Tea and Tobacco Pairing

It’s a fact that tobacco goes well with pairs, and what’s a better pairing beverage than the palate cleanser supreme—tea! Drinking tea is the perfect way to melt away any sharp tastes or settle flavors that may be too bold for your liking so that they become mild and smooth on your palate. Naturally, this makes them perfect for pairing with your tobacco, especially when your smoke is recreational or for relaxation purposes.

Another property of tea that makes it an excellent match with tobacco is that alongside our senses of taste, it also appeals to our senses of smell. The mixture of aromas between tea and tobacco always creates a very enjoyable puffing and sipping experience.

Like any tobacco and beverage pairings, it is best to remember that preferences will always be subjective. Everyone has different things and tastes that they like. Still, there remains a pretty constant “golden rule” to pairing your tea with your tobacco:

A.) The lighter the blend of your tobacco, the lighter the color of the tea you should choose. For instance, a mild blend of tobacco often makes a perfect pair with a lighter-colored tea such as an herbal white tea.

B.) The darker the blend of your tobacco, the darker your brew should be. A richer, darker Virginia tobacco, for example, would pair wonderfully with a similarly rich cup of black tea.

Before offering you tea and tobacco pairing suggestions, it is important that you first understand how tea is made. The making of any tea has a direct impact on its flavor and therefore affects the kind of tobacco it would pair suitably with.

Tea, in general, is planted and harvested, and then the leaves undergo the processes of withering, rolling, oxidation, and firing. Oxidation is the process through which tea leaves are exposed to oxygen to dry and darken them, which contributes to the flavor, aroma, and strength of different teas. Some teas are made using oxidation, whereas others will skip this process and use sun-drying or steaming techniques instead. For example, green teas undergo very minimal oxidation, while black teas are fully oxidized.

So now that you know how teas are made, let’s get into a detailed guide with tea and tobacco pairing recommendations that you can try out for amazing puffing and sipping experiences.

1. Black Teas

Black teas are fully oxidized, resulting in dark, rich cups of tea that are high in caffeine. Because of their full oxidation and hearty, robust body, black teas often pair well with sweet and smooth tastes, good examples being milk and sugar. They are the most common staple teas; your regular English Breakfast tea and Earl Grey are made using blends of black tea.

Recommended Pairings:

A. If you enjoy your black tea with milk and potentially a cube or two of sugar, then you should go for an English blend of tobacco as these two make an excellent pair.

B. If you prefer your black tea as it is—just black, pair it with a darker Virginia or Virginia-Perique tobacco and it’ll work wonders.

C. For Earl Grey lovers, tobacco with citrus notes like Orlik Golden Sliced is a must-puff if you’re looking for a sublime pairing.

2. Oolong Teas

Oolongs are partially oxidized, and their oxidation level can vary widely between that of black and green teas. Lighter oolongs that are more similar to green teas and darker oolongs that are more similar to black teas are both common. Oolong teas can also have a wide variety of different flavor characteristics depending on their level of oxidation. They can range from floral to smoky, fruity to creamy, and sometimes carry even slightly bitter notes.

Recommended Pairing:

Due to their complex flavor profile, oolong teas should be paired with a matured Virginia tobacco, like McClelland Matured Virginia, for a rich and dark smoking and drinking experience.

3. Green Teas

Green teas are largely unoxidized and undergo a heating process—sometimes known as “killing the green”—soon after harvesting to halt oxidation, resulting in lighter, more mellow cups of tea with complex, fully herbal notes.

Recommended Pairing:

Green tea pairs best with bold or bright Virginias, offering a smooth smoke that will complement and not overpower the bolder flavor and thinner texture of the green tea.

4. White Teas

White teas, because of their minimal processing, undergo a small amount of oxidization as they dry. White teas are often composed of the finest downy buds and tips of the tea plant, which makes them particularly prized. Although white teas do not undergo the usual oxidation processes of black or oolong teas, they do oxidize slightly as they are exposed to air during the drying process. These teas have a delicate floral character and are usually sweet in flavor and low in caffeine.

