When you’re a connoisseur of wine, you know that each one has a perfect kind of cheese to pair with it. Red meat partners well with red wine. Oysters go well with champagne. Beer can be paired with pretty much anything. But if there is a match that’s sinful yet made from heaven, then it’s got to be bourbon and cigars.

There’s nothing wrong with grabbing a random libation while you smoke your hand-rolled cigar. You do you; you have your spirit preferences. There’s nothing wrong with scotch and cigars, either. But there’s something classic, suave and old-fashioned with pairing your cigar with whiskey, specifically bourbon (or even a glass of Old Fashioned)—especially if you find the perfect harmony between the flavors of these gentlemanly habits.

If you find yourself in an event, alcohol in hand, with an expert in cigar rolling in Miami—a perfect combination, by the way—here’s how you can enjoy that hand-rolled cigar with a glass of bourbon.

Balancing Flavors

Cigars and spirits typically go hand in hand. You can pick almost any beverage and it will deliver fascinating results based on the combination of flavors made by the drink and the cigar.

Taking the “opposites attract” approach can be a good place to start, according to American Whiskey Magazine editor Maggie Kimberl. Earthy cigars go well with bold whiskeys, spicy cigars is fine with a heavy caramel-flavored bourbon. She did note, though that finding the perfect combination is more complicated than simply just doing that.

Whiskey connoisseur George Koutsakis, on the other hand, says that you should “seek a translatable intensity and flavor profile” when pairing bourbons with cigars. Having a lighter cigar needs a mild, subtle bourbon. “Power must meet power,” Koutsakis notes in a Distiller.com article. As such, he recommends pairing powerful, full-bodied cigars with well-aged, intense bourbons.

All in all, you must consider each flavor’s intensity and seek the right balance depending on their tastes.

Constant Experimentation

Despite the two expert’s contrasting approaches, they both agreed that experimentation breeds the best results to finding the right pairing of cigar and bourbon.

The best way to do it is to take notes. Find yourself a good time and grab yourself your bourbons and cigars. Pick at least one of varying intensity. For bourbons, AWM’s Kimberl suggests that the bourbons you choose are one that’s easier on the palate; a classic, full-bodied flavor without too much spiciness, and something that’s bold and spicy. Repeat the same thing with the cigars until you find the taste you want. Finally, you attempt to pair them based on the information you gathered from both drinks and try it out.

Finding the One

Let’s go back to your Miami event. The cigar roller knows what he’s doing; he knows how each cigar oozes different flavors. Ask them what would be the right fit for you. Have him roll one for you, grab a bourbon, sip and smoke. Did you find what you like? If not, try again. If you did, then that’s the perfect combination that fits your tastes.

It’s what we at Cigar Stud Events continue to strive for. We make you feel the luxury and power of holding such cigars on your hand. Our “Level 9” Cigar Rollers will craft you a perfectly rolled cigar that perfectly fits your palate. We also make sure that you receive the full, fun interactive experience smoking a cigar brings. Contact us today or call us at 305-342-9440 to learn more about our services.