Warm Chances

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                                         Warm Chances

I am aware of the bitter cold being experienced by many of our readers, some without electricity or water and I don’t want to imagine smokers who have to step outside and face the weather, so I’m struggling to put together a pairing for this month.  In the end, I opted for a warm pairing, easy to prepare and enjoy.

First of all, find a large coffee or teacup, the rest of the ingredients are:

  • 2 oz. Bacardi 8 Year Old
  • 2 oz. Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum
  • 2 Espresso
  • 1 oz. Frothed Milk or Whipped Cream for garnish

You may be asking yourself why I selected two different Bacardi rums for this pairing.  I did so because I’m thinking of what is more readily available to readers who reside in the USA: I imagine these rums can be easily obtained and many people may already have them at home.

The preparation is very simple: add two ounces of each rum to the cup, and then add the two espressos.  Add enough cream to give the coffee the appearance of a “cortado”.  It will have an excellent finish and will be just warm enough to enjoy outside on a cold day.

I normally would have chosen a shorter cigar for a cold-weather pairing, but I opted instead to maximize the smoking session outside and prepare as many cups of the above recipe as needed, to finish the cigar while also staying warm.

The cigar I selected was a Bolivar “Campanas” (52 x 140 mm), called Belicosos Finos.  It is a cigar with an aggressive body and intense flavors that hold its ground against the bold coffee, especially the cream.

I feel the pairing is far from becoming a classic, but given the cold weather affecting many readers, it can be a wonderful experience.  The spiced flavors mix very well with the intensity of the 8-year-old.  

I envy those who can enjoy this in the cold, I’m actually doing this pairing indoors because it is 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside!

I hope the weather lets you carry out this pairing from beginning to end, enjoying the whole cigar with a few cups of special rum coffee!

Cheers!

Philip Ili Barake

#GRCigarPairing