THE COLLECTION / PAIRINGS
Pair Your Cigar
Find the beverage that complements your cigar. An educational pairing guide to tequila, mezcal, bourbon, and coffee — exploring why each pairing works and the flavors it brings forward.
Pairing Guide · For Exploration & Education
ROBUSTO · 5 × 52
Maduro
Cocoa, cedar and roasted coffee
Nicaraguan Maduro has body, sweetness, earth, cocoa, coffee, pepper, and sometimes leather.
PAIRINGS
BEST PAIRING
Don Julio 1942
Don Julio 1942 is the most natural fit for the Nicaraguan Maduro. Its long aging brings caramel, chocolate, warm oak, vanilla, roasted agave, and coffee-like depth, which complement the Maduro's dark chocolate, espresso, earth, leather, and pepper character.
Flavor Notes
Caramel · Chocolate · Warm Oak · Vanilla · Roasted Agave · Coffee
Serving
Serve the tequila neat. The pairing should bring forward complementary notes of dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, roasted agave, espresso, toasted oak, and warm spice.
Casamigos Añejo
A softer, sweeter pairing with flavors leaning toward caramel, vanilla, spice, barrel oak, and agave sweetness. These flavors work especially well with a Maduro that has cocoa and roasted-nut notes.
Flavor Notes
Caramel · Vanilla · Spice · Barrel Oak · Agave Sweetness
Don Julio Añejo
A balanced option for customers who want something less sweet than Don Julio 1942. Cooked agave, honey, tropical fruit, oak, caramel, chocolate, vanilla, and spice make it versatile with both earthy and sweeter Maduro blends.
Flavor Notes
Cooked Agave · Honey · Tropical Fruit · Oak · Caramel · Chocolate · Vanilla · Spice
Don Julio Ultima Reserva
A richer, more luxurious pairing. Its extended aging brings toasted oak, caramel, dried fruit, dark chocolate, apricot, and orange, which pair exceptionally well with a full-bodied Maduro after dinner.
Flavor Notes
Toasted Oak · Caramel · Dried Fruit · Dark Chocolate · Apricot · Orange
SIGNATURE
Don Julio 1942 + Nicaraguan Maduro
Flavor Relationship
Dark Chocolate · Caramel · Vanilla · Roasted Agave · Espresso · Toasted Oak · Warm Spice
TORO · 6 × 54
Habano
Leather, pepper and toasted almond
Habano tends to show cedar, black pepper, earth, roasted nuts, leather, and warm spice.
PAIRINGS
BEST PAIRING
El Tesoro Reposado
El Tesoro Reposado brings agave, oak, smoke, vanilla, caramel, dried fruit, and a pepper-forward finish. The pepper and oak profile works especially well with Nicaraguan Habano.
Flavor Notes
Cedar · Roasted Agave · Vanilla · Oak · Black Pepper · Toasted Nuts · Leather · Warm Spice
Don Julio Reposado
Lemon citrus, ripe fruit, dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, nuts, and caramel.
Flavor Notes
Lemon Citrus · Ripe Fruit · Dark Chocolate · Vanilla · Cinnamon · Nuts · Caramel
Tequila Ocho Reposado
An agave-forward style where agave and terroir remain prominent rather than the barrel dominating.
Flavor Notes
Agave · Terroir · Light Oak
Fortaleza Reposado
Cooked agave, mineral character, gentle oak, spice, and natural sweetness.
Flavor Notes
Cooked Agave · Mineral · Gentle Oak · Spice · Natural Sweetness
SIGNATURE
El Tesoro Reposado + Nicaraguan Habano
Flavor Relationship
Cedar · Roasted Agave · Vanilla · Oak · Black Pepper · Toasted Nuts · Leather · Warm Spice
CORONA · 5½ × 44
Connecticut
Cream, hay and gentle spice
Connecticut is creamier, smoother, and more delicate. Typical characteristics: cedar, toasted nuts, cream, hay, light pepper, and light sweetness.
PAIRINGS
BEST PAIRING
Reposado
Reposado brings light oak, vanilla, cooked agave, and gentle spice without overpowering the cigar.
Flavor Notes
Vanilla · Roasted Almond · Cedar · Honey · Light Caramel · Mild Pepper
Serving
Reposado served neat.
Blanco
Best for a fresher pairing
Agave, citrus, pepper, and mineral lift.
Flavor Notes
Agave · Citrus · Pepper · Mineral
Añejo
Works carefully with lighter Connecticut styles
Toast and nuttiness complement the cigar. Avoid heavy, syrupy, barrel-dominant styles.
Flavor Notes
Toast · Nuttiness · Light Oak
Extra Añejo
Usually too strong
If used, reserve it for the later part of the cigar.
Flavor Notes
Heavy Oak · Rich Barrel Sweetness
SIGNATURE
Reposado served neat
Flavor Relationship
Vanilla · Roasted Almond · Cedar · Honey · Light Caramel · Mild Pepper
RECOMMENDED TASTING RITUAL
Optional Progression
Blanco → Reposado → Light Añejo. This progression allows the cigar to remain the center of attention while the tequila becomes warmer and richer.
GORDO · 6 × 60
Barber Pole
Dark fruit, earth and molasses
A Nicaraguan Barber Pole typically combines a lighter wrapper (creaminess, cedar) with a darker one (cocoa, coffee, earth, sweetness, spice). The pairing bridges both profiles as the burn progresses.
PAIRINGS
BEST PAIRING
Reposado — Signature Barber Pole Tequila
Reposado is the most versatile choice because it bridges both wrapper styles. Its vanilla, light caramel, oak, cooked agave, and mild spice work with the changing tobacco character.
Flavor Notes
Vanilla · Roasted agave · Cedar · Cocoa · Toasted almond · Caramel · Black pepper · Light coffee
Serving
Serve neat in a tasting glass at room temperature.
SIGNATURE
Reposado — Signature Barber Pole Tequila
Flavor Relationship
Vanilla · Roasted agave · Cedar · Cocoa · Toasted almond · Caramel · Black pepper · Light coffee
Prefer the guided view? Open the interactive pairing guide for any cigar.
“GOOD FRIENDS. GOOD TEQUILA. GOOD CIGARS. GREAT COMPANY.”