White Pirate #2

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                                     White Pirate #2

Some time ago I put together a pairing with the rum version of two classic cocktails: Black Pirate and White Pirate.  In this pairing I will focus more on a different White Pirate recipe, closer to the classic one, which was revived in the movie The Great Lebowski.

These are the ingredients and measurements:

  • 2 oz. Oakheart Spiced Rum
  • 2 oz. Marie Brizard Coffee Liqueur
  • 1 ½ oz. Heavy Cream
  • ½ oz. Sweet Condensed Milk

Pre-mix the heavy cream, the condensed milk and the spiced rum in order to incorporate them. Pour the coffee liqueur first into a glass with ice, then slowly add the cream mixture atop the ice. Decorate with ground cinnamon (optional).

The cocktail is very easy to drink, it is definitely for warm weather and it has a flavor profile broader than the classic White Russian.

The cigar I selected was a Double Gordo (6’ x 60) from Quorum Classic Cigar, with a wrapper from Ecuador and filler from Nicaragua.  When lit, it had good draw, creamy notes and the classic intensity typically associated with Nicaraguan tobacco, which I describe as medium, ideal for this pairing (even though it could have worked with a slightly stronger cigar too).

Normally this cocktail is mixed in the glass, in order to achieve a better mix, leaving streaks of the coffee liqueur.  It is important for the cocktail to have notes of rum in the background, rather than an alcohol with no personality, like vodka.

For some the pairing may not be balanced in intensity, depending on the cigar they select, but the cocktail can be adjusted to intensify the rum notes and bring them closer to match the body of the cigar.

As I mentioned earlier, the cocktail is extremely easy to drink, I finished mine half way through the cigar, leaving me with nothing to drink, so “behind the scene” I reached for a snifter filled with aged rum, which was not part of the pairing but which was necessary to complete it.

I hope you can recreate this pairing, personalizing it to your liking, by changing the type of coffee liqueur or spiced rum.

Philip Ili Barake

#GRCigarPairing