I've spent a lot of time behind the bar, and working as a bartender in Kentucky, you're expected to know a thing or two about whiskey. As a tobacco writer, I'm expected to know a thing or two about tobacco. Bash those two qualifications together, and I think I'm fit to tell you some of my favorite whiskey and tobacco pairings, particularly for the spring as the weather warms up. I've included an example for every category of whiskey that I personally drink. My apologies to Canada, I've yet to find a whiskey you produce that I enjoy. I suppose Crown Royal and a codger would be fine but I'm not going to go buy a bottle to test that theory. Off we go to the spring pairings I enjoy the most.

Single Malt Scotch: Highland Park 12 Year and Cornell & Diehl's Midnight Drive

One of my personal favorites in my liquor cabinet, Highland Park 12 Year is aged in seasoned oak casks and offers a full flavor profile with notes of heather honey, dried fruits, mulled spices, and Seville oranges, and a gentle peaty finish. I think it's delightfully paired with Midnight Drive, an enchanting dark blend with a subtly sweet aroma of Bright Virginias, Perique, a touch of Latakia, and a hint of Turkish leaf. Despite its dark appearance, Midnight Drive shines bright with Highland Park 12 Year's profile of sweet citrus, hay, and honey-like Bright Virginias with robust elements of baking spices, earthy nuts, and dried pit fruit that's rounded out with a smoked oak and leather finish complementing the scotch nicely bowl after bowl, and dram after dram.

Bourbon: Old Forester 100 and Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation: Fathers, Friends & Fire Batch 003 Sweet Aromatic

Old Forester 100 is one of my favorite bourbons for below 30 bucks. I've kept it stocked at every bar I've managed, and I've kept a bottle or two in reserve at home for drinking straight or adding some punch to a cocktail. Despite its high proof, it carries a taste of ripe sweet fruit, clove and nutmeg, and toasted oak that finishes sweet and light. In recent months, I've enjoyed it the most with Batch 003 Sweet Aromatic. Sweet Aromatic is a medium-strength blend with strong sourdough elements and earthy nuts toward the back, and a sweet vanilla finish that I think plays nicely with Old Fo 100's profile.

Japanese Whiskey: Kaigan Sakura Cask Japanese Whisky and G.L. Pease's Horizon Flake

Kaigan Sakura Cask is slept on in my opinion. It's aged in Sakura wood casks — made from Cherry Blossom trees — which allows its flavors to deepen in a nice duality. It's both savory and sweet with an edge of spices and notes of walnuts, fresh citrus, sweet melon, and toasted oak. Horizon plays great with it. Horizon carries a sweetness that balances between cane sugar and light brown sugar, cracked cloves, incense, slight earthiness, and gentle toasted wood on the back end. Together, you get this melody of bright, warm sweetness with darker, earthier tones that I think is perfect for the spring and summer weather.

Blended Scotch: Johnnie Walker Green Label and Cornell & Diehl's Bayou Morning

Green Label is my favorite of the Johnnie Walker portfolio and a Scotch I come back to fairly consistently when the weather warms up. It's complete with notes of malt, caramel, cracked black pepper with a smoky finish, and it's full of peat and sea salt. I love it with Bayou Morning. You'll get those woody, earthy notes from the Red Virginia with a nice edge of dark pit fruits and nice tart, citrusy, hay notes from the Bright Virginia. Finally, Perique gives it a strong peppery, figgy finish that I think pairs nicely with Green Label's lingering peat and sea salt.

Irish Whiskey: Red Breast 12 Year and Cornell & Diehl's Burley Flake #4

Much like Canadian whiskey, I don't drink a lot of Irish whiskey but I do enjoy a dram of Red Breast 12 Year. It's full-flavored and complex with a silky mouthfeel and a nice balance of spice, fruits, toasted nuts, and sherry. My go-to for Red Breast is Burley Flake #4 with its elements of earth, nuts, light molasses, nibs of cocoa, and a nice dryness.

That's five of my favorite springtime whiskey and tobacco pairings. What do you smoke with your favorite whiskey? Let me know in the comments below. Until the next one, cheers big ears, and happy smokes!