One of the hardest things for cigar smokers living in the southern hemisphere is finding calm days that allow for smoking outdoors. I was constantly monitoring the weather broadcasts for the following days, looking for the perfect window to plan the pairing, just like in the movie “Pressure.” Finally it happened, the sky was clear and there was no wind, the ideal conditions to enjoy a smoke.
For this occasion, I thought about a cigar from AJ Fernandez, from the New World Connecticut line. I selected a Robusto (5 x 50), which allows for a relaxed smoking session of around 30 minutes. This cigar is marketed as having a medium intensity, Connecticut wrapper, binder from San Andrés (Mexico) and filler from Nicaragua and Brazil. Let’s see if this blend is actually as it is described.
For the cocktail, I opted for a mixology classic, a Rum Old Fashioned, but with two added twists: the first one I had tried previously, which consists of coating the rocks glass walls with an espresso (to add the aromatic dimensions of coffee). The second twist was to avoid adding the sweetness and the bitterness from the original, classic recipe. For this reason, I decided to use a light rum, one that would balance itself against the coffee notes, with only an orange peel as garnish. The resulting cocktail was clean, light, with mild citric notes, with subtle coffee and bitter cocoa, reminiscent of the cocoa powder atop a Tiramisu. It was a smooth and ideal combination for this pairing.
Lighting up the cigar was a bit difficult, despite the absence of strong winds, but it finally lit up evenly, which was the goal. During the first third, the cigar’s intensity level was on the low side of medium, but this was technically due to the good draw during this stage of the cigar.
As I sipped the cocktail, its flavors combined very well with those from the cigar, showcasing dry cocoa powder, paired with roasted coffee beans. The lack of sweetness did not come across as a deficiency. Quite the opposite, it helped maintain the balance as I progressed through the pairing. The rum by itself provided the sweetness which, when combined with the toasted components, produced an experience of dark tanned leather with a very classic bitterness dimension.
Even though the cocktail lacks the sweetness from a typical Old Fashioned, selecting the right rum can have an impact on the final result, influencing the profile in a very meaningful way.
All the notes typically associated with sweetness were, in this case, augmented by the coffee, resulting in hints of cocoa, dry fruits and tanned leather, culminating in a dry and light experience that is definitely worth repeating.
Philip Ili Barake
#GRCigarPairing
