Best Cigars to Pair With Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker is the whisky that found its way to the tables of titans as the Industrial Revolution dawned. In 1819, John Walker established a successful grocery shop in the town of Kilmarnock, Scotland. Dismayed by the lack of consistency in single malts found in other grocers, Walker set about blending the whisky he sold in his store to create a uniform taste that customers could rely on. His whisky sold extremely well.
As the railroad arrived, trade grew at an accelerated pace. John’s son, Alexander, launched the first commercially available Johnnie Walker blend, called Old Highland Whisky, in 1867. Alexander cleverly networked with a large number of ship captains and plied them with bottles of Johnnie Walker whisky as they traversed the globe. Johnnie Walker’s popularity flourished on distant shores.
To ensure the safe arrival of overseas shipments, Alexander began bottling his whisky in the now iconic square bottles, and his son’s, Alexander II and George, were responsible for adorning the labels with the famous ‘Striding Man’ sketch by illustrator Tom Browne. Johnnie Walker is one of the largest whisky brands in the world today. Here are some great cigars to smoke while you sip your favorite Johnnie Walker blend.
Johnnie Walker Black & La Aroma de Cuba
Forty distinct single malt and grain whiskies are aged for twelve-year minimums to make Johnnie Walker Black. Its complex but reasonably priced profile dates back to 1820. Warm notes of licorice, caramel, and honey leave a mellow, slightly woody impression. Johnnie Walker Black makes frequent cameos in cocktails thanks to its budget-friendly price point.
The top-rated original La Aroma de Cuba is a suitable partner. An oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper embraces a well-aged amalgam of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers blended by Pepin Garcia. Tasting notes of cedar, brown sugar, cocoa, black pepper, and baking spices naturally correspond with the steady flavor of Johnny Walker Black.
Johnnie Walker Double Black & My Father La Opulencia
In Johnnie Walker Double Black, a richer incarnation of Black Label is achieved with smokier malts and by resting the whisky in deeply charred sherry casks. Oak, cinnamon, almonds, and vanilla stir the nose while a lively palate of honey, clove, pecan, and fireplace notes linger on the taste buds.
My Father La Opulencia unleashes a dark and decadent profile of wood, pepper, and espresso with intriguing texture and aroma. The 95-rated cigar is drawn from a glistening San Andrés Oscuro wrapper and a hardy interior of Nicaraguan tobaccos grown on select Garcia family estates. La Opulencia keeps up with the kicked-up spice and smokiness of Double Black.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve & Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Creamier flavors emerge in Johnnie Walker Gold Label with its saffron texture and notes of buttered corn, sweet vanilla, and charred oak. A finish of butterscotch candy and smoldering embers reflects the Speyside and Highland whiskies that comprise Gold Label.
The iconic and versatile taste of Arturo Fuente Hemingway promises a pleasant marriage. Notes of cedar, fresh coffee, chestnuts, and cinnamon reveal a touch of sweetness in several classic Figurados. A toothy Cameroon wrapper leaf encapsulates premium Dominican long-fillers aged for optimal smoothness.
Johnnie Walker Green Label & Oliva Serie V Melanio
Notes of sandalwood, fruit, fresh-cut grass, honey, nutmeg, and a touch of peat characterize the sought-after taste of Johnnie Walker Green Label. Matured for at least fifteen years, malts from Speyside, Highland, Lowland, and Island create a lush and easygoing profile.
The 96-rated Oliva Serie V Melanio is an ideal smoke to go with Green Label because it’s flavorful but not too intense. Notes of caramel, wood, leather, and spices converge in a profile that scored Cigar Aficionado’s ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ in 2014.
Johnnie Walker 18 Years & Padron 1964 Anniversary
Johnnie Walker 18 Years is made from eighteen different whiskies curated by master blender Jim Beveridge. Vibrant notes of vanilla, honey, almonds, and tangerines bless the palate with soft texture and hints of citrus. Alluring aromas of bonfires and spring blossoms flourish.
Padron 1964 Anniversary takes priority with its well-aged blend of all-Nicaraguan tobaccos. A celebrated profile of cedar, cocoa, cayenne, and cinnamon has been impressing seasoned cigar lovers for decades in several famous box-pressed shapes. Sophisticated flavor and aroma meet between Padron and Johnnie Walker.
Johnnie Walker Blue & Ashton ESG
At the top of the brand’s hierarchy is Johnnie Walker Blue Label, an ultra-rare masterpiece that sits beside the world’s finest whiskies. Intricate notes of tobacco smoke, vanilla cream, wood, and peat precede a luscious finish of caramel, cinnamon, and cocoa. Its soft and seductive taste is impossible to resist. Only one in every ten thousand casks bear the elusive signature of Blue Label.
An equally luxuriant profile propels the senses to new heights in Ashton ESG. Legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente carefully selects premium Dominican tobaccos from his oldest reserves to blend ESG in five elegant sizes. Buttery and complex notes of cedar, graham cracker, black pepper, and molasses layer the palate in a 94-rated classic. Savor a sublime wedlock of aroma, texture, taste, and finish with Ashton ESG and Blue Label.
