

Templeton Rye

Upon first impression, the unique, small batch rye whiskey presents a rye spiciness and almost bittersweet taste that is found in the rye grain. Other impressions are dried fruit, toffee, caramel notes and allspice flavors.

Color: Deep amber
Nose: Mellow, yet complex balance
Taste: Dense mixture of spiciness with sweet undertones of dried fruit, toffee, and caramel
Finish: Clean and spicy
ABV: 40%
Size: 750ml
Price: $39.99
Pairing: Espinosa Laranja Reserve (read cigar review here)

I paired the Templeton Rye with the Laranja reserve due to the spicy overtones, cedar, and citrus I found in the cigar smoking experience. First off, the spice marries up perfectly with the spice in the Templeton Rye while the dried fruit mashed up well with the citrus in the smoke. The cedar from the cigar mixed in perfectly and gave the pairing a nice oakiness while the caramel from the Templeton Rye added some much needed sweetness to the mixture.

Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey

Since 1782 the Teeling family have been crafting Irish Whiskey. The Teeling’s are renowned for their vision in doing things differently and their Whiskeys embody this entrepreneurial spirit. This small batch bottling consists of hand selected casks which are given further maturation in ex-Flor de Cana Rum barrels imparting an extra sweet and smooth flavour unique to Irish Whiskey. By bottling at 46% with no chill filtration completes an Irish Whiskey of true character.

Nose: An inviting nose where vanilla and spice dances with bright sweet notes of Rum
Taste: While being very approachable the influence of the rum cask and higher percentage alcohol creates a unique smooth, sweet, slightly woody marriage that sparkles on the tongue
Finish: Slightly moorish, sweet spice finish complimented by woody undertones
ABV: 46%
Size: 750ml
Price: $39.99 – $44.99
Pairing: Joya De Nicaragua Joya Red (read full cigar review here)

The Teeling Small batch got a go with Joya de Nicaragua’s Joya Red, easily one of my favorite cigars I smoked this year. The pairing was simple, the Joya offers a smooth, creamy, milky, solid experience which is exactly what this whiskey delivers. I picked up lots of woodiness in both the cigar, and the Teeling. The sweetness from the Whiskey really picked up the experience while all the pepper and spice from the cigar really helped carry this pairing along.

Four Roses Single Barrel

A premium Single Barrel Bourbon with a taste that begs to be savored again and again. Its taste is complex, full bodied and surprisingly smooth with a delicate long finish that is unbelievably mellow. Contains hints of ripe plum and cherry tastes with fruity, spicy aromas including maple syrup and cocoa. Drink straight up or on the rocks.

Color: Deep brown with red tints
Nose: Fruity, spicy, floral, cocoa, maple syrup, moderately woody.
Taste: Hints of ripe plum & cherries, robust, full body, mellow.
Finish: Smooth & delicately long.
ABV: 50%
Size: 750ml
Price: $35.99 – $39.99
Pairing: Illusione *G* Gigantes (read cigar review here)

Easily my favorite pairing out of the three. First off, the Four Roses Single Barrel is a decently complex little beast. The heavy sweetness and cherries mashed up perfect with similar, dominant flavors in the Gigantes. The cigar offered some awesome spice that helped me pick up some of the more dormant spice in the Four Roses, while the bourbon lifted up the cigar with a really thick, syrupy palate.

We often post pairings here on Casas Fumando and have always been advocates on finding the right pairing for your cigar smoking experience. Our friends over at Famous Smoke Shop recently released a very easy to use tool which helps you choose the right pairing for your cigar or drink. Check it out here: https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigar-pairing