Pairing Cigars & Alcohol – Bulleit Rye

Cigars and fine liquor are a natural pairing, enhancing each other’s complexity and depth. Whether it’s a rich whisky, a smooth rum, or a refined cognac, the right drink can elevate the cigar experience, and vice versa. This synergy is so profound that some cigar brands take it a step further, aging their tobacco in liquor barrels to infuse their cigars with unique flavours.

Several iconic collaborations between cigar and liquor brands have emerged from this shared passion for craftsmanship. Maker’s Mark, for example, offers cigars housed in their signature wax-sealed tubes, while Drew Estate has partnered with Pappy Van Winkle and even crafted Kahlua-flavoured cigars in the past. General Cigars has teamed up with Sazerac, resulting in creations like Fireball cigars and Weller by Cohiba, alongside partnerships with Buffalo Trace. Diesel’s Whisky Row cigars, produced in collaboration with Rabbit Hole Distilleries, are another fine example of this harmonious relationship.

Cuban cigars have also embraced this trend, with Cohiba famously collaborating with Martell Cognac. In Europe, Dominique London, a luxury retailer, has gone even further by acquiring a distillery in Wales, producing their own whisky, gin, rum, and other liquors to pair with their cigars.

Pairing cigars with liquor creates a world of possibilities for the discerning connoisseur, allowing both the cigar and the spirit to shine through their complementary flavours. This rich tradition continues to inspire new partnerships and innovations, providing endless enjoyment for enthusiasts.

Bulleit Rye

Bulleit Bourbon is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced by the Diageo beverage company at distilleries in Shelbyville and Lebanon, Kentucky.

Known for its distinctive high rye content—around 28 percent of the mash bill—Bulleit Bourbon offers a bold flavour profile and is aged for a minimum of six years. It is bottled at 45% alcohol by volume (90 proof) for the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Mexico. In Australia and Denmark, it is bottled at 40% ABV. The brand is also available in countries such as Germany, Norway, and Sweden.

In addition to bourbon, Bulleit also produces a rye whiskey, which adheres to U.S. legal standards requiring at least 51 percent rye in the mash bill. The remainder typically consists of corn and malted barley. Rye whiskey must be distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% ABV), aged in new, charred oak barrels, and entered into those barrels at no more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV). If it is aged for at least two years and not blended with other spirits, it can be labelled as “straight rye whiskey.”

Rye is prized for its spicy, sometimes fruity flavour, which creates a sharper, more robust profile than bourbon. Bourbon, made from at least 51 percent corn, is generally sweeter and fuller-bodied. As bourbon became popular across the United States, it began replacing rye in classic cocktails like the whiskey sour, Manhattan, and Old Fashioned. When made with rye, these cocktails typically have a drier, less sweet finish.

Neat

In a Glencairn, this rye has a very strong cherry and vanilla aroma, with leather and tobacco as subtle nuances. The aroma is delicious. As expected with a Rye, the spirit is hot at first with spice at the forefront. But then come the sweet peaches and cherries, combined with freshness that reminds me of orange zest. This drink needs a bold cigar to stand up to the heat and the spice. I am thinking about most Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust cigars, Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco, EPC Pledge, those kind of cigars.

Now in a rocks glass, will the experience be different? The nose is the same but less concentrated as the aroma has more space to escape instead of being contained by the shape of the glass. The heat is also slightly less and the flavours are the same. Therefore I would suggest the exact same cigars or style of cigars.

Old Fashioned

The nose is a nice mix of the cherry and vanilla from the spirit and the orange from the peel. The heat is still there, but the spice is much stronger due to the bitters. The spices turned pleasantly bitter but balanced by the sugar in the drink. This is an Old Fashioned for real men, bold and spicy with a hint of sweetness. I would pair this with a big and bold cigar, something with a big ring gauge, bold flavours and some sweetness. Something with a maduro wrapper such as the LOFB Serie O Giggly Piggly or 6×60, or an Inch Maduro by Casa Carrillo.

And now for the Old-Fashioned recipe:
1 sugar cube
3 dashes of bitters
60 ml of whisky
Orange peel
Put the sugar cube in a highball glass, add the dashes of bitters and a splash of water. Muddle the sugar cube. Add ice and the whisky. Stir for 10 seconds, then add an orange peel.

Apple Pie Old Fashioned

This riff on the old fashioned can be found on the Bulleit website and looked so delicious that I had to try it. The nose has a lot of orange and of course cinnamon. The sweetness of the cinnamon syrup counters the heat of the Rye. The apple from the bitters shine through as well. The vanilla and cherry notes do shine in this cocktail.  I would pair this with a medium bodied cigar. Something not to outspoken as this cocktail is not outspoken either.

And now for the Apple Pie Old Fashioned recipe:
45ml Bourbon
7½ml Cinnamon Syrup
2 dashes of Aromatic Bitters
2 dashes of Hella Apple Blossom Bitters
Stir all the ingredients and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and an orange peel

Rye Sazerac

A classic New Orleans cocktail with a twist. Originally this cocktail was made with brandy or cognac, but it works well with Rye too. The nose is very spicy, anise from the absinth. The heat of the rye is back, with some of the flavour of the absinth, depth of the bitters all with some sweetness. This definitely needs a cigar with some sweetness but also with power. A stronger maduro cigar would be my pick

And now for the Rye Sazerac recipe:

45ml Rye
7½ml Absinth
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
1 sugar cube
Add the sugar cube and the bitters in a mixing glass. Muddle the sugar, add the rye and stir with ice to chill and dilute. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, which has been rinsed with the absinth.