Best Cigars to Pair With Four Roses Bourbon
Four Roses is proof you don’t have to spend a fortune for a high-quality, consistent whiskey. The brand’s been around since the 1880s and survived Prohibition because its distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was one of six allowed to produce “medicinal” whiskey during the dry decade. After Seagram purchased Four Roses in 1943, the bourbon was pulled from U.S. shelves but became wildly popular in Europe and Asia. In 2002, a straight bourbon again appeared in America under the guidance of master distiller Jim Rutledge. Although Rutledge retired in 2015, Brent Elliot continues the Four Roses tradition as its master distiller today.
Sleek, accessible, and a touch sweet – Four Roses is satisfying and easy to find. Ten unique bourbon recipes form the building blocks for each Four Roses whiskey. They are combined in distinct ratios and aged from five to ten years or more in new American oak barrels charred to perfection. Here are four ideal cigars to go with your favorite Four Roses bourbon.
1. Four Roses & Perdomo 10th Anniversary Maduro
The original Four Roses, previously called “Yellow Label,” is 80 proof and blended from all ten bourbon recipes before it’s aged for a five-year minimum. Floral and fruity aromas precede a well-blended but brisk profile of marmalade, honey, cinnamon, and oak.
Tasting notes of dark cocoa, espresso, and hickory galvanize the senses in Perdomo 10th Anniversary Maduro. An oily Nicaraguan Maduro conceals a medium to full-bodied core of premium aged Nicaraguan long-fillers in a collection of cool-burning, thick shapes. The dark, spicy, and bittersweet profile of Perdomo balances the bright and fruity character of Four Roses from the first sip to last in the glass.
2. Four Roses Small Batch & Padrón
Four Roses Small Batch is a focused bourbon, blended from four of the distillery’s whiskey recipes before it rests from seven to ten years. This middle-of-the-road bourbon boasts a 90-proof profile of toasted oak, fruit, and honey with bracing spices while smooth aromas of fresh-cut hay and grain fill out the nose.
The original Padrón blend is a definitive Nicaraguan cigar, handcrafted in several classic shapes from only the finest Nicaraguan tobaccos. An iconic profile of cedar, nuts, earth, and leather introduces hints of cocoa before a medium to full-bodied finish emerges. Fresh and natural flavors mingle with a straightforward, smoky appeal when Padrón is paired with Four Roses Small Batch.
3. Four Roses Single Barrel & La Aroma de Cuba
A full and resounding palate of ripe plum, cherry, and maple syrup accompanies aromas of dried spice, cocoa, and vanilla in Four Roses Single Barrel. Its smooth and lasting finish is delicate but complex with rich notes of butterscotch and oak. Single Barrel relies on just one of the distillery’s ten whiskeys to achieve its classic taste.
An award-winning profile of cedar, cocoa, black pepper, and brown sugar harbors a succulent tour of signature Nicaraguan spices blended by legendary cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia in La Aroma de Cuba. Discover an essential mix of prestige and value in an exceptional collection handmade by senior artisans in Estelí, Nicaragua. Two iconic brands reach their full potential on the palate in this well-matched pairing.
4. Four Roses Small Batch Select & Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Maduro
At 104 proof, Four Roses Small Batch Select rests for at least six years to deliver a refined profile of vanilla with hints of bright fruit like apricot and berries before a resonant, woody finish sets in. Aromas of clove and nutmeg complete a classic bourbon with a touch of cinnamon at the end.
A glistening Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper marries a luscious blend of premium Dominican long-fillers aged to perfection in Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Maduro. Master cigar-maker Carlito Fuente blends a world-renowned profile of dark cocoa, cedar, and nuts in a medium-bodied classic that excels alongside Four Roses Small Batch when you’re craving an accessible bourbon and cigar at the end of the day.
