How to Pair Cigars and Drinks: 2025

What is the best drink to have with a cigar? The answer is subjective, of course, but as a general rule, the drink should complement the cigar, not the other way around. For starters, some of the most popular drinks to pair with cigars include:

• Whiskey

• Wine

• Coffee

• Beer

• Other Spirits

• Cocktails

Here, we’ll break down how to pair cigars and drinks from a general standpoint and which cigars pair best with different drinks specifically.  

How to Pair Cigars and Drinks

Given that there are tens of thousands of different cigar and drink pairings you could potentially explore, getting started with cigar pairings can seem intimidating at first. The good news is that you can simplify things by choosing one of the following two approaches:

1. The first is that you should match body with body and do your best to complement pairing notes. We’ll call this the “Complementary Method,” and you should know that this is what most people will tell you to do. 

Basically, if you’re smoking a full-bodied and earthy cigar, you should look for a drink that is also full-bodied (heavy red wines, complex and earthy whiskies) to go with it. 

2. The second method could be used to maximize the flavors brought out in both the drink and the cigar. We call this the “Contradictory Method”. Essentially, choose a cigar and a drink that contrast each other in body and flavor, and they will bring out the best in each other. If you are smoking a mellow and sweeter cigar, drink a deeply rich and heavier whiskey or wine to go with. 

The result is a smoking and drinking experience that heightens both. Don’t just take it from us, though. Hear what Cohiba Ambassador Sean Williams has to say about it in the video below. 

Tips for Pairing Cigars and Drinks

Whiskey and Cigars

Whiskey and cigars are a classic combination. Indeed, whiskey and cigars are both luxurious, premium products that are often enjoyed in tandem. What’s more, both cigars and whiskey offer subtle nuances and complex flavor profiles, making them ideal for pairing. 

Some cigar brands have collaborated with whiskey distillers to craft cigars aged in bourbon barrels. A few of our favorite examples include the Diesel Whiskey Row Series (between Diesel Cigars and Rabbit Hole Distillery) and Weller by Cohiba (between Weller and Cohiba). 

Some of our favorite cigar and whiskey combos include:

• Diesel Whiskey Row & Rabbit Hole Bourbon

• Weller by Cohiba & Weller Bourbon

• Davidoff Winston Churchill the Late Hour & Balvenie Scotch

• Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Hooligan & Jameson Irish Whiskey

• Drew Estate Blackened M81 & Blackened American Whiskey

[WANT MORE? CHECK OUT THE CIGAR WORLD MASTERS SERIES ON WHISKEY]

Cigars and Wine

Wine has a lot in common with whiskey and, of course, cigars. As such, it’s no surprise that plenty of cigar lovers enjoy a glass of wine with their smoke. Generally speaking, it’s best to pair darker, richer cigars with full-bodied red wines, while lighter, Connecticut-Shade wrapped cigars often go best with white wines. If you’re looking for a recommendation, consider pairing one of the Macanudo Estate Reserve Flint Knoll limited releases, which feature tobacco aged in French Oak barrels, with a red wine from the Flint Knoll Winery. 

Cigars and Beer

As is typically the case with pairings, matching dark cigars with dark beers and lighter cigars with lighter beers is a good place to start. Stouts and maduros make tremendous combos, as do hefeweizens and natural cigars. If you want to dig deeper into beer and cigar pairings, you can view our beer and cigar guide here. You can also visit Punch Cigars' website, which features beer varieties to pair with each Punch Cigar. 

Some solid beer and cigar pairings include:

• Punch Diablo & Guinness

• Drew Estate Liga Privada & North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout

• Southern Draw Rose of Sharon & Shiner Bock

Cigars and Coffee

Coffee is probably the most popular non-alcoholic beverage to pair with cigars. After all, a morning cigar and a morning cup of coffee just make sense together. Excellent cigars to pair with coffee include:

• Macanudo Café

• Hoyo Excalibur

• La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor

Make sure to check out our deep dive on cigars and coffee here. 

What’s your favorite drink and cigar pairing? Sign up for Cigar World and let us know with a comment!

How to pair drinks and cigars

Let’s get down to it. There are two recommended methods in pairing alcoholic drinks and cigars. Neither is wrong it simply depends on your preference. 

1. The first is that you should match body with body and do your best to compliment pairing notes. We’ll call this the “Complementary Method,” and you should know that this is what most people will tell you to do. 

Basically, if you’re smoking a full-bodied and earthy cigar, you should look for a drink that is also full-bodied (heavy red wines, complex and earthy whiskies) to go with. 

2. The second method could be used to maximize the flavors brought out in both the drink and the cigar. We call this the “Contradictory Method”. Essentially, choose a cigar and a drink that contrast each other in body and flavor, and they will bring out the best in the other. If you are smoking a mellow and sweeter cigar, drink a deeply rich and heavier whiskey or wine to go with. 

The result is a smoking and drinking experience that heightens nuances of each other. Coming off of the lighter and airier notes of your cigar, the flavor notes of your drink will be exemplified. 

Conversely, a rich and complex cigar will contrast with a glass of sweet white wine or a lighter more floral whiskey by bringing those earthy flavors out of your cigar.

Find your perfect drink and cigar pairing by using Find Your Perfect Cigar

Looking for the perfect pairing based on your drink preferences and cigar profiles? 

Check out the Find Your Perfect Cigar tool. 

Find Your Perfect Cigar