The Count of Montecristo

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The Count of Montecristo

I prepared myself for this pairing, scheduling ample smoking time. I imagine that all cigar smokers out there also value their smoking time as one of the most enjoyable moments in the week. When bad weather coincides with the smoking time, however, one has to get creative. I can only imagine how much the weather has complicated things for all the people in the Caribbean and North America.

I proceeded to my bar’s terrace to find a good place under the rain so I could leisurely enjoy a Habano I had reserved for this occasion: a Montecristo N°2, also known as Pirámide (52 x 156mm). This is one of the most recognized of the classic “puros”, especially from Montecristo. It has a medium to heavy body, particularly heavy if you are referring to a box released during the last couple of years, which is the case with mine.

In order to identify the best (which we’ll crown as The Count of Montecristo), I’ll be sipping two rums concurrently with the cigar. The rums have different geographical origins and different congener levels, so each should offer a different experience.

The first rum is from Venezuela, Pampero Aniversario, which does not have an age statement on the label, like the rest of the products in their portfolio, but knowing the production method a bit, I estimate the age should be a blend of rums ranging from 4-8 years, light (low congener) rum, rounded off with well-defined barrel notes, not uncommon for Venezuelan rums.

The second rum is from Guyana, I am referring to one that has become very popular at bars I’ve visited. It is usually the go-to rum for bartenders attempting to make rum versions of classic cocktails, none other than El Dorado 15 Year Old, with a very well-defined character and lingering finish. Let’s see how these two rums do with the pairing.

Once I lit up the Habano, and despite the adverse weather conditions, the cigar burned perfectly and had an excellent draw. I had kept this cigar under the best possible conditions at my house (I have a special place for these “jewels”, which should always be kept apart from other cigars). I then turned my attention to the rums to see which one paired up better.

I must admit that during the first puffs and before the cigar’s full strength became evident, the pairing was more interesting with the Pampero, since the intensity of both the rum and the cigar where in equilibrium. The finish from the Pampero was only long enough to match the early notes from the cigar, the oak was not overwhelming and the caramel was low, atop subtle alcohol and brown sugar.

The El Dorado 15 had a stronger, better-defined body, which I knew going into the pairing, but I had hoped that it would match well with the cigar during the first third. The rum came across a bit too intense and I knew then I had to save it for later in the pairing.

Things changed once I got to the second third of the cigar, in part due to the fact that I had already been smoking for over 10 minutes and my palate was getting used to the strength of the Habano. The El Dorado’s intensity, with a blend of dried fruits and ex-Bourbon barrels, with well-oxidized rum became the perfect match for the cigar.

Pampero, on the other hand, was left behind due to the growing intensity in flavors from the cigar and, while it could have been possible to continue sipping this rum, what really made the pairing work was the matching level of complexity from El Dorado, whereas the Pampero only excelled at the start.

You can do this pairing with only El Dorado 15 and, as I mentioned earlier, you can also use it instead of whiskey to make a rum version of a classic cocktail. This pairing worked well because of the balance achieved between the rum and the cigar, with neither taking front stage, giving El Dorado 15 the title of Count of Montecristo.

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).