A great cigar pairing is a lot like sex. One cannot have great sex unless both parties are working together to create a balanced experience. When pairing a cigar with a spirit I normally like a single malt or a robust red wine but lately I have been having a lot of success with cocktails.
Unless you have been under a rock for the last few years then you are fully aware that cocktails have been going through a renaissance. The quality of the ingredients are at an all time high as both uniqueness and flavor have taken center stage. Bar artisans are experimenting with everything from dry ice to exotic fruits from mysterious corners of the world. The whiskey has also become part of the confluence of what it takes to create a superior cocktail as bar goers demand a return to authenticity.
It almost like music in that the synthetic trash that passes for a pop hit is really priming the audience for live music as every song sounds the same. Well the same is true of whiskey (especially in the age of flavored whiskey and cigars).
Whether it be rye whiskey, wheat whiskey, or good ole Bourbon the return to classic American whiskey has revived the fine of bartending with a vengeance. My favorite is the Manhattan (see the picture) and one of the best places to get it in NYC is Employees Only (510 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014).
Pairing a cigar has never been so easy.
Billie B
Leaf&Barrel
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Smoke (Tuesday, 01 December 2015 04:16)
Good job mate