Delicious
It is a new year and I’m thinking about ways to surprise you, the reader, with a new pairing. One of the biggest surprises I had during 2016, was how much I enjoyed testing pairings with lightly aged (or white) rums. I used to believe that cigar pairings could only work with aged distillates, but white/un-aged products open up the door to a whole new world of pairings, this was a very important lesson for me and one that I plan to put into practice for this month’s pairing.
For this occasion I selected Rhum Blanc Agricole from Maison La Mauny, located in the South of the island of Martinique. This particular bottle was a gift from a great friend of mine, Mr. Benoit Bail. I am sure neither he nor I knew then that this was going to be the fate of the rhum!
As far as the cigar, I opted for a Habano from H. Upmann, the Connoisseur A (52 x 140mm) to be precise. The factory name for this cigar is “Genios”, and it was first used in the Maduro 5 series in 2007 by Cohiba, and more recently released by H. Upmann in 2013. This format is very appealing to serious cigar smokers, since it provides for at least an hour of leisure smoking time.
Since I had selected a white rhum I needed a cocktail that would highlight and harmonize with the rhum. I decided to try again the Rum Manhattan, but this time drier and without the garnish.
This is the final recipe:
• 2.5 oz. Rhum Blanc Agricole Maison La Mauny
• 1 oz. Vermouth Rosso
Once again I used the blended Vermouth Rosso that I had prepared with cherry liqueur and over proof rum, a very personalized version of Vermouth but one that remains true to its essence.
The Martini glass must be chilled ahead of time, also avoid over shaking the ingredients to prevent diluting them too much with the melted ice. Follow these two simple steps and you’ll achieve a well -balanced cocktail.
To save time, I lit the cigar first and then I proceeded to prepare the Rum Manhattan. The pairing during the first third of the cigar was flawless, the only thing the cocktail needed was the tobacco and toasted wood notes, provided by the cigar. It was simply delicious, hence the name of the pairing.
The cigar, on the other hand, even though I had stored it in my humidor since 2015, was medium-bodied, true to its brand, with an excellent draw.
The pairing unfolded so well that I had to prepare a second cocktail! Unlike what I had expected, the cigar maintained its profile, I’m not sure if it was because the Manhattan was masking the aggressiveness. For this reason, if you cannot find this particular cigar, do not try the pairing with any stronger than H. Upmann, or with a body level heavier than medium. But if you do find it, I ’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
Please stay tuned for new and exciting pairings this year. In addition to pairings with cocktails, I’m also planning to go back to pairings that incorporate a gastronomical dimension.
Philip Ili Barake
#GR CigarPairing
My name is Philip Ili Barake, Sommelier by trade. As a result
of working with selected restaurants and wine producers in Chile, I started developing a passion for distilled spirits and cigars. As part of my most recent job, I had the opportunity to visit many Central American countries, as well as, rum distilleries and tobacco growers. But my passion for spirits and cigars did not end there; in 2010 I had the honor of representing Chile at the International Cigar Sommelier Competition, where I won first place, becoming the first South American to ever achieve that feat. Now I face the challenge of impressing the readers of “Got Rum?” with what is perhaps the toughest task for a Sommelier : discussing pairings while being well aware that there are as many individual preferences as there are rums and cigars in the world. I believe a pairing is an experience that should not be limited to only two products; it is something that can be incorporated into our lives. I hope to help our readers discover and appreciate the pleasure of trying new things (or experiencing known things in new ways).