Recommended Pairing:

White tea, being a fairly delicate beverage, will want milder tobacco such as a MacBaren’s Navy flake or a milder Oriental blend.

5. Pu-erh Teas

Unlike other teas made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, Pu-erh teas are unique in that they are fermented and aged. Pu-erh teas are aged anywhere from a few months to several years and develop a distinctive rich, earthy, sometimes smoky taste through this process. They are also very good for digestion.

Recommended Pairing:

This musty, earthy tea pairs smoothly with bright Virginias and aromatic tobaccos.

6. Rooibos Teas

Unlike the rest of these teas as well, rooibos doesn’t come from the Camellia Sinensis plant, but rather from the South African Aspalathus Linearis plant. It is a red tea with a sweet, clean profile. Caffeine-free and high in antioxidants, it can also come as the sweeter honeybush or the more earthy green rooibos.

Recommended Pairing:

Aromatic tobacco makes a fitting match with the clean taste of rooibos teas.

Other Beverages that Pair Excellently With Pipe Tobacco

1. Beer: And the darker, the better. Some popular brands and beverages include the classic Guinness, Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro, Negra Modelo, Allagash Black, Founders Porter, and anything you can find that’s been brewed in a bourbon barrel.

2. Red Wine: Red wine is the standard for a sophisticated night and pipe tobacco is a sophisticated type of smoke, so it’s not hard to see how well both would go with each other.

3. Single-Malt Whiskey/Scotch: Many pipe smokers swear by the power of whiskey on the rocks to accompany their nightly tobacco. The pure taste and smooth finish of a good single-malt like Aberfeldy 21, Ben Nevis Single Cask Highland 15, or Glenfiddich 30 simply cannot be beaten.

4. Bourbon: An American whiskey made from corn mash, bourbon is an equally excellent accompaniment to your tobacco pipe. You can have it served on the rocks or in a cocktail.

5. Brandy: A favorite after-dinner drink, brandy is a caramel-colored spirit made from distilled wine. You can sip your brandy or cognac straight up from a snifter or tulip glass or in a beloved cocktail such as a brandy sour or sidecar.

6. Southern Comfort: A liqueur produced from neutral spirits with fruit, spice, and a hint of whiskey flavor, Southern Comfort is a tantalizingly sweet accompaniment to your pipe smoke. You can have it served straight up with a lime garnish or in a cocktail with cranberry or lime juice.

7. Martini: A dry martini, made with dry, white vermouth, gin, a dash of orange bitters, and a lemon twist garnish, is a timeless, popular, and subtle cocktail sure to enhance the flavors of any quality tobacco.

8. Rum and Coke: A rum and coke is simply the perfect combination of dark or light rum with cola, and a bit of lime juice for the adventurous, all served in a highball glass over lots of ice. The rum and coke are perfect for warm evenings on the porch or around a summer bonfire with a group of friends and a pipe.

9. Old Fashioned: Made with bourbon or rye whiskey, 2 dashes of Angostura bitters, 1 sugar cube, and just a touch of water, the Old Fashioned is best when garnished with an orange slice, a cocktail cherry, and the pipe tobacco of your choice.

 

Conclusion

Tea has become a staple for a lot of pipe smokers recently. Being a beverage of sublime aromas and flavors, selecting the right tea to pair while puffing at your favorite tobacco certainly enhances your smoking experience tenfold. But like I always say, the golden truth is that if there’s any drink or food that you want to eat at any time, and you also just happen to be craving a smoke simultaneously, go for both!

In the end, like most things in life, it all comes down to individual tastes. Through trial and error, you’ll discover soon enough what works best for you and what doesn’t. You’re also more likely to find the perfect pair for your tobacco when you’re having what you want rather than when you’re doing what you’re told.