The pairing of cigars and red wine actually goes through several stages. After cigars entered Europe, from the 17th century to the middle of the 19th century, the main drink was wine, and some were paired with civilian ale. In the mid-1880s, with the advent of the Coffey still, the whiskey world began a major change, and cigars began to match spirits such as whiskey. At the same time, blending whiskey with cigars became a trend. It's all blended whiskey. The single malt whiskey mentioned by many people is the best companion for cigars. This kind of matching method only began to rise in the 1980s. Later, because the high-grade image of single malt whiskey matched cigars very well, the combination of single malt whiskey and cigars It's getting tighter and tighter. The best match for cigars is also limited to the range of spirits, and this matching method has continued into the millennium. For example, at the beginning, the matching of the smoker’s competition was limited to malt whiskey, cognac, rum vintage wine and the like. spirits.
After the millennium, the cigar world has changed. On the one hand, high-blended cigars have come to the fore. On the other hand, the size and taste of mainstream cigars have become larger and richer, and the types of cigars have also shown explosive growth. At the same time, the research on personalization and taste breadth has also expanded and refined the personality of cigars, and the matching of cigars has also entered a new stage. Now the matchmaking competition of the smoker has expanded from malt whiskey, cognac, rum, etc. to various flavors of wine, champagne, and cocktails, the best coffee and tea, and even delicious snacks, such as chocolate, etc. Among them, wine has become an important match for cigars.
The basic idea is to pair medium to full-bodied cigars with red wine, these types of cigars usually have roasted nut flavors, are more full-bodied, and have fructose flavors if the leaves are secondary fermented. Wine tannins are slightly bitter and serve to complement the body and smoke of the cigar.
Davidoff also launched a cigar called Second Growth. The purpose of this cigar is to pair with wine. The material of the cigar box is very special. It is made of wooden barrels that have been in full bloom for many years.
Tannins are not the enemy of cigars, and the 2018 Darius Namdar stands out with its combination of tannins. Not only heavy tannin wines and cigars can be paired properly, but also bitter tea tannins can be well matched with cigars. I personally like the combination of oolong tea, Pu’er and cigars. I have tried many combinations and often have surprises. Especially after lunch, the carbohydrates we eat are slowly converted into simple sugars in the body and absorbed by the body. At this time, it will be a good experience to pair with a slightly bitter drink and a relatively strong cigar. If you don’t believe me, you can try to have a cup of oolong tea for yourself after a full lunch, paired with a simple Partagas chaopa, and feel it.
