Pairing Cigars & Alcohol – SamSong

Cigars and fine liquor complement each other beautifully. Together, they enhance depth, richness, and enjoyment.

Some cigar makers go further by ageing tobacco in liquor barrels. This process adds distinctive flavour notes. The result is a more complex and engaging smoking experience.

Over the years, many collaborations have emerged between cigar and liquor brands. Maker’s Mark, for example, offers cigars in their famous red wax-sealed tubes. Drew Estate has partnered with Pappy Van Winkle and once made cigars flavoured with Kahlua. General Cigars teamed up with Sazerac to release Fireball cigars, Weller by Cohiba, and Buffalo Trace blends.

Diesel’s Whisky Row series, in collaboration with Rabbit Hole Distilleries, shows how this relationship continues to evolve. Each blend reflects the character of the spirit it’s paired with.

Even Cuban cigars have embraced this concept. Cohiba joined forces with Martell Cognac to create a luxurious pairing. In Europe, Dominique London took it a step further. The retailer acquired a Welsh distillery to produce whisky, rum, and gin specifically for their cigars.

These partnerships celebrate craftsmanship, flavour, and tradition. They also give cigar lovers new ways to explore their passion. With every new release, the bond between fine tobacco and fine liquor grows stronger.

Sangsom, Thailand’s iconic spirit

SangSom is Thailand’s beloved golden rum, although there is a lot of confusion as some call it whisky. Locals and visitors alike enjoy it for its smooth taste and rich character. Launched in 1977, SangSom quickly became a national favourite. It’s made from sugarcane, then aged in oak barrels. The result is a warm, mellow spirit often mistaken for whisky. Its international reputation grew fast. In the 1980s, SangSom won several gold medals at global spirit competitions. These accolades helped introduce the Thai brand to a wider audience.

In Thailand, it’s more than just a drink. SangSom is part of the culture. It’s served at celebrations, shared with friends, and mixed into popular cocktails. Many enjoy it with soda or cola, but purists prefer it neat or over ice. Its caramel notes and spicy finish make it versatile and satisfying. Despite rising competition, SangSom remains a symbol of Thai pride. It captures the spirit of the country—warm, lively, and unmistakably original. As more drinkers explore regional spirits, SangSom continues to charm with its heritage and flavour.

Neat

The nose ls light, with vanilla, sugar and herbal notes over an ethanol base.  The flavour is quite unique with vanilla, coconut, spice, chocolate and herbs. But the flavour is quite thin, with a short finish. I would not recommend drinking this neat as it’s just not very good.  I would pair this with a stronger cigar to overpower the flavour of the spirit. Strong and sweet, and then I’m thinking about something with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper

SangSom Cuba Libre

When I bought this bottle, on a trip to Thailand, I knew I would be writing about this. So I did look up some cocktail recipes. And when I saw that this was a very popular cocktail in Thailand, I knew I needed to make this. And to make this as authentic as possible, I got a few cans of Thai Coca Cola home as well. Why? Because Coca Cola tastes different everywhere in the world due to the local water sources.

The nose has a lot of lime, probably because of the garnish. And the lime is also pretty noticeable in the drink. But it’s nice, the fizz and the sweetness of the cola, the herbal notes of the spirit combined with the lime make this easy to drink. Very easy, and that’s probably why it’s so popular. This can be paired with almost any cigar I assume because of its friendly character.

And now for the SangSom Cuba Libre recipe:
50ml SangSom
120ml Cola
15ml Lime Juice
2 slices of lime
Pour a little bit of Cola in a Collins glass, then add the SangSom and the lime juice. Fill the glass with ice and top with the remaining cola. Add the two slices of lime as a garnish.

SangSom Daiquiri

I love Daiquiris but never pair them with cigars as the citrus is usually too strong to pair with cigars. But let’s see if this is the case with this SangSom Daiquiri as well. The lime is definitely the main flavour, with sweetness with a hint of vanilla. There is a bit of a herbal flavour from the spirit as well. It’s balanced and this is not too acidic to pair with a cigar. I would go for a stronger cigar. I smoked a Plasencia Alma Fuerte with a Colorado wrapper with this and that cigar could stand up against the lime.

And now for the SangSom Daiquiri recipe:
45ml SangSom
20ml Simple Syrup
30ml Lime Juice
1 lime wheel
Add all the liquids in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel

SangSom Mojito

The nose is minty. The mint is also the first flavour in the cocktail, but the brown sugar adds a caramel flavour over the herbal and vanilla notes of the SangSom. The lime is stronger than expected but all flavours are a bit muted due to the soda water. I bet this is better with a lemon-lime soda. This is not my favourite version of a mojito, but it’s also not bad. I would pair this with a milder cigar, nothing with outspoken flavours or something comples. The cocktail is not worth a complex cigar. A middle of the road Connecticut Shade cigar will suffice.

And now for the SangSom Mojito recipe:
45ml SangSom
8-10 mint leaves
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 lime wedge
soda water to top
Pour the SangSom in a Collins glass and add the lime and the sugar. Muddle, add the mint and then fill the glass with crushed ice. Top with soda water and add more crushed ice to create a cone. Garnish with a mint sprig.