Top After Dinner & Dessert Cigars
Nine-course epicurean feasts need to be followed up by cigars. After dinner is the most natural landscape for cigar smoking. Nothing beats following a thick cut of steak or a hearty portion of penne alla vodka at your favorite restaurant with a good cigar. As a matter of fact, a number of the world’s foremost chefs are major cigar connoisseurs. Why? Cigars offer an additional avenue to perceive taste. The smoky aroma and flavor of a fine cigar create an unbeatable encore to a big meal.
With all that fire you’re feeding your furnace, it’s wise to point out cigars function as a digestive aid too. That’s just one more reason why a premium, handcrafted smoke fits in perfectly with dessert, coffee, or an after-dinner drink. A cigar tastes best in the wake of a full meal, especially one you’ve taken extra time to prepare, or a meal you’ve ordered from a restaurant you obsessively look forward to visiting. Following, we’ve compiled a list of our top 5 after-dinner or dessert cigars.
#1 - Ashton Aged Maduro
Ashton is a world-class brand all the way. What makes Ashton Aged Maduro an excellent after-dinner choice is the combination of approachability and richness it presents. A dark and lustrous Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper conceals an interior of premium aged Dominican tobaccos blended by legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente. Choose from a number of traditional shapes, including the larger dimensions of the 92-rated #60.
Notes of dark chocolate, maple, and fresh ground coffee harbor a luscious mix of sweet and smoky flavors meant to complement a range of perfect after-dinner drinks. Ashton Aged Maduro is the ultimate companion for a well-rounded glass of pinot noir, rum, cognac, or a tawny port. A range of bourbons and less intense scotch profiles will settle nicely on the palate with Ashton Aged Maduro. Gourmet coffee, cappuccino, and decadent slice of chocolate cake create an equally pleasing pairing. Seasoned enthusiasts as well as new cigar lovers can easily appreciate the mild to medium-bodied finish this cigar delivers after dinner.
#2 - La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Reserva
La Aroma de Cuba Reserva is a 94-rated, full-bodied cigar drawn from a toothy San Andrés Oscuro wrapper leaf over a vintage core of premium Nicaragua long-fillers handcrafted in six classic shapes. Savor a full-flavored profile of peppery caramels, hickory, black currant, and dark chocolate after dinner. Legendary cigar-maker Pepin Garcia blends and produces the La Aroma de Cuba portfolio in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Every leaf of Nicaraguan binder and filler tobacco is cultivated in the rich volcanic soil of select Garcia family estates. The decadent taste of Reserva follows a filling or spicy meal marvelously. Desserts with dark chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut flavors draw out the cigar’s luscious character. A glass of Ron Zacapa XO rum or an Oban 18 Year scotch provide luscious support as you unwind after a delicious dinner.
#3 - Arturo Fuente Anéjo
Buttery spices, notes of cognac, chocolate, wood, and black pepper characterize the ultra-rare profile of Arturo Fuente Añejo. World-renowned cigar-maker Carlito Fuente blended Anéjo as a temporary replacement for his coveted Fuente Fuente Opus X cigars when Hurricane Georges destroyed a number of curing barns housing Opus X wrapper leaves in 1998.
To create the unique flavors in Anéjo, Carlito aged select Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers in cognac barrels before patiently concealing his sought-after Ligero-laden recipe of aged Dominican tobaccos inside. Pair a fine rum, cognac, or bourbon with Arturo Fuente Anéjo while savoring your favorite tiramisu after a rich entrée.
#4 - San Cristobal
Dense and decadent notes of black pepper, black cherry, espresso bean, and dark chocolate converge in San Cristobal. The ultra-exclusive smoke is blended by Pepin Garcia. The blend is drawn from an extensively aged Cuban-seed Oscuro wrapper leaf grown in Ecuador and long-filler tobaccos cultivated on prized Garcia family estates in Nicaragua. Choose from a handful of traditional cigar sizes following a smoky or char-grilled dinner. Sipping on a double espresso or a steep pour of Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition with San Cristobal equals pure bliss.
#5 - Padrón 1926 Series Maduro
The legendary reputation of Padrón will impress any cigar lovers who care to join you after dinner. Padrón 1926 Series Maduro accommodates marvelously after a luxurious feast with its exceptionally aged all-Nicaraguan tobaccos.
The 96-rated, award-winning cigar is particularly noted for its profile of cocoa, cedar, cinnamon, spices, and cayenne pepper. It’s woody, earthy finish never overbears, making it an acceptable after-dinner climax with a molten chocolate soufflé and a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue or Bunnahabhain 25 Year.
Pairing Cigars & After-Dinner Drinks
Of course, we know you’re thirsty after dinner, too. That’s why we’ve put together some of the top cigar and drink pairings to tantalize your palate. Peruse our full menu of premium cigars if you’ve already got some favorites.
