he reason I began studying bourbon and cigar pairings is because, without fail, every time I asked a cigar bar bartender or a cigar lounge tobacconist, I would always get the same response: if you are smoking a full-bodied cigar, pair it with a full-bodied bourbon, and if you are smoking a light-bodied cigar, pair it with a light-bodied bourbon. I eventually figured out where this advice originated. Typically when a patron asks a tobacconist for a cigar recommendation, the tobacconist will ask them what kind of beverage they like. For people who drink espresso or black coffee, they will recommend a full-bodied cigar. For people who like fruity drinks or sugary sodas, they will recommend a lighter-bodied cigar. Without thinking about how these flavors would interact, they began recommending full-bodied cigars with full-bodied bourbons, which just doesn’t work. You should be looking
