Cigar & Rum Pairing
I have been working for weeks on end, without being able to take a break, until finally, I was able to allocate a good hour to calmly smoke a cigar and enjoy a good cocktail. I was set on having a Rum Negroni, something that we’ve used in many past pairings. For this occasion, I employed the following recipe:
- 1 oz. Ron Santero 11 Year Old from Cuba
- 1 oz. Vermouth Rosso Martini
- ¾ oz. Campari
- ¼ oz. Coffee Liqueur
Place all the ingredients in a Rocks glass, add a couple of ice cubes and gently stir to chill the ingredients while also diluting them a little bit. The cocktail is very well-balanced, with a bitter coffee finish and leather notes, something that is very well-received by cigar enthusiasts.
For the cigar, I chose one from Quesada, a Toro Connecticut from Casa Magna (52 ring x 6 1/2). At the beginning, the Negroni was a bit overpowering, due to the Campari (which I had reduced a bit from the original recipe), which still dominates the aftertaste, but setting aside the gin similarities, I enjoyed it as it combines exceedingly well with tobacco.
Upon lighting the cigar, I perceived the draw as being too lose, perhaps because the cigar was drier than ideal, but the aroma was perfect, with wooden notes and tanned leather, which mixed very well with the aromas supplied by the cocktail.
The pairing was very easy, both during the first and the second thirds. I say it was easy because, even as the cocktail became more watered down, the combination of flavors never faltered. The Campari’s “medicinal note” lessened with time, something that I really am thankful for, since I’m not a big fan of Campari (this is why I usually avoid Negronis for my pairings).
This pairing is very easy to recreate at home and it does not require very many ingredients. Even if you are not fans of Negronis, try this variant and you might be surprised. Pair the cocktail with a medium-bodied cigar that won’t take you too much time to smoke.
As far as garnishing the cocktail, you can try the orange skin, to give it an additional (and classic) citric touch, or you can try using a dry fig instead, which works in terms of its aroma and also in taste, as it combines great with the Martini Rosso.
I hope that you can recreate the pairing at home. The cocktail is very versatile and can be the base of many future pairings for you and your friends, even for those who don’t like the traditional Negroni.
Cheers!
Philip Ili Barake
#GRCigarPairing
