Whiskey Pairings: Chocolate, Cigars, Cheese and More!

There are some things that you expect to go with a good whiskey...like good cigars. But many people find a rich combo in whiskey and chocolate or whiskey and cheese as well. In an article entitled "Whiskey and Cigar: Pairing Life's Luxuries," Jenn Jordan claims that "single malt Scotch is the perfect drink to take out for a smoke." She goes on to say that in the same way that cigars from different regions have different flavors, single malt scotch stands out because it is processed through a single distillery using primarily barley. "There are two main routes to take when complementing single malt Scotch. The first route couples a mild cigar with a mild single malt Scotch while the other route couples a strong cigar with a strong single malt Scotch." Some of her suggested combos include: A Highland Park Single Malt Scotch and a La Flor Dominicana, a Lagavulin Single Malt with the Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970, a Dalwhinnie Single Malt Scotch and a La Aurora 100 Anos, and a Single Malt Laphroaig Scotch and a Macanudo cigar.



On the flipside, Denis K. from CigarInspector.com prefers a "mild single malt lighted with a medium/full-bodied cigar (preferably, Cuban)"; his example - A Cohiba Siglo IV and a glass of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch or a Partagas D 4 and a Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch.

One of my favorite articles, however, reviews 11 different rye whiskeys with one Sancho Panza Caballero cigar apiece: the Rittenhouse Straight Rye, Stephen Foster Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (80 proof), Pikesville Supreme Straight Rye Whiskey (80 proof), Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey (80 proof), Jim Beam Straight Rye Whiskey (80 proof), Wild Turkey Real Kentucky Rye Whiskey (101 proof), Old Rip Van Winkle Old Time Rye (90 proof), Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (95.6 proof), Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (90 proof), Classic Cask Hand-Crafted Single Batch (90 proof), and the Old Potrero Single Malt Straight Rye (125.2 proof).

WHISKYhost Blog features a different whiskey and cigar pairing every month on their blog. The most recent pairing (#8), pairs a Carlos Torano 1916 Cameroon with a Glen Ord 30 Year Old whiskey. You can view their blog archive by month (for the last eight months) to read all eight featured pairings. But enough about whiskey and cigars...



What about whiskey and cheese? Although I am from California, I would have to say that I am a big fan of Wisconsin Cheese's "Cheese Cupid" website. It is just what it sounds like: a love affair between drinks and cheeses. You can choose your drink of choice, and it will pair it with the perfect cheese, or you can take the reverse route and choose your favorite cheese, and it will do the drink pairings. If you choose "scotch," the results are as follows: opinionated and not easily pleased, scotch doesn't waste time on those unwilling to fulfill its every need. The "cupid" cheeses for scotch include blue, cheddar, gouda, gruyere, and parmesan.

And what about chocolate? There are definitely some interesting chocolate and whiskey recipes out there. Check out the Chocolate and Whiskey Liqueur recipe, the Chocolate Whiskey Ball recipe, and the Bittersweet Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake. In addition, you can watch this video clip featuring chocolatier Paul Young, who explains why whiskey and chocolate make such a great combination!



In addition, you should definitely check out SipSmokeSavor and their section on scotch and food pairings. There are lots of great pairing sites and articles out there! Go see what you find and share with the rest of us :)