Red Wine

Red Wines offer a greater variety when it comes to pairing them with cigars. This is because they have a more pungent, powerful taste. Because of this however, you have to be careful that they do not overwhelm the cigar. A red wine that is too strong will be just as bad as a white that is too mild.

Finding a balance depends mostly on your taste here. Italian reds, for whatever reason, always work well for me. Pinot Noir is good, as are Zinfandels. Sangria too offers an interesting mix, though I do tend to lean towards mixing fruitier wines with cigars (a personal preference). Stay away from the Boonesfarm though!

I hear tale that Merlots are also good, but so far haven’t had that particular experience.

One Last Note on Wines

An important last note about wines. Whether red or white, keep in mind that a type of wine can vary greatly depending on the maker. Same as with cigars. A good avenue to venture into wine/cigar pairings is at cigar bars or at wine tastings that allow cigar smoking. In this manner, you could try several varieties of say, a nice Pinot Blanc and get a good idea of which work, and which don’t.

Sherry

Another good pairing for cigars is Sherry. Boasting a luxurious, nutty flavor, I think Sherry is one of the better matches. My favorite Sherry to drink with a cigar is Palo Cortado. It’s not too dry and has a rich flavor that blends well for me with a medium bodied cigar.

Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

Brandy

When drinking Brandy, keep in mind the age of the Brandy and its strength. If you are drinking an older Brandy, try matching it up with a full-bodied cigar. For weaker versions of Brandy, go with a milder cigar. Always keep in mind that with any alcohol, it is important to match the strength of the cigar and alcohol, or else one taste might block out the other. The end result should be a nice meshing.