Most culinary pairings, whether it is red wine with cheese or something a little more adventurous, such as beer and dark chocolate, are highly subjective. The first rule when trying to find a drink to partner with your cigar is that there aren't any rules. It is your choice, within certain parameters. Do you want the cigar to be the most important part of the combination? Do you want the cigar to dominate or are you looking for harmony?

Anyone who has paired a hearty Shiraz with roast lamb or a Cabernet Sauvignon with cheddar will know that when a pairing comes together, it is sensational. A good one can inspire the palate, lift the mood and enhance the multitude of aromas and flavors from either the food or, in this case, the cigar in question. But a bad pairing, especially with an unpleasant drink, will ruin the taste of a cigar—whatever its quality.

WSJ's Will Lyons discusses his top 12 cigars with connoisseur Ranald MacDonald and explores how each cigar has its own distinctive style and flavor profile.

As a wine writer, over the years I have sampled all sorts of cigar combinations, from sparkling wine to vintage port and Californian Merlot. All have enhanced the enjoyment of the cigar in some way.

It is worth pointing out that, as with wine, where different
vineyard sites and grape varieties produce enormous flavor differentiation, tobacco also has myriad flavors. In Cuba, every tobacco-growing region has its own flavor profile, while one field can produce plants that taste very different from the next. So any match has to recognize the blend of the cigar; is it a full-bodied, rich cigar such as a Bolivar, Partagas or Ramón Allones? Medium-bodied, such as a Cohiba, Montecristo or Trinidad? Or a lighter, more delicate smoke, such as a Hoyo de Monterrey?

Traditionally, cigars have been served with port, at the end of the evening as a digestif. As a rule, sweetness tends to work well with the tobacco infusion. A more restrained vintage port, such as a Taylor's, pairs well with medium and light cigars, whereas a more forward, fruity port, such as Graham's, works well with a more full-bodied cigar. Rum, particularly aged or Havana Club's Añejo Especial, also proves a good combination.

I have found that Scotch whisky pairs very well with most cigars, as it is low in acidity. Macallan, with its full-bodied, sherry character, is always an enjoyable pairing. Sparkling wine will bring out the mineral flavor of the cigar, whereas the rich but fruity taste of brandy can prove a harmonious match. And soft, fruit-driven red wines such a Californian Zinfandel work well.
