Father’s Day treat: cigars and whisky

Posted on June 6, 2016

For Father’s Day, on Sunday 19th June,  we have a special treat lined up for all the fathers coming to aqua kyoto – a Glenfiddich whisky tasting with cigars specifically blended to go with each dram.

All Dad’s dining with us at aqua kyoto for our celebrated Infinity Brunch will be treated to a complimentary whisky and cigar tasting hosted by Bars Manager Nico Peratinos on our stunning terrace. There will be three sessions throughout the day at 11.30am, 2.30pm and 3.30pm so you can join before or after your meal.
Cigars wrappers are key in creating the flavours of a cigar. What makes a cigar wrapper unique is where the leaf is grown, what seed it is grown from, and how far down the tobacco plant the leaf is plucked from – the further down the better. The ‘Big Four’ major wrappers are Connecticut, Corojo, Hanano, and Maduro.

First we have the Glenfiddich 12 year old, matched with ‘Connecticut Shade’ Ecuador, age 2010. The wrapper on this cigar is from plants grown under shade, to give a much milder flavour profile. As the name implies, this wrapper is from an American seed, but grown in Ecuador. This cigar has a delicate flavour, which perfectly pairs with the oak and fruit notes of this whisky.

Next is Glenfiddich 18 year old, paired with the Broadleaf Maduro – Pennsylvania, 2010. The Maduro wrapper is the darkest of the ‘Big Four’ wrappers, grown in Pennsylvania, the rich dark colour is caused from intense fermentation, bringing out a rich, sweet flavour that is a great match for the honey and fruit notes in the whisky.

Paired with our Glenfiddich 21 year old, our final cigar is a Sumatra, age 2010. This is a slightly unusual wrapper, with the plant originating from the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Interestingly, a lot of Sumatra tobacco is grown from the Sumatran seed, but in Honduras and Ecuador. This tobacco offers more mature flavours to match the Glenfiddich 21. The final part of the cigar’s taste profile gives increased spice and complexity, complimenting this whisky and its more intense notes.