Pot Still Negroni
A few months ago, I used a cocktail recipe for a Negroni, adapted to rum, created by Max la Roca, that recipe called for Zacapa 23. For this pairing I opted for the same approach (with a Negroni) but this time with Mount Gilboa, a pot-stilled rum from Barbados, whose age probably does not go beyond 4-5 years, which is perfect because it maintains a good balance between its congener level and the tannic content. It should work well for the Negroni I have in mind.
Mount Gilboa was an independent private label that stopped being produced by Mount Gay (in Barbados), when the operation was bought by Remy Cointreau. The rum’s appearance is quite average and may not seem very appealing at first, but when you do try it you find out it is very “honest,” which is what we need for the pairing.
When looking at the classic recipe for a Negroni, it calls for equal parts of Gin, Vermouth Rosso and Campari. In Max’s recipe, he used 1 oz. of Zacapa, ¾ oz. of Vermouth Rosso (Carpano Antica Formula) and ½ oz. of Campari. Following this same trend when incorporating rum into the recipe (reducing a bit the volume of Vermouth and even more that of Campari), the recipe for our Pot Still Negroni becomes:
• 1 ½ oz. of Mount Gilboa Rum
• 1 ½ oz. of Homemade Vermouth Rosso (I make this at home by adding a small amount of cherry liqueur to Vermouth)
• ½ oz. of Campari
• 5 Coffee Beans
• Orange Peel
I used the cigar lighter to toast the coffee beans, for this recipe I placed the beans in a strainer and toasted them with a lit up cedar stick, just as I would light up a cigar. Once toasted, I transferred the beans to the glass and crushed them there. It may sound complicated, but turns out to be very easy, especially if you tried making the previous Negroni.
Regarding the cigar, I did not want to get a rounded cigar from the Dominican Republic or an
aggressive one from Nicaragua –which I love- because the latter would dominate the rum after taste I’m trying to preserve from the Negroni. For this reason, I selected a medium-bodied Cuban cigar, relatively young in its aging, which means I should be able to feel its fresh tobacco notes. I opted for a Coloniales (44 x 132 mm) from the Trinidad Factory, offered by the factor y in boxes of 24 cigars, which is typical of this brand, as opposed to the more common quantity of 25 offered by other brands. I’ve had my particular box since very recently, December of 2015 to be exact. At first you’d think they are Coronas, only a bit thicker and, as I already mentioned, a medium body which I think would be great for the pairing. Trinidad is a relatively young brand from Habanos SA, and has not been in the market very long. They released their first format in 1998 with the Fundadores.
Once I combined my Pot Still Negroni I proceeded to light up my cigar with a couple of cedar sticks. The cigar lit up perfectly and the draw during the first third was exceptional. I was pleased with the cigar, but even more impressed by how well it paired with the Negroni from the very beginning.
It is hard to describe all the sensations I perceived during the pairing. The proportions of the different Negroni ingredients could not have been better. The after taste of every sip, combined with the flavor from the ground up coffee beans turned out to be beyond my expectations. Having toasted the beans with the cedar sticks brought up notes in the coffee that were superb when paired with the cigar.
The freshness in the cocktail came exclusively from the orange peel. Fortunately for me, the orange I used was very rich in oils, which helped balance the Negroni and helped bridge the space between the cocktail and the cigar.
I think the result was excellent, I would not change any of the proportions for the cocktail. As far as the cigar, my only advise to all our readers is to not use a very full-bodied one, even if they are comfortable smoking that type of cigar regularly. The pairing works best when the tobacco has a medium strength. I know I said at the beginning that I did not want to try a Dominican Cigar, but looking back I think there are a few alternatives from the DR that could work quite well.
Another highly- recommended pairing, especially for Negroni aficionados. Cheers!
Philip Ili Barake
#GR CigarPairing
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).