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Photo by @Cigarili
Origenes and Cigar Pairing
Philip Ili Barake, Cigar Sommelier and contributing writer for "Got Rum?" magazine, conducted this pairing at La Casa del Habano in Santiago,Chile along side with Nicolás Rojas, manager of La Casa del Habano, for the March 2014 issue.
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Philip Ili Barake Photo
Illegality
For this pairing I have recurred to the realm of the illegal, just like in times of dry laws, smugglers and speakeasies. I conducted the pairing at La Casa del Habano, in Santiago (Chile), with a “puro” cigar from Nicaragua, something that should not be done (only Cuban cigars are allowed in La Casa del Habano). This alone makes the pairing illegal, but on top of this, La Casa del Habano does not allow patrons to smoke on their premises until March, due to municipal regulations, so we had to conduct this pairing with the curtains drawn in order not to attract attention.
To match the nature of the pairing, I decided to bring with me a rum that is not available for sale in the country, one without any tax stamps on it. As if this were not enough, while doing the pairing we were also enjoying a soccer game from the Copa Liber tadores, connected to a neighboring store’s Wifi signal! Since we were going with an “illegal” theme we decided to take it as far as we could, but all of this for a very serious cause: gastronomical pleasure. My special guest was Nicolás Rojas, manager of La Casa del Habano.
The puro I selected was Padrón Serie 6000, 52 ring gauge and 5 1/2” in length, this is from the basic product line, with an aging ranging between 2 and 3 years. Visually this is a “figurado”, very similar to a classic “pyramid”, but a bit shorter. The wrapper could be classified as a Maduro.
The rum was Don Pancho 18 from Panamá, aged for a minimum of 18 years in traditional American oak barrels, private reserves from Don Pancho, set aside by him throughout his illustrious career. The rum is very well balanced, due in great part to the slow oxidation of all the congeners, with aromas reminiscent of dried fruits, freshly roasted coffee and burnt peanut husks.
As I lit up the cigar, I was immediately able to enjoy its great draw, similar to that of cigars with short filler or “Tripa Corta” (those not made with full leaves). Even though this is not the case with the Padrón, the draw is outstanding. We both noticed some spicy notes with touches of burnt straw that dried up our mouths, which made us want to start sipping the rum.
As we sipped the rum, the initial combination with the tobacco notes highlighted the alcohol flavors, something that caught me by surprise, but the palate quickly got used to the intensity. I could not say that this was the best pairing, since the tobacco kept gaining in strength and body, very dry and peppery, especially as we got closer to the last third of the cigar.
Meanwhile the rum kept on evolving in complexity, independently from the tobacco. What starts as a good pairing idea does not always end up as one. To remedy the situation, we reached out for a H Upmann Habano, a Coronas Major packed in a tube, with a 42 ring size and 132 mm in length and a band from Galera Eminentes.
We took a brief breath as we were back in the realm of tobacco legality… As we lit up the Habanos, perhaps because our palates had been enjoying the rum for quite a while by then, the notes from the cigar were very reminiscent of an Espresso, with a lot of creaminess, which in turn made the perception of the rum much sweeter, but not overwhelming. The H Upmann is less bold and strong than the Padrón, it shows many more notes of Mocca and Caramel Macchiato, it perhaps has a more traditional profile. The aromas are very consistent throughout the smoking experience, which lasts about 30 minutes. The pairing between Don Pancho 18 and the Upmann is one that would be enjoyed by more consumers than the one with the Padrón.
I know some of our USA-based readers keep asking “how can I get my hands on some Habanos?”. I strongly believe that the door for Cuban cigars to enter the USA will soon be opened (talk about the extent of what is illegal in the USA in this day and age!).
In conclusion, if a tobacco and rum pairing does not work out at first, do not give up, you can always change the players. The problem is neither the tobacco nor the rum, but the fact that not every combination works for everybody. Perhaps a younger version of Don Pancho (like an 8 year old) would have worked out better with the first cigar. The beauty of these pairings is the quest for the impossible, the search for perfection. Perhaps you will never find it, but searching for it is a great way to spend your life!
Cheers,
Philip Ili Barake
Philip@gotrum.com
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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).