Dry Rumtini

Dry Rumtini

I want to start by saying that, when it comes to rum-based Martini cocktails, so far I’ve always achieved the results I’ve had in mind, but I’ve never created as dry a Martini as I did for this pairing. It deserves its place on cocktail menus everywhere, I’m actually planning to offer it at Red Frog bar as long as we have the rum in stock, because the cocktail will not be the same when made with any other rum.

The recipe is very simple to make, as long as you keep a few key points in mind: you need a Martini glass (“V” shaped glass), and make sure you know its capacity. In my case, the glass holds 3 oz, but there are also bigger ones that hold 6 or 7 oz. It is extremely important for the glass to be chilled, which will help maintain the flavor of the cocktail during the pairing with the cigar. In my case, I placed the glass in the freezer, but you can also chill the glass using ice.

Here is the recipe:

• 2 ½ oz de Port Mourant, White Guyana Pure Single Rum

• ½ oz Dry Vermouth

• Garnish with lemon peel 

Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, along with a couple of large chunks or cubes of ice. Stir gently with a long bar spoon, approximately 30 to 40 seconds, until the ingredients are well mixed. Over-stirring will result in a more watered down version, which could come across as smoother on the palate. The contrary is also true: shorter mixing time will result in a more alcoholic experience and a higher temperature than what I would recommend.

In a previous pairing with a similar cocktail, we used a pickled cucumber as a garnish, but for this pairing I opted for only a lemon peel, to deliver a sense of freshness and to intensify the dry notes from the cocktail. This was a personal decision on my part, you can use whichever garnish you like the best.

The cocktail is wonderful, very dry and with a high concentration of alcohol congeners, which works great for this drink. Also keep in mind that we are using a rum with a 59% ABV, for this reason it is very important to properly chill down the drink.

Turning our attention to the cigar, for this pairing I selected one that I recently received, from Tabacalera Incorporada, it is a Torpedo (5 x 52) 1881 Perique. You could select other cigars from this line, just make sure the smoking time does not exceed 30 minutes. This particular cigar was released into the market in 2014 by one of the oldest, if not the oldest, pipe tobacco companies. It is a blend of Indonesian wrapper and the filler is a combination of tobacco from Brazil and Philippines, let’s see how it goes. 

There are hints I perceive while smoking the cigar that tell me the tobacco is not young; it is very clear some of the tobacco is older, which produces a spiciness level that is between soft and medium. This is not a bad thing, quite the opposite, it is a good sign when pairing with a dry cocktail like the one we just made. While the tobacco cannot be considered “mainstream” for those who love cigars from Nicaragua or from Honduras, it is a good example of a cigar that can be enjoyed by itself or paired with spirits that have not been aged for a very long time. Pairing with other distillates can be interesting, especially with those having strong oak or caramel notes, not necessarily with much older spirits. It would be preferred to use younger rums that can add a spark of life to dry and well-rounded tobaccos.

I hope you can f ind this rum, which is worth sipping neat, even though it may be difficult for some people, due to the high congener and alcohol level. For Martini lovers, I must say that this is the best example of a dry cocktail I’ve come up with, thus far.

Philip Ili Barake

#GR CigarPairing

-Article written 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).