Coffee and Cigar Pairing, Explained

Coffee and cigar pairing is an old tradition, and it makes sense. Both start as a single crop, grown in a particular place. The soil and the people who harvest and process it shape each one. Both reward you for slowing down.

Start with body.

The easiest rule is to match strength to strength. A light or medium roast sits well beside a milder cigar, and a darker, fuller roast can stand up to a fuller-bodied cigar. However, when one overpowers the other, you lose the flavors in both.

Look for what they share.

Coffee and cigars often carry the same notes: cocoa, nuts, caramel, spice, toast. Pick a cup with a flavor you can taste, then look for a cigar that echoes it. A cup with chocolate notes and a cigar with cocoa in the finish can make each other taste richer.

Mind the roast.

In general, lighter roasts tend to be brighter and more acidic. Darker roasts lean toward bittersweet and smoky. If you’re not sure where to start, begin in the middle with a medium roast and a medium-bodied cigar, then move up or down from there.

Take your time with the first sip.

Sip the coffee first, then light the cigar and notice how the flavor changes. Go back and forth. Pairings change as the cigar burns, so a match that starts quietly may open up halfway through.

An example.

For example, our Elefante coffee is Arabica Maragogype from a single farm in Dipilto, Nicaragua, a Cup of Excellence finalist, and a Classic Medium roast. We’ve paired it with Porcelain, Seleccion Privada, and Ceathair, three cigars with enough character to keep up with a cup that has real personality.

Make an afternoon of it.

Brew a full pot. Invite two or three friends. Then put out something to snack on, find a good chair, and let the afternoon go where it wants. Most of the best pairings happen when nobody is in a hurry.

Try it yourself.

The Brew and Blend Coffee & Cigar Sampler gives you seven Nicaraguan roasts from Twin Engine Coffee, each with three cigars chosen to match the cup. It’s in store and online. Not sure where to begin? Our Cigar Pairing Guide has a few ideas, or come see us in the lounge.