A Guide to Pairing Vodka and Cigars

You guys keep asking us: “Can I pair _____ with a cigar?”

The answer is always: “Of course! Just make sure you do it with intent.”

So if you’ve ever found yourself asking how to pair vodka with cigars, this blog will be a quick and easy guide. Pairing vodka with your cigars may seem intimidating, especially if you’re not a vodka snob, but it all boils down to how you are enjoying your vodka.

Are you drinking your vodka straight? Is it in a cocktail? What time of day are you enjoying your vodka drink? These are all important questions in guiding your cigar and vodka experience to be a surefire success.

Cigars and Straight Vodka

Okay we’ve got to clear the air upfront, if you are drinking straight vodka or vodka on ice, you are probably a Russian mountain man with a pet bear who should be giving us the advice. If this sounds like you, leave your advice in the comments below.

If this doesn’t sound like you but you still enjoy vodka by itself or with ice, your pairing is going to be guided by the style of the vodka you are enjoying. 

We are going to divide vodkas into a few categories and break down how to pair with each.

• Fruity or Flavored Vodka: Pair the flavors with a complimentary cigar. I.e. an orange flavored vodka should have an earthy and spicy cigar to balance out your flavor profile. 
• Potato Vodka: The most flavorful of plain vodkas, you will want a more smooth and mellow cigar to bring out the best of both flavor profiles. 
• Grain Vodka: While grain vodka is a lot more common in the U.S., it’s usually used for cocktails. If you’re drinking a cocktail, see the next section. If not, you’re going to want to smoke a full body and full flavored cigar to fully accentuate the grain vodka’s subtle flavors.

Cigars and Vodka Cocktails

So most people who are enjoying vodka and cigars are likely enjoying their spirit in a delicious cocktail. While we can’t list out every vodka cocktail, we will list some of the most popular and what to look for in a cigar to pair with. 

Vodka Martini
Stirred, not shaken because no matter how big of a Bond fan you are, you should not ever shake a martini. Regardless of how many olives, this clean, crisp classic goes great with full bodied and full flavored cigars like Diesel Crucible. Bonus points if you drink it while wearing a tuxedo. 

Bloody Mary
The perfect Sunday morning drink to go with a super flavorful cigar. We think the flavors of a Bloody Mary - especially if they have a bunch of delicious garnishes - go great with a medium bodied but spicy stogie, like CAO Zocalo. 

Vodka Tonic
Another cool and refreshing vodka cocktail, but with a slightly more Saturday-afternoon-at-the-pool vibe. If this sounds like how you enjoy your vodka tonic, we’d recommend pairing with a medium bodied cigar with a subtle spice like Macanudo Inspirado Orange. 

Moscow Mule
I mean we’ve got a whole blog on the best moscow mule pairing we’ve had thus far. Usually we try not to plug two cigars from the same brand in one blog, but a Moscow Mule with CAO Pilon is too good not to brag about. Get the recipe here.  

Screwdriver
Sometimes you wake up with stogies on your mind. On those days, you need a screwdriver to go with your cigar and pancakes. Which cigar? Well, we recommend going with a creamy and mellow cigar like Oliva Connecticut to get your day started on a flavorful note.

Find your perfect cigar and vodka pairing

Still need a little direction before mixing up a vodka cocktail? Check out our Find Your Perfect Cigar feature below.

Find Your Perfect Cigar

What’s your favorite cigar and vodka pairing?

Cigars and vodka go together like peas and carrots; what’s your go-to vodka and cigar pairing? Let us know in the comments below.