Every year, for his birthday, my father asks for the same thing: “a nice bottle of armagnac to have with my Montecristo.”
He prefers armagnac on the elegant side, from the likes of Château de Lacquy or Domaine Tariquet. This year, though, I thought I’d take a detour to cognac and gave him a bottle of Delamain Sig Cigar XO Edition No.2, a new limited edition created by Delamain in partnership with author and cigar aficionado Aaron Sigmond.
“Many cigar-blended cognacs tend toward the heavy-handed,” says Sigmond, “DSCXO was conceived to be mellifluous, nuanced, and altogether more conversational. The idea was never to overpower the cigar, nor have the cigar overpower the cognac.” Marrying charming stone fruit characters – apricot, peach, plum – and an almondy, frangipane sweetness with fine, dry notes of black tea, the XO is delicious, with or without a smoke.
Brandy is a classic match for a cigar, of course. And several maisons have launched cigar-friendly cuvées over the years, including Hine XO Cigar Reserve, Frapin Cigar Blend XO Grande Champagne, and Gautier XO Pinar del Rio Cigar Cognac. But it’s by no means the only pairing available in top cigar lounges.
At The Emory hotel in London’s Hyde Park, one can sample six different flights pairing a single cigar with a trio of prestige spirits including Scotch single malts and South American rums, as well as calvados and mezcal. A Partagas Cedros Year of the Snake, for example, is matched with a Yamazaki 18yo from Japan, an Ardbeg Traigh Bhan from Islay, and a Durango mezcal from Clase Azul.
“People are more willing to venture from some of the classic pairings now than they were before,” says head of cigars Blue Curran. (If you’re not already an Emory resident, booking the tasting flight the only way of securing a table in The Emory Cigar Merchants, its rooftop cigar lounge).
Tea is also a big focus for The Emory – and Curran has devised a series of matches with the hotel’s own bespoke blends. For a sakura-smoked black tea he recommends something “that’s delicate in texture but with a more perfumed, floral character such as a vintage El Rey del Mundo.”
For the house oolong, he prefers a cigar that’s “richer and rounder in texture” such as a Por Larranaga or a La Gloria Cubana. “The Linea d’Oro of Rome y Julieta would also work well.”
Curran’s absolute favorite match for a cigar, though, is a simple glass of champagne: “Billecart Salmon Le Sous Bois and a classic Cohiba such as the Robustos. The champagne’s fine texture and notes of sweet cooking spices work perfectly.”
“For me, cocktails are probably one of the most exciting new developments in the world of cigars – a fresh and creative way of approaching the pairing experience,” says Julien Beltzung, head sommelier at Lalique’s new Zurich hotel, Villa Florhof which has its own Salon Davidoff fumoir. “Tequila-based cocktails in particular are becoming increasingly popular in cigar lounges.”
Villa Florhof’s twist on the Paloma is made with mezcal and homemade vanilla syrup. “You get the exotic and smoky character from the mezcal, some spice and salinity, fresh grapefruit, and bubbles that help refresh the palate. The vanilla adds a softer, sweeter dimension that works beautifully, particularly with cigars on the lighter and more delicate side.”
Big-hitting dark spirits often simply wind up accentuating “the dryness in the mouth,” says Beltzung. “By choosing something with a little less alcohol and more freshness, you bring fluidity and hydration to the palate, creating a more balanced experience.”
To that end, he suggests trying sweet wines: “old Sauternes and Alsace Pinot Gris “vendanges tardives”. If you are lucky enough to have some very mature vintages in your cellar – ideally more than 20 years old – such as (Lalique-owned) Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a Premiere Grand Cru Classé from Bordeaux, it can be an exceptional match for a cigar.”
The 1996 and 1999 vintages are particular favourites: ‘you get incredible complexity with notes of dried fruits, caramel, spices, honey and oak, while the sweetness and acidity of the Sauternes bring balance and freshness to the palate.” He says he’s also noticed more cigar smokers simply choosing to drink a beer.
“One thing people never really take into consideration is the ‘drinking time,’” says Jimmy McGhee of St James’s cigar merchant, James J.Fox. “If I am smoking a large format cigar, something that will take over an hour to get through, I will always choose a longer drink with a lower ABV. If I start sipping a cask strength rum for the duration of the cigar, I might not be able to stand up at the end….”
The key to a good match, he believes, is “two products that will not outshine each other. I don’t want a dominant partner in the pairing. Ideally, when a paring really works, each product becomes ‘more’ than it is on its own.
“When I pair a classic Cuban mojito with a Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill, for example, I find an extra layer of sweetness in the cigar’s blend, but also a touch more sharpness in the drink. Likewise, when I drink a Dukes Martini on the (now-closed, alas) Duke’s Hotel cigar terrace, with a Quai d’Orsay Coronas Claro, I find a cedarwood pepperiness in the cigar is accentuated while the oils from the lemon zest are more pronounced on my palate.”
Non-alcoholic pairings are also becoming “more and more common,” he says. “Coffee and cigars are a match made in heaven.” The perfect foil to a Davidoff Entreacto, he believes, is a short-and-sharp double espresso. “I have also tried some incredible teas over the years with smoking friends, and I think tea works exceptionally well. Himalayan mountain hand-rolled tea or some of the aged white teas, such as Lao Bai Cha from China.”
Who knows what my dad will be getting for his birthday next year – but it won’t be Armagnac.
