Martini Version #2

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Tobacco & Rum

Martini Version #2

Some time ago I did a pairing using a recipe for a classic Martini but with rum. Clearly it should not be called a Martini, but the preparation and the proportions were those of the aforementioned cocktail. I was pleasantly surprised with that pairing, how balanced it was with the tobacco notes. So, for this pairing I wanted to repeat that theme, but with a different touch. Here are the rums and proportions I chose this time:

• 1 oz. Worthy Park Single Cane Estate Rum, from Jamaica

• 1 ½ oz. Rhum Bologne Black Cane, from Guadalupe

• ½ oz. Vermouth Dry

I started by combining all the ingredients in a mixing glass, you could also use a large tumbler. Add ice and refresh the mixture (stirring with a bar spoon), then reach out for a chilled Martini glass (you could chill it in an ice box or by filling it with ice) and place the garnish in it. Because we are using a white rum with herbaceous notes, I opted for a pickled cucumber, not the typical garnish for cocktails, but I thought it would work for us.

For the cigar I also reached out for a small one I had used previously, a Rothschild Gran Reserva (4 ½ x 50) from Arturo Fuente’s Chateau line, but you can use other cigars as long as the format is similar and the length does not exceed 120 mm, ideally with a medium body. Keep in mind that for this cocktail, keeping a low temperature is crucial, so you don’t want to choose any cigars with a smoking time longer than 30 minutes.

Once again I was surprised by how well the cocktail paired up with the cigar. The Martini delivered slightly bitter and herbaceous notes and, despite the fact that the white rum can have overwhelmingly floral notes, the Single Cane contributed leathery notes that were remarkable during the first third of the cigar. Since the pairing relies on having the correct intensity coming from the cigar, using a heavier-body cigar would require that we change the aged rum for something bolder, more tannic, with its own dimension of bitter oak tannins. At the end, the cocktail will be defined by the older rum used in its preparation. 

As we approach the second third of the cigar, the tobacco notes start to be more noticeable than before, something that we fully expected. The cocktail also starts to warm up a bit and, at the same time, we start to perceive a slight touch of acidity which is enjoyable and which highlights the herbal notes from the pickled cucumber. It was at this point that I could not resist eating the garnish, which was in perfect balance with the rum, in terms of acidity and sweetness. I continue to be amazed by how good the pairing is and how easy it is to prepare the cocktail.

I hope you can carry out this pairing, using whichever rums and ingredients you have at hand, seeking to maintain the balance I’ve described in these paragraphs. Please write me and share your experiences with me and also to challenge me with your pairing ideas.

Philip Ili Barake

#GRCigarPairing

-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).