Choosing a drink to pair with a cigar is a truly enjoyable task. Wine, scotch, beer and coffee have historically been the accepted beverages of choice to compliment a cigar. I thoroughly enjoy all these potables, but reserve a special place in my heart for tea. It seems only natural that the two should be married, if for no other reason than for their similar physical composition. Many cigar lovers refer to themselves as Brothers of the Leaf when articulating their relationship to others who share their passion. The tea leaf is cultivated and cured in a similar fashion to the tobacco leaf and thus produces a flavor profile that complements a good cigar like no other drink. The shear diversity of tea varietals, country of origins, flavors and aroma will challenge and entice seasoned cigar smokers to pair their most cherished sticks with a steaming cup or iced glass of tea. For the price of a bottle of Makers Mark, you could sample a dozen IndulgeTeas and enjoy nearly 200 delicious cups.
I know, I know, you're "not much of a tea drinker", right? Most negative opinions towards tea stem from only being exposed to overpriced, bitter tasting, over produced grocery store junk that's advertised as tea. Those fancy boxes are filled with nothing but cheap, flavorless leaves that are ground into a powder called fannings and hidden from view inside a teabag. Fannings may brew quickly, but their flavor complexity, aroma and color are severely diminished. Artificial flavorings are often added to spice up or mask these bland, inferior teas.
Still not convinced? Imagine for a moment how many times you've tried to explain to someone how White Owls are nothing like premium, handmade cigars. Lipton's and Celestial Seasonings are the tea equivalent to Dutch Masters and are chiefly responsible for the sour attitude many people have towards tea. If Swisher Sweets were the only brand your local tobacco shop sold, you probably wouldn’t be “much of a cigar smoker”. Aside from a good cigar, there are few things in life as simple and enjoyable as a properly brewed cup of whole leaf tea.
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