Cigar & Rum Pairing
Icon
I have tried several offerings from the Macanudo lineup and I have always enjoyed their consistency, no disappointments. For this pairing I selected a Robusto from the Icon series. I honestly was not familiar with this cigar, but I liked the fact that it was a Robusto, which has a great smoking time.
As I read up more about this cigar, I learned about the wide range of tobacco leaves from different origins, something that is very common among Dominican Republic cigars. Some of them turn out to be pleasant surprises, others not so much. In this case, however, it was a pleasant surprise, both the leaves inside and the wrapper outside, which is unmistakably Connecticut.
Macundo Robusto cigar
To pair with something this noble, without camouflaging its personality, I wanted a good rum that could be enjoyed neat. I selected Santa Teresa 1796, one of my favorite sippers, it has long-lasting leather and sweet oak flavors, with notes of caramel and dry berries, which I really enjoy.
Santa Teresa 1976 rum
It is time to light up the cigar. The draw is even, meaning it was rolled very well. The flavors are a mix of sweet syrup and oak, with a medium intensity, ideal for this particular rum. Each sip evokes coffee-like experiences, hinting at the idea of pairing with an espresso. If you ask me, I would start with the cigar and the espresso and would then continue with the rum afterwards, as the cigar gains intensity.
The most interesting thing, which does not usually happen with the majority of the cigars, is that this one maintained the same intensity between the first and second thirds. For the purpose of this pairing, this turned out to be excellent, as I was expecting an increase in intensity but was rewarded instead with a more consistent and enjoyable pairing. It was an excellent pairing for cigar and rum lovers.
I really recommend this cigar, and not only to those who love Robustos: it is a very honest cigar, with a medium body and a great blend of tobacco leaves.
Cheers!
Philip Ili Barake
#GRCigarPairing
