The Ready Room: Cigar Cocktail and Mocktail Pairings

Four Ready Room drinks on a dark wooden bar beside two unbanded cigars in an ashtray

Original drinks from Bravo Cigar Company, built around each cigar in our lineup. Every Bravo cigar gets two: one spirited cocktail and one zero-proof drink, each matched to flavors from that cigar's own tasting notes. For adults 21 and older who already enjoy cigars.

Find Your Pairing

Cigar Spirited Zero-proof
Bangalore Seriesmaduro Breach & ClearBourbon, Italian amaro and chocolate bitters, stirred dark. Ometepe FloatCold brew, dark cocoa and a salted cream float.
Main GunSan Andrés Sabot RoundAñejo tequila and mezcal with mole bitters. Hot Barrel CocoaSpiced dark hot chocolate with a shot of espresso.
LeatherneckHabano Devil DogRye, amontillado sherry, maple and walnut bitters. Drill Field Tea SourStrong black tea, toasted almond and lemon, shaken silky.
Righteous HunterHabano and maduro Night WatchAged rum, bourbon and coffee liqueur, stirred. Last Light ShakeratoEspresso shaken hard with salted toffee syrup.
Chaplain SeriesConnecticut BenedictionIrish whiskey, honey, lemon and a whisper of elderflower. Sanctuary HighballChamomile, honey and lemon topped with ginger ale.

All Ten Recipes

Stirred amber bourbon cocktail on a large ice cube with an orange peel, beside an unbanded maduro cigarSpiritedBreach & ClearWith the Bangalore Series · Stirred Tall iced cold brew topped with a floating layer of cream and grated dark chocolate, beside an unbanded maduro cigarZero-proofOmetepe FloatWith the Bangalore Series · Built Golden añejo tequila old fashioned on a large ice cube with an orange peel, beside an unbanded San Andrés cigarSpiritedSabot RoundWith the Main Gun · Stirred Dark stoneware mug of thick hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick, beside an unbanded San Andrés cigarZero-proofHot Barrel CocoaWith the Main Gun · Hot Stirred copper-colored rye cocktail on a large ice cube with walnuts and a lemon peel, beside an unbanded Habano cigarSpiritedDevil DogWith the Leatherneck · Stirred Coupe of pale amber tea sour with a white foam cap, with almonds and tea leaves, beside an unbanded Habano cigarZero-proofDrill Field Tea SourWith the Leatherneck · Shaken Stirred dark rum cocktail on a large ice cube topped with orange and coffee beans, beside an unbanded cigarSpiritedNight WatchWith the Righteous Hunter · Stirred Chilled coupe of shaken iced espresso with thick crema and coffee beans, beside an unbanded cigarZero-proofLast Light ShakeratoWith the Righteous Hunter · Shaken Coupe of pale golden whiskey sour with a lemon twist and a honey dipper, beside an unbanded Connecticut cigarSpiritedBenedictionWith the Chaplain Series · Shaken Tall highball of pale golden chamomile and ginger ale with a lemon wheel and chamomile flowers, beside an unbanded Connecticut cigarZero-proofSanctuary HighballWith the Chaplain Series · Built

How We Build a Pairing

Each drink starts from the cigar's published flavor notes, not a generic rule. We look for one or two flavors to echo, such as cocoa, leather, coffee bean or honey, and one quality to balance, such as bitterness, pepper or creaminess. Strength matters too. A full-bodied cigar like the Righteous Hunter gets a spirit-forward drink with weight, while the mild-medium Chaplain Series gets something lighter that won't cover its delicate notes.

  • Echo a flavor: amaro bitterness with the Bangalore's pleasant bitterness, or orgeat's almond with the Leatherneck's nuttiness.
  • Match the weight: heavier, stirred drinks for stronger cigars; brighter, shaken or tall drinks for milder ones.
  • Mind the smoke: smoky spirits like mezcal add up quickly alongside a cigar, so we use them in small amounts.
  • Sip with the thirds: many Bravo cigars change from first light to the final third, so notice how the drink plays against each stage.

Zero-Proof Pairings Are Full Pairings

Every non-alcoholic recipe in the Ready Room is built the same way as the cocktails. Coffee, tea, chocolate, honey and spice carry many of the same flavors found in cigar smoke, so a zero-proof drink can be just as precise a match. One garnish, on the Drill Field Tea Sour, uses a few drops of cocktail bitters, which contain alcohol. The recipe says so and shows how to skip it.

Quartermaster's Syrups

  • Demerara syrup (2:1): Stir 2 parts demerara sugar into 1 part hot water until dissolved. Keeps 1 month refrigerated.
  • Honey syrup (1:1): Stir equal parts honey and warm water. Keeps 2 weeks refrigerated.
  • Agave syrup (1:1): Stir equal parts agave nectar and warm water. Keeps 1 month refrigerated.

Log Every Pairing

The free Bravo Cigar Journal includes all ten Ready Room recipes. Pick a drink, tap "Log this pairing" and the journal fills in the cigar and the drink for you.

Looking for coffee, whiskey, beer or food ideas instead? Read the Bravo Cigar Pairing Guide.

Spirited recipes are for adults 21 and older. Enjoy responsibly and never drink and drive.

Tobacco notice: Cigars contain nicotine and pose health risks even without inhalation. See the National Cancer Institute.