(Affordable) Port Reccos?

[Zaxeiler]

I’m a bit of a purist. Almost every time I smoke a cigar (and every first time or review), I drink iced tea. It doesn’t shift the taste too much for me, and is consistent (so shifting the taste the exact same for all smokes). 
 

However, I have dabbled with drink pairings. With the exception of coffee, few enhance the experience for me. Some, like soft drinks, diminish my personal experience. And while I enjoy many alcohols, I find most to be neutral at best when smoking. 
 

But I recently paired a 10 year old tawny port with a cigar, and it blew me away. The port enhanced the cigar flavors, and the cigar enhanced the port. Maybe everyone knows this already, but it was news to me. 
 

I know very little about ports. So I figured I would leverage the wisdom of the crowd. Who else enjoys a port and cigar? And (within reason) what port varieties should I be exploring?

[El Presidente]

Port is a fantastic pairing. 

I prefer a Rutherglen Tokay or Muscat with a cigar. 

My all time favourite pairing however is good Pedro Ximinez Sherry. If you enjoyed the Port pairing then this will likely move it up a few notches. 

This is my everyday. 

 

[Zaxeiler]

  On 8/18/2022 at 10:37 PM, El Presidente said:

Port is a fantastic pairing. 

I prefer a Rutherglen Tokay or Muscat with a cigar. 

My all time favourite pairing however is good Pedro Ximinez Sherry. If you enjoyed the Port pairing then this will likely move it up a few notches. 

This is my everyday.

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Damn prez, now I have to learn sherry too???

(In all seriousness, thanks for the recommendations.)

[El Presidente]

  On 8/18/2022 at 10:45 PM, Zaxeiler said:

Damn prez, now I have to learn sherry too???

(In all seriousness, thanks for the recommendations.)

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...there is sherry....and then there is Pedro Ximinez sherry 

[Fuzz]

  On 8/18/2022 at 10:52 PM, El Presidente said:

...there is sherry....and then there is Pedro Ximinez sherry 

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Quite true. If you bought this sherry (apera as it is now known in Aus), you done messed up.

[Zaxeiler]

  On 8/19/2022 at 12:40 AM, Fuzz said:

Quite true. If you bought this sherry (apera as it is now known in Aus), you done messed up.

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But Fuzz, it’s “specially selected sweet”!

[BrightonCorgi]

Oloroso sherry is my favorite sherry style with and without a cigar. 

I am little bit of port wine nerd, but don't find it to be an ideal pairing (as historic as it is) with cigars.  If you are trying with 10 year tawny, consider an LBV Port (late bottle vintage).  Noval and Warre are my two go to's in LBV, but any brand would do.  A Ruby Reserve is very close in style to LBV and works too.  Either style are more tannic than Tawny and helps out with cigar.