Long before there was a bourbon boom or a Japanese whiskey craze, there were two top options for those looking to pair a cigar with an adult-oriented beverage: Rum and coffee.

Sure, there was wine, champagne, beer, cognac, gin, tequila, and any other number of other alcoholic beverages available, along with things like herb tea and "medicinal" colas. But for one reason or another it was coffee and rum that really caught on. How come?

The answer is actually quite logical, and it has everything to do with convenience and cultivation. While there certainly was a lot of tobacco being grown in the Connecticut River Valley by the end of the 1800s, the vast majority of cigars were still being rolled down in the Caribbean. Tropical areas that already had existing farms that were equally dedicated to the growing and harvesting two things: Sugar cane and coffee beans. 

Naturally, this led to there being a surplus of caffeine and alcohol-rich adult beverage options on the market in these parts of the world, and since the locals were already drinking these beverages, it only made sense that they would pair their cigars with familiar flavors. Not only did this make the whole cigar and beverage pairing process more appealing, but it was also far more financially feasible to drink and smoke what was made locally. Beverages like port wine and bourbon were exceedingly rare imports and could only be afforded by the elite in most cigar-producing countries. Only until recently, when globalization truly took hold, were more affordable import options made available in larger quantities, and even then the locals tended to stick with their familiar vices.

And while Cuba certainly has earned the right to call itself the "originator" of the cigar, coffee, and rum pairing process, many of the new-world cigars that have hit the market over the course of the past few decades have gone to great lengths to team up with rum distilleries and/or coffee growers. 

Today, we will take a quick look at both rum and coffee options that pair well with cigars, and discuss why these beverages will always be considered the original drink companions to premium cigar blends. For it is difficult to imagine a cigar world without these complimentary liquid refreshments, and we here at Klaro are huge fans of both quality cups of coffee and premium sipping rums. Let's get to it, shall we?

Rum & Cigars: Born to be Paired Together 

When it comes to rum, ease of access has always been a primary selling point for cigar-producing nations. Even if someone was not keen on the locally distilled stuff, imports from neighboring countries were always a secondary option. Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela all have been rolling out rum casks for well over a century or more. The rum produced in neighboring countries has always been a top alternative choice for cigar-producing nations, all of which offered their own unique spin on the spirit.

But nowadays, the majority of all new-world cigars are being produced in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua. This has ignited an American interest in the spirits that have long been paired with the cigars being rolled in these distant lands, and certain rum producers have capitalized on this fact.

Take Flor de Caña Rum, for instance. This spirits producer has been a staple of the Nicaraguan adult beverage industry since the late 1800s, and is a crowd favorite at the PCA Trade Show every year. Not only does this company sponsor cigar events like Nicaragua's annual Puro Sabor Festival, but it is also the manufacturer that supplies spent casks to help make blends like Esteban Carreras barrel-aged cigars a reality.

But there is only one cigar manufacturer that has its own rum distillery, and that is the Dominican Republic's oldest premium tobacco powerhouse: La Aurora. While the company has been producing cigars since 1903, it only got into the spirits business in 2013, when it launched its own house-made rum to celebrate the company's 110th anniversary.

This first installment is called the E. Leon Jimenes 110 Anniversario, which has been aged for eight years in American oak before being finished in French oak casks for two years. Since its launch, this limited release has been awarded multiple "Rum of the Year" trophies, numerous gold medals, and a slew of accolades from critics and consumers. More recently, the spirit took home double gold and the top prize for best extra-aged rum at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition. While this rum is fairly rare due to limited production volumes and extended aging, a younger 1903 version is more easily accessible. According to the company's website, this 8-year version undergoes 6½ years of aging in former bourbon barrels before being finished in sherry casks for an additional year and a half.

Naturally, being that this is a spirit that is crafted "in-house," the cigar-producing arm of La Aurora tends to take full advantage of the spent rum casks once they have been retired. This results in some seriously tasty barrel-aged cigars, with the dynasty brand's La Aurora Preferidos 1903 Edition Double Barrel Aged being the most recent installment in the company's portfolio. Not only are the binders and fillers that make this limited-run blend a reality aged in E. León Jimenes rum barrels, but the entire cigar is also conditioned inside the cask for an additional period of time post-production.

A Few Top Cigars for Pairing with Rum

Raices Cubanas "Liga de Reyes"

EP Carrillo "Encore"

La Aurora "ADN Dominicano"

Jake Wyatt "Icarus"

Esteban Carreras "Unforsaken"

Coffee & Cigars Explained in Brief

Now, as for coffee, well, let's just say that this ubiquitous beverage has earned its place in pretty much any cigar smoker's daily pairing options portfolio for damn good reason. The sheer number of roast options, coffee bean varietals, and creative barista concoctions alone make pairing options as straightforward as pour-and-puff. Additionally, coffee has traditionally undergone a fermentation process prior to the beans being removed from their fruity flesh. Being that premium cigars are also fermented, the act of combining these two complementary products makes even more sense.

While cigar makers are not typically prone to collaborating with coffee roasters, there is no denying this caffeinated creation's influence upon the cigar industry. Coffee is not native to North America, so the tobacco-growing regions of the world have long held the keys to this caffeinated beverage. Ergo, it is impossible to scroll through Instagram without coming across a handful of coffee and cigar pairing posts, many of which feature cigar blends that are just as exotic as the beans that are being savored. 

Furthermore, you can still find certain cigars that have been naturally "infused" with coffee, with the Oliva Nub Nuance Triple Roast being a crowd favorite here at Klaro. For more on the practice of infusing cigars, be sure to check out our Deep Dive on the subject called Flavored vs Infused Cigars.

A Few Top Cigars for Pairing with Coffee

Plasencia "Alma del Campo"

Caldwell Cigar Co. "Cream Machine"

Cavalier Genève "White Series"

Global Premium Cigars "1502 Nicaragua"

Gellis Family Cigars "Saunter"

Parting Puffs

In essence, pretty much any beverage can be paired with a cigar. The trick is finding the right flavor profile that both complements the cigar you plan on smoking, while providing your palate with a certain level of refreshment. 

So, if you happen to be a big bourbon drinker and want to change things up a bit, go ahead and scoop up a quality bottle of rum for a change of pace. Chances are, you are going to enjoy what you discover as you sip and smoke. Coffee also retains its place as one of the best beverages for savoring alongside a premium cigar blend, and makes for a mighty fine pick-me-up mid-afternoon when that 2 o'clock crash tends to happen. 

No matter what you intend to combine with that stogie you plan on sparking, chances are that you are going to have a ton of fun trying out new pairing options. Just note that if you ever feel the need to truly taste all that a cigar has to offer, and you want to go with the original pairing option, a tall glass of water cannot be beaten. Cheers!