Ah, smoking and drinking — a duo as timeless as “singing and dancing,” “peanut butter and jelly,” or “Bieber and poor judgment.” Before most of us made the switch to e-cigarettes, the act of smoking went hand-in-hand with … well … whatever cocktail you chose. Which is a little limiting, when you really think about it.
Well, now it’s time to treat those rediscovered taste buds – you know what I mean if you’ve made the switch, amiright? – to some new “timeless duos” in the form of alcohol and nicotine (or nicotine-free, because we’ve got those too).
Vaping Mixology: Pairing Vape Flavors with Cocktails
With the flavorful world of vaping (for now), there is a wealth of flavor pairings just waiting to be enjoyed. So, we put the expert White Cloud staff — most of whom are avid vapers themselves — to work to find out what exciting new flavor combinations they’ve discovered, and which ones they can’t live without.
1. Atlantic Cut Tobacco with Hot Bourbon Apple Cider
Ah Atlantic Cut, our sweet tobacco e-liquid flavor, proved to be a very popular suggestion – mostly due to its smooth, clean tobacco flavor. But, while most chose to pair Atlantic Cut with straight whiskeys (a perfectly acceptable and delicious suggestion) one team member took the concept further and paired it with a spirited bourbon/honey/cinnamon-based hot apple cider. Now that’s a mouthful (of deliciousness).
In this classically influenced combo, the sweet honey and hot cinnamon not only bring out the best in the bourbon, but also the apple and maple undertones of Atlantic Cut. If you’re planning on making your cider a “little Irish” this year, give this one a shot.
2. Menthol with a Berry Mojito
Just a foreword about this one: we’re headquartered in Florida. In other words, we sweat our fannies off for more than half the year. This means we have to find creative ways to stay cool during those scorching hot summer days.
Enter our menthol flavor paired with a berry mojito and you’ve got something berry refreshing (pun intended). This cool pair goes so well together the only way to describe it is “aaaah”.
To make a berry mojito, grab a tall glass and add about 8 fresh mint leaves, an ounce of simple syrup, some blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, and the juice of one lime. Muddle them all together, then fill with ice and add an ounce and a half of rum and a splash of lemon-lime soda. Sip in between puffs of our Menthol flavor and forget all about that heat index reaching three digits.
3. Espresso with Amaretto Liqueur
Espresso, our coffee flavored e-liquid, has a strong and loyal customer base – and with good reason. When we first created the flavor, we wanted to not only reunite nicotine and caffeine, but also satisfy the coffee aficionados that populate our offices (we’ve gone through 5 Keurig machines in the last 5 years – no lie).
Much like good Italian coffee, our Espresso seemed to pair best with similarly complex flavors — most notably, those found in a high-quality amaretto liqueur. While we’re not partial to any one specific brand, be sure to choose one that contains strong almond and fruit notes, along with hints of spice to counter the robust coffee vape.
If amaretto isn’t your cup of…spirits, then try pairing it with some Irish cream over ice or with a neat brandy. Hazelnut liqueur is also a good choice, or you can just go for some good ole bourbon.
And for a deliciously divine duo, add about an ounce of Patron XO Cafe Dark to a glass and top it off with half an ounce of Irish cream to create a “baby Guinness” – you’ll thank us later.
Related: Nicotine vs. Caffeine: They’re More Alike Than You Think
4. Cin with The Devil’s Advocate
Ah, Cin and The Devil’s Advocate – sounds like the perfect pair, doesn’t it? Apple cinnamon-flavored anything is indeed a tasty treat, but an apple cinnamon-flavored cocktail paired with our fiery cinnamon e-liquid flavor known as Cin? Even better.
Aside from vape flavors, we’ve seen a lot of cinnamon-flavored items pop up in the market, including the cinnamon-flavored whisky known as Fireball. When you add that with equal parts Spiced Rum, Apple Schnapps and Lemon-Lime soda, you get “The Devil’s Advocate”, and when you take a sip followed by a puff of Cin, you’ll see why they were meant for each other.
More than any other combination on this list, it’s imperative that you enjoy these flavors in tandem, so be sure you’re in an environment that welcomes vapers. The effect just won’t be the same if you have to keep pausing for “smoke” breaks.
5. Zero K with a White Russian
Over the years, we’ve noticed a resurgence in the number of heavy and rich, cream-based cocktails being served at bars (which is even more notable when you consider we’re based on the Gulf Coast of Florida). So, being the thorough social scientists we are, our team unanimously volunteered to revisit these drinks … in the name of research, of course.
White Russians – typically made from vodka, coffee liqueur and cream – are fairly uniform, flavor-wise. But, when counter-balanced with the sharp minty bite of our peppermint e-liquid flavor known as Zero K, the richness is quickly cut, making for a combination that isn’t common, but completely “works.”
By taking a few long puffs of Zero K, you brighten the thick and heavy flavor profile of the cocktail, while the peppermint takes on almost candy-like notes in parallel. Plus, doing so effectively cleanses your palate with each inhale, so neither your drink nor your vape ever become boring.
6. Cherry Black with a Spiked Root Beer Float
🎶 …Happy days are here to stay…🎶
Yeah, that’s the song we got stuck in our heads when we matched this seriously compatible couple. A White Cloud favorite, Cherry Black is our sweet and robust pipe tobacco flavor that can be enjoyed without a pipe, of course! It delivers the classic taste of flue-cured pipe tobacco with just a hint of cherry for a subtly sweet vaping experience.
To turn any day into a happy day, just grab a glass and add a shot (or two or three, we won’t judge) of vanilla vodka or rum, two to three scoops of vanilla ice cream (or more, again we won’t judge), and your favorite root beer, and enjoy some Cherry Black puffs between sips for the perfect marriage of bold and sweet.
7. Vanilla with a Chocolate Martini
Enjoy the classics with this sweet, timeless duo. When finding the perfect soulmate for our vanilla flavored e-liquid our taste buds instinctively led us to chocolate. Vanilla and chocolate go together like peanut butter and jelly, only so much tastier!
Created to deliver the smooth flavor of vanilla bean, our vanilla e-cig flavor is dessert in a puff – and when you pair it with a decadent chocolate martini, you’ll feel like the classiest person in the room.
Just grab a cocktail shaker and add some ice with 2 ounces of vanilla vodka and an ounce and a half of chocolate liqueur, shake it up and strain into a martini glass. Take a sip, then a puff of vanilla and enjoy the sweet blend of these classic flavors.
For an extra special treat, try lining the rim of the glass with some powdered cocoa and adding some cherries. Mmm.
8. What a Melon with Gin and Tonic
Another simple duo with some seriously refreshing flavor, our What a Melon flavor paired with gin and tonic makes for a great date to a picnic (even if you’re sitting at your desk).
When creating this summertime e-cig flavor, we wanted to capture the true taste of watermelon – without the seeds. No fake candy watermelon taste here – What a Melon is packed with so much flavor, it will leave you wondering how we managed to fit a huge watermelon into a tiny bottle. Oh and please note, no watermelons were harmed in the making of this flavor—except for two, but they received a proper memorial. We promise.
To really bring out that watermelon flavor, just grab a glass with ice and add 2 ounces of gin, 4 ounces of tonic water and a lime wedge and sip between each puff. Aaaaah, that’s the stuff.
A Final Word
When talking with our team, we received a metric ton of flavor pairing suggestions, so this list is FAR from complete (even with the bonuses). But hopefully it has a little something for everyone, from our wine drinkers to our tequila lovers. Now go forth and enjoy some vaping and drinking like the adult you are🥂
