CigAr And rum PAiring

cigaR & RuM PaiRing

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).

Philip #grCigarPairing

2022 counterpoint Pairing

There are times that are just perfect for a cigar and rum pairing. sometimes it is because of the people we are with that the moment creates itself. Today’s sky was cloudy, and i was thinking about several pairing ideas. i wanted to enjoy a classic cocktail, such as, a rum old Fashioned or a rum negroni, which i’ve had before, but those experiences work only if the rum’s character is compatible. For this pairing i selected a limited bottle (no more than 500 bottles were produced) from Clément: i am referring to Clément single Cask, Très vieux rhum, bottled at 41.6%, unfiltered, made from blue sugarcane juice and aged for around 10 years in exBourbon barrels.

The flavor profile is very interesting, the craftmanship associated with the brand, aged for this long, is reminiscent of an American whiskey, but with a subtle touch of sugarcane essence. it can be a smooth pairing if combined with an aggressive cigar, but it can also be a very interesting pairing if we manipulate the timing to counterbalance the components. in other words, i’ll start by pairing the smoothest part of the cigar with the strongest form of the rum (by drinking it neat), finishing the pairing with the strongest part of the cigar against the smoothest and coolest form of the rum (by consuming it on the rocks).

The cigar i selected was a robusto (5 x 54) from hoyo la Amistad gold, by AJ Fernández, a cigar with a medium-to-high body, made in nicaragua using ecuadorian leaves as binder and nicaraguan leaves from different regions as filler. This is definitely a very interesting blend for this juxtaposition of flavors and intensities.

Photo credit: @Cigarili

Photo credit: @Cigarili

i am also an avid fan of the Cuban brand hoyo de monterrey, where tradition and perfection are blended with nicaraguan flavors, resulting in one of the best offerings available in that country.

it is time now to start this Counterpoint Pairing. The first third of any cigar is usually the mildest and smoothest and we’ll pair this with the rum neat, without ice, to fully appreciate its undiluted strength and complexity. The cigar lit up very well, with an excellent draw, offering tobacco and freshly-ground coffee notes, along with hints of leather and dry herbs. A promising start to a worthy pairing.

As far as the rum, the American whiskey influence was obvious, a result of the long aging, but the spirit of the raw material was unmistakable as well, with subtle traces of orange peel, honey and the characteristic vanilla notes from the white American oak barrels where it was aged.

The best thing about this pairing exercise is that it allows us to identify and appreciate each of the elements by itself, without risking having the flavors of one being masked by the attributes of the other.

The truth is that preferences are subjective and, while i’m not trying to baselessly promote the pairing, i can honestly say that it was one of the most simple, clean and excellent combinations of flavors.

As we start smoking the second third of the cigar, more aggressive notes start to emerge, from the complexity of the tobaccos in the blend and because, naturally, the cigar is entering into the heart of its expression.

now we move to enjoy the rum on the rocks and something interesting takes place: there is an abundance of smooth vanilla notes, with sweet undertones, but refined nonetheless. This results in a very special pairing during the second third of the cigar.

i sincerely hope that you can get your hands on both of these products, a bit hard to find for sure, but worth the effort. The second third of the cigar offers a mental escape from our daily problems and it is true heaven for those of us who appreciate these natural pleasures.

Cheers! Philip ili Barake #grCigarPairing