The Brown Manhattan

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The Brown Manhattan

I know very well that most of my readers are enjoying a climate that is opposite of the one here in the southern hemisphere, but I wanted a warming cocktail to deal with the cool temperatures we are having, something along the lines of a Digestif, one that would set the stage for a free afternoon, something I don’t really have but wish I did.

Creating the cocktail was very easy, by design, so that it can be recreated at home by most readers, without requiring a lot of ingredients. I created it in the same manner you prepare a Manhattan: refreshing the ingredients and the glass, this way the drink is not served with ice (which would continue diluting it) and is warmed slightly as we smoke the cigar.

The ingredients are:

• 3 oz. Santa Teresa Gran Reserva 1796 Rum

• 2 oz. Vermouth Rosso (here I used my custom blend, which I keep permanently refilling with wine and liquor, Solera-style)

• 1 oz. Coffee Liqueur

The preparation is simple:

Pour all three ingredients into a tumbler (or a plain, large glass), add ice cubes and stir with a bar spoon until the liquid is cool. Strain into a chilled serving glass (I keep mine in the freezer) that will allow for the cocktail to remain cool and warm up slowly over time.

The cigar I selected was a Churchill (7 x 56) from Carlos Toraño’s “The Brick” line. I was saving this cigar for a different occasion (considering its smoking time) but after mixing the cocktail I thought it would go very well with it. I like the origins of the tobaccos, especially Honduras and Nicaragua, in a box-pressed format that makes it well-deserving of the moniker. My cigar had a very even-colored wrapper, so let’s see how the pairing unfolds! 

The cocktail was everything I expected it would be: it was smooth, complex and the rum notes had the right intensity for the pairing to work, making sure that the rum was front and center. Moving on to the cigar: for me, the first third is always too weak, I know that everyone has their preferences, but with this size cigar makes the first third seem even weaker, compared to what will follow. Honduras’ tobacco also reminds me of a couple of other brands, especially in the initial puffs. 

By the time I reached the second third, the cigar was becoming stronger and the cocktail was getting slightly warmer, which was a perfect match. For me the pairing worked much better at this point than during the early stage; I think those who appreciate dark tobacco and coffee would agree with me.

I highly recommend the pairing, especially during an afternoon that is more on the cool side than on the hot one. I hope it is easy enough that many readers will attempt it. Hopefully all those why try it will agree that it is a pairing that only gets better and better!

Philip Ili Barake

#GR CigarPairing

-Article written by Philip Ili Barake- 

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).