All Black

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                                            All Black

The name of this pairing may come across as having been inspired by the famous Rugby team but, to be honest, I’m not a fan of that sport.  I am a happy fan of the Atlanta Falcons football team and the name of this month’s pairing is inspired by the products used in its implementation.

The first item is an Alec Bradley cigar from the Black Market line.  Its composition is a bit uncommon, with a combination of filler leaves from Panama and Honduras, so just from that fact we know it won’t be very smooth.  The binder is Sumatra and the wrapper is recognizably Nicaraguan.  The cigar has a rich, dark Maduro color, so from the beginning we know it’ll have a strong body, with an aggressive character.  This line has cigars in 7 formats thus far.  I selected the Robusto (52 Ring by 5¼”) for several reasons, mainly the smoking time and the thickness of the cigar.  Upon inspecting the cigar, it has a second band which covers a bit more than 50% of the length of the cigar.  Once I removed it, I was left with the traditional band with a color that offers a nice contrast against the Maduro tone of the wrapper.  

A friend of mine has a rule that states that “the quality of a cigar is inversely proportional to the size of the cigar’s bands.”  Sometimes I’ve agreed with him, we’ll see how this pairing unfolds.

The second item is a Cuban rum that I really enjoy for its simplicity, its light typical taste coming from barrels that have been used many times, one that represents old labels from the product line (the product was more recently changed to be a 12 year old, to better compete against the many whiskies sold with that age statement).  I am referring to Ron Santiago de Cuba, 11 year old.  When the producers changed this product to 12 years, they also changed the label design, but I prefer the old design from the 11 year old product, which was a very emblematic ambassador for the rums produced in the Eastern part of the island.

The third item is a product that is always around when people drink rum and smoke cigars: black coffee.  I selected an espresso with rich coffee notes and light creamy hints that will come in marvelously as we approach the second third of the cigar.

Let’s see how this unfolds... 

I start by pouring the rum into a glass, to start preparing the palate for the beautiful combination of flavors about to arrive.As I start sipping the rum, it brings back a lot of memories.  I hold this rum close to my heart because I enjoyed it while experiencing enjoyable activities and creating beautiful memories.  The first puffs from the cigar have herbal hints, such as dry potpourri flowers combined with coffee beans, a very special character with a an elegant and compact draw, from the high quality of its manufacture.

The range of flavors from the cigar, as it combines with the sweet notes from the rum, result in a very well-rounded caramel experience, long on the palate.  This experience is helped by the intensity and character of the tobacco from the first third of the cigar.

As I continue to smoke, patiently waiting for the coffee, enjoying the sweet notes of the rum (which are vital to this pairing), notes of fig start to develop, which are truly a delicacy.

The time for coffee has finally arrived, Darth Vader would have said that “the circle is now complete” and it truly is marvelous: the espresso does what I thought it would, highlighting the coffee’s mocha character, enhancing the sweetness of the rum, prolonging its finish in the palate, basically converting everything into a well-orchestrated symphony of flavors.

The cigar is a perfect match as described: a very aggressive character that is brought into balance by the rum and the combination is then elevated even higher by the coffee, with a warmth coming not only from its temperature but because it evokes thoughts of freshly-ground coffee beans that even a cigar rookie would love.  The coffee was brought into the pairing at exactly the right time because it is then, when we smoke and finish the second third that we need the contrasting flavors more than ever.  This turned out to be a jewel of a pairing, completely disproving my friend’s theory about the size of the bands.  This cigar is a true contender when it comes to pairings like this one, which are very easy to do at home.

I hope you can replicate this pairing at home.  If you can’t find a bottle of Ron Santiago de Cuba 11, replace it with a younger rum.  Select something simple, with caramel notes that will come through along the length of the pairing.

I hope everyone is staying safe regarding the pandemic.  Let’s continue to enjoy the good things life offers us, such as this pairing.

Cheers!

Philip Ili Barake

#GRCigarPairing