“Much like matching beer and cigars, cigar and scotch pairing is subjective. “

We all have different palates, and there’s no telling which pairing will please yours. The only way to know is to taste a lot of cigars and a lot of scotch.

Tough life, right?

However, if you’re new to cigars and scotch, there is one rule you should consider: match body weights. Pair full-bodied cigars with heavier scotches, and milder cigars with lighter ones.

Following this rule will help prevent lackluster cigar and scotch pairings. And that’s worth something.

But creating perfect pairings takes more than that. You need to pick flavors that work in harmony. And learning how to pick cigar and scotch pairings that do takes experience.

Thankfully, if you’re new to cigars, more seasoned aficionados have done some of the work for you.

Here are a few popular scotches with cigar pairings.

Bowmore: Smoke with full-bodied smokes. Think Serie R Black.

Cutty Sark: Pairs well with light to medium-bodied cigars. Try it with CAO Gold.

Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year Old: This highly popular scotch pairs well with mellow to medium-bodied smokes, like CAO Session.

Springbank 15-year-old and 21-year-old: Enjoy these with a Serie R Esteli or other spicy, full-bodied smokes.

If you have any favorite pairings, tell the community below, or Join a Group.