Pipes and spirits

[brudnod]

I suspect that this has been discussed before but wanted to bring it up for discussion again. Many of the treads allude to sitting comfortably in a well worn over-stuffed chair sipping some sort of whiskey (or name your poison) and smoking a pipe (name your blend). I have never found it successful to do this; mostly because one set of taste buds seems to like the whiskey and another set likes the tobacco smoke. It is as though they get confused when partaken together. Any thoughts?

Spencer

 

[rangerearthpig]

You haven't killed as many brain cells as we have yet. :lol:

 

[warren]

I do imbibe in a wee spot of whiskey now and then, indeed I do. Port and other fortified wines are also grand, especially with a heavy English. Any aged in oak spirits go well with a latakia blend. Or, maybe even a perique, or Virginia. An oriental would be fine also. I guess tobacco enhances certain spirits in my mind. I guess certain spirits enhance just about any tobacco in my mind. So, I guess I am of two minds about this question.

 

[puffdoggie]

My favorite pipe - $120.

My favorite blend - $14.50/100 gram tin.

Whiskey & a pipeful - priceless.
Happy puffin', :wink:
Dave

 

[smeigs]

drinking some jim beam right now.. Best 11 dollar bottle you can buy! Add a bit of virginia flake and your good to go.

 

[youngsterpuffer]

See I've always liked to drink Vladimir when I drink at all. It's a very cheap vodka, but I've found that 1Q and Paladin can be very pleasant with it. (Yes I'm one of those people who like the cheap stuff) but a glass of Vladimir mixed with some cranberry juice and a bowl of 1Q gets the night to a very nice spot.

 

[mso489]

I tend to do my bourbon and pipe separately. However, I do like white wine; red wine seems to upstage most tobacco

blends, though I prefer red. I think my planned St. Patrick's Day Irish coffee might be pleasant with a mild aro or

English blend. Tea, hot or iced, seems to complement most blends better than liquor. Being well hydrated improves

pipe smoking, whether you take beverages with the pipe or before.

 

[tuold]

My experience is that after a while smoking the tobacco taste gets a little blunted. A taste of whiskey or Port or a nice Shiraz will clear my palate for the next draw on the pipe so I can enjoy it fresh again. The combo nicotine/alcohol buzz isn't bad either.

 

[cobguy]

Whiskeys with Burley blends, IPA beers with Va / VaPers, Scotch or Port with English blends.
Not a "hard and fast" rule by any means! lol

 

[PlanxtyPipes]

For me it's always been beer with a pipe. I'm sure this started because (back when you could smoke in restaurants) a friend and I would go to the best Irish pub in town and drink Guinness and smoke our pipes. Every now and then we'd do a whisky flight (the bar stocked many Irish Whiskys), but beer was a constant. Especially something like Guinness that is malty and roasted. I've gotten more into bitters and IPAs over time, but I still think Guinness is the ultimate beverage for me when pipe smoking. The flavor is complementary and the carbonation is much more subtle due to the nitrogen and less apt to irritate the tongue.
I've never been enough of a whisky drinker to sit with a glass of whisky and drink it while smoking. Every now and then I'll drink Maker's Mark that way, but it's pretty rare. I tend to like my whisky in small quantities and the burn tends to be unfavorable to me when smoking.

 

[jah76]

The flavor is complementary and the carbonation is much more subtle due to the nitrogen and less apt to irritate the tongue.

I agree. I tend to favor stouts with VaPers. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout and Tudor Castle is a match made in heaven.
I've learning my way around scotch lately, so I haven't wanted to smoke while drinking it. However I do really enjoy a simple Cavendish with a glass of Buffalo Trace with one ice cube in it. It really is a fine pairing on a summer day.
I really enjoy English Oriental forward blends (not overly heavy with Lat) with a gin Martini. Sometimes the Orientals come across very herb/olive like.

 

[oldmannk]

+1 with all of the above

 

[brudnod]

Fellowship of men: I'll have to try those combinations! You have put some science into this thread.

Spencer

 

[layinpipe]

Big fan of pairing booze and tobacco. Mostly, i go back and forth between small batch bourbon and craft beers and pair each accordingly. Lately I've been on a Jameson kick, as it has been on sale this month at ABC and haven't had it in some time. I have found the Jameson goes very well with Peterson's Irish Whisky (and not just because it is an Irish Whisky) as well as Irish Oak and FM Cellar. Also, recently paired Rogue Hazelnut Brown (one of my favorite brown ales) with 4th Generation 1931 which was very good, and 2014 Stone Old Guardian with a blending of Gawith 1792 and local b&m aromatic called captain's choice, which was delicious as well. The aro really takes the heavy and strong bite out of the 1792, while still keeping it fairly med-full bodied with a not-too-overbearing nicotine blast as would be with 1792 alone. Keep in mind though, I do have a fairly high tolerance to nicotine, to start with.

 

[necron99]

When having a drink and a smoke I choose something that pairs well. With whiskey a smokey or nutty Toby.

with gin a nice English, beer requires a Scottish or an Irish blend.