Cigars & Spirits at Dr. Jekylls’s Pub – A Winter Tasting in Oslo
On a 10 below zero evening in Oslo, we found ourselves on the smoking terrace of Dr. Jekylls Pub, wrapped in coats, hands around glasses, smoke rising into cold air.
The tasting was hosted by Augusto Cigars, and the theme was straightforward: cigars and spirits. My brother Per and I arrived curious rather than seasoned. We’ve both enjoyed cigars before, but never in a structured tasting format.
The Cigar: Viaje “2012”
The cigar of the evening was the 2012 from Viaje Cigars — a Nicaraguan release named after the year the Mayan calendar allegedly predicted the end of the world.
Fortunately, the world continued. So did the smoke.
The profile was rounded and accessible. Medium-bodied at most. Creamy texture, restrained spice, balanced construction. For occasional smokers like us, it was a well-chosen introduction to pairing. It burned evenly for most of the session, and when it didn’t, we learned how to correct it — small rotations, patient draws, resisting the urge to overheat the wrapper.
The most fun part was learning how to «purge» the cigar. A great trick that helps «reset» the cigar when it becomes a bit to strong halfway down.
There’s something satisfying about understanding the mechanics behind the ritual.
The Spirits: Whisky Takes the Lead
We tasted three spirits:
The Dalmore Cigar Malt
Glen Scotia Double Cask Rum Finish
Cognac Leyrat VSOP
The Dalmore Cigar Malt felt purpose-built. They told us to look for a rich, dark taste. Fruit, a hint of chocolate and spice.
Honestly, our conclusion? It was a good whisky, but fruit and chocolate? Not so much.
Glen Scotia Double Cask, finished in rum barrels, brought a slightly sweeter and more tropical note. Interesting on its own. With the cigar, it became softer, rounder.
The Cognac Leyrat VSOP was elegant, but for us, slightly too sweet in combination. The cigar seemed to flatten its nuance rather than amplify it.
The general consensus in the group — around 12–15 people that evening — leaned clearly toward whisky as the superior pairing.
