Note from the publishers: The International Habanosommelier Contest, by far one of the major events held within the framework of the Habano Festival, held a “Master of Masters” competition the last week of February. This year’s participants were limited to the winners of previous contests. Philip Ili Barake, having won the ninth edition in 2010, was among the participants. As of the time of the publishing of this magazine, it is unknown who the winner is. Regardless of the outcome, we are certain that Philip, once again, will manage to impress his peers and the organizers of the contest.
Habanosommelier, Master of Masters
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Cohiba cigar brand, this year’s Cuban Cigar Festival (Festival del Habano), held at the end of February, changed the rules for participants, inviting only the winners of previous years’ contests. This turned the 2016 edition of the most venerable cigar competition in the world, into a “Masters of Masters” challenge. In addition to this change, the organizers also introduced a blind (completely blind, with blindfold!) tasting of cigars and of distilled spirits.
One aspect which did not change was the requirement in the early round to present a pairing between a cigar and a drink, both chosen by the contestants. Most of the contestants gravitate towards extremely rare or old spirits, matching them against even rarer or more expensive cigars; this is exactly where I decided to make a difference. I decided I would prepare a cocktail right in front of the judges, and would then guide them through the pairing, making sure to create an enjoyable experience for them, obviously using rum.
While thinking about the perfect cocktail or drink that I could prepare, that would also be new to the judges, I remembered the drinks we prepared on the roof of Hotel 040, in Bellavista (Santiago, Chile) and immediately started to look for rum-based twists on the traditional Old Fashioned.
I also remembered that, while traveling around the world, visiting bars while on my quest for the 50 Best Bars, I would ask them for three things: a classic cocktail, a new cocktail creation and a twist on a classic. It was in this last category that on several occasions I got to experience –and enjoy- a twist on the Old Fashioned using rum. I also remembered a common denominator among those twists that I enjoyed the most, and it was the use of Smith & Cross, Navy Strength Rum (100% pot still, 57% ABV), which gives the drink a very different personality.
Once at Casa del Habano, I started looking for the ideal cigar based on the flavors of the Old Fashioned. Later on, with the help of Diego Harris, I started working on the actual twists to the cocktail, based on how I wanted to prepare it and serve it at the Habanosommelier 2016 competition.
For the cocktail I was going to need two rums and the search for the second rum was not easy. I needed a rum with enough body to stand against the cigar and vice versa. I tested four rums and four cigars and the combination that I enjoyed the most (and by far) was the contrast provided by the sweet Zacapa XO against the Partagás Maduro No. 1 (52 ring, x 130mm). Other rums I considered for the pairing were El Dorado 15 and Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva, while on the cigar front I considered Montecristo Edmundo, Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill and Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos. The Partagás I chose is a new presentation, made with a wrapper that comes from the top of a shade grown tobacco plant. This wrapper is fermented and aged for a long time, giving the cigar some excellent and exquisite coffee and tobacco notes, which I envisioned pairing very well with the Cognac notes from the Zacapa XO.
Having anticipated the logistic and supply challenges in Cuba (for those who haven’t visited
Cuba, it is very hard to get many of the things that people from outside the island take for granted), I had packed and taken my own rock glasses, brown sugar cubes, orange bitters and even the fresh oranges all the way from Chile. I even packed molds to make ice spheres, which help greatly in reducing the amount of water melted away by the ice in the cocktail. When pairing cocktails with cigars, keeping a constant temperature is 50% of the success.
Recipe
2 oz Zacapa XO
½ oz Smith and Cross
Orinoco Orange Bitters from the Dead Rabbit
Brown Sugar Cube
Mineral Water (un-carbonated)
The above recipe was true and tested, all that was left was for me to adjust to the logistics of recreating it while in Cuba. I started making the ice spheres at the hotel where I was staying. The day prior to the competition I wanted to make sure the organizers could keep my spheres handy so I could have easy access to them for the competition. Well, this was a mistake, as the kitchen was closed and they were not able to receive the spheres. I was able to make arrangements with the management of the Comodoro Hotel, who kindly agreed to store them for me, the only problem was that their kitchen would open at 11AM the following day, at a time when I was supposed to be doing the blind tastings at the competition (incidentally, I think I did very well in the blind part of the contest, but time will tell!).
Having finished the blind tasting, it was time to draw numbers to decide the order in which the contestants would present their pairings to the judges. I drew number 2, which was bad news for me, as I had to run to the Comodoro to pick up the ice spheres and be back in time for my presentation. I was able to make it back just in time for my mise en place, and I presented my pairing, with confidence and not nervous, but very sweaty as if I had run two laps around a stadium! I feel the presentation went well and that many of the judges enjoyed the twist on the Old Fashioned.
The key was to cool down the Smith & Cross in a shaker, so I could quickly prepare 7 Old Fashioned for all the judges. Not a trivial challenge, but I think I managed to pull it off. I hope those reading this month’s column can re-create the cocktail using this or other similar rums, so they can enjoy the cocktail as did the judges at the Habanosommelier competition. Personally, I think the twist on the classic is simply phenomenal.
For now, it is a waiting game until next week, when I find out if I advance to the final round of the Master of Masters, where I would be surrounded by, and competing against, the finest people in the rum and the cigar worlds!
Cheers!
Philip Ili Barake
#GR CigarPairing
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 cigar s 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).