Fresh Old Fashioned

Several things came together in order for me to put together this pairing, using a classic

cocktail but giving it a fresh, citrus touch, which is perfect for the high temperatures where I am. So I opted for this version of the Old Fashioned.

The Old Fashioned we’ll be making is based on the classic recipe with brown sugar, a couple of drops of bitters and a splash of water. we mix these well and then add ice cubes and 2 ounces of Bayou rum select, gently stirring and topping off with Ginger Ale, which gives it a new touch. We then add an orange peel as garnish, giving it a citric hint while also enhancing the freshness.

Now that the cocktail is ready (which is extremely easy to make) I have to decide what to pair it with, so I reached into the humidor and pulled out a Quorum Classic Double Gordo (6 x 60)

from Nicaragua. This cigar format will easily give us one hour of smoking. The cigar starts very creamy, reminiscent of the foam from a well-made espresso. The intensity never exceeds the medium range, which is perfect for this pairing. The filler is from Nicaragua while the wrapper is sun- grown from Ecuador; it is not as strong as the Nicaraguan cigars we’ve tried before. 

Normally when pairing a cigar with a traditional whiskey Old Fashioned, we stay with medium-bodied tobaccos, but some smokers could also enjoy pairing with stronger ones. The cocktail we’ve made, with its hints of freshness, is best paired with medium- bodied or milder ones, forget about the full-bodied cigars.

As for the rum, this was my first time trying Bayou select, now owned by Stolichnaya, made in Louisiana. When trying it neat, there are well-defined oak barrel notes, which should feel like home for fans of American whiskies. It has a slight honey and toasted note aftertaste, the finish is medium and slightly spicy, not as much as their spiced rum but not too far behind. The intense oak notes make the rum a perfect candidate for this type of cocktail.

This is yet another easy cocktail for readers to replicate at home, the rum is an excellent replacement for recipes that call for Bourbon as the main ingredient. I hope everyone who likes the classic Old Fashioned will try this new, refreshing twist.

Philip III Barake #GRCigarPairing

                                       ****************************

My name is Philip III 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).