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Streeper541

Lifer
Jun 16, 2021
3,179
20,162
44
Spencer, OH
Powers Irish Whiskey
Red Breast Irish Whiskey
Kentucky Bourbon
Murphy's Irish Stout
Iron Bean Coffee
Barry's Irish Tea
Coke
Water

They're all winners in my book.
 
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Talon

Might Stick Around
Nov 7, 2021
70
231
Ontario, Canada
In the '90s, I remember cigar people talking about pairing port and whiskies with cigars. I often found these pairings didn't necessarily enhance my enjoyment on either side; the subtleties and complexities of a fine cigar and vintage port were masked or diminished.

The kinds of bourbons and whiskies I enjoy most have layers of flavour and aroma that don't seem to be enhanced by tobacco. That's not to say that I don't have a cigar or pipe with whisky, just that I'm not getting 100% of the nuance that I paid for if I pair them—if I do have them together, I'll lean towards a less refined bourbon or whisky to have with my cigar or pipe.

Yeah I think you're on the money with this one. If you have a go to blend that's not very complex and just sort of like your daily bread with either drink or smoke then it wouldn't be so bad pairing them with something that could possibly mute any flavors.
 
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Egg Shen

Lifer
Nov 26, 2021
1,169
3,914
Pennsylvania
So I usually like to sit down and have a drink of some sort when I am smoking a bowl and I'm sure there are quite a few people who do so but one thing I've started to notice is that if I'm drinking a spirit like scotch or bourbon it seems to actually take away from the experience. I haven't noticed this with beer or lower ABV type drinks. It seems that the taste and complexity of the spirit is completely lost or the taste and complexity from the tobacco goes away. I haven't seemed to find a middle ground with this one. Does every pipe smoker know this? Or perhaps they ignore it and just enjoy like I've been doing but it seems I've hit a wall with this one. It seems like beer or something ... *GASP* with no alcohol may have to replace this one!
I always keep smoking unto itself- I prefer to taste each thing separately. Rooibos tea or normal black tea seem to go well with tobacco to me as they are milder in taste than beer or spirits. I also wouldn’t drink coffee with my smoke as its’ flavor is a strong and could potentially mute the taste of the tobacco
 
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didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
10,674
37,423
SE WI
I've been alcohol-free for 35 years, and smoking a pipe for14 years, but I used to smoke cigarettes and I'd always notice that after a couple of pints of beer a cigarette would have no flavour at all. Just hot air and hardly any effects from the nicotine either.
I've been alcohol free for 32 years!

I'm also 32 years old. Never drank, never will. But coffee or mountain dew with my pipe is what I prefer.
 

tom12

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 26, 2011
115
149
Usually tea or homemade IPA for me, while I do have coffee now and then I do enjoy the different flavours with other pairings like stout but that usually needs a more robust tobacco.
 
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Dec 11, 2021
1,637
8,391
Fort Collins, CO
I’m pretty much just a beer guy. The idea of relaxing with a pipe and a good craft beer sounded great to me. But I have to admit that so far, it hasn’t really done it for me. I even tried getting clever with my ‘pairings’, like Nutty Irishman with a nut brown ale. Still didn’t find anything that was that great. I do like coffee or tea with a pipe sometimes, but I usually just do ice water or nothing.
 
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swampgrizzly

Might Stick Around
Sep 26, 2018
89
204
South Louisiana, U.S.A.
I primarily drink water while smoking my pipes. I do enjoy a good quality bourbon served neat in the late afternoons sometimes or red wine. After dinner I sometimes enjoy Bendictine D.O.M. liqueur or Grand Marnier liqueur with a smoke. I'm not a fan of beers or ales with pipe smoking.
 
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JohnMosesBrowning

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 5, 2018
244
305
Southeast Michigan
I enjoy a nightly dram of a good bourbon, rye, or malt, but never with my pipe. The combination of spirits and pipe completely clash for me and I not only end up tasting neither, I find the whole experience unpleasant - the complete opposite of the intended purpose of both pastimes.

I love black coffee or tea with my pipe and although I also drink a lot of plain seltzer water since I quit pop/soda, I don't like the carbonation with a pipe.
 
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