VS Rhumhattan

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                                    VS Rhumhattan

Given the polar opposite weathers we have, I kept thinking about a simple one that would not dilute the rum too much, making it ideal for winter.  One of the best ones for this situation is the rum version of the Manhattan.  For this cocktail I selected Clément Rhum VSOP, a relatively young rum aged for a minimum of 4 years in new French oak barrels and in re-charred American oak barrels.  Since this is a rum produced from freshly-squeezed cane juice, it will have a very special character, with well-defined oak notes.

For the cigar, I selected a Robusto (50 X 5) from Vegafina’s Nicaragua line, a cigar with a medium to strong body, with leaves aged for 4 years, which is not uncommon for good cigars, but the idea of pairing a cigar and a rum of the same age captured my attention.

This is the recipe for the Rhum Manhattan:

  • 6 oz. Rhum Clément VSOP
  • 1 oz. Vermouth Rosso
  • Orange Peel, for garnish

While you could mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, doing so would dilute the rum too much, and the idea is to chill it without watering it down.  The best way to achieve this result is to gently stir the ingredients with large ice cubes in a mixing glass or in the shaker.  It is also essential to chill the serving glass ahead of time, otherwise the higher temperature will accentuate the alcoholic note of the cocktail, resulting in an imbalanced experience.  Finally, take a piece of orange peel and gently squeeze it over the cocktail, to release the fresh, citric notes from the oils.At the time I lit up the cigar, I had already enjoyed a few sips of the cocktail and, at that point, the pairing was incredible.  To make things better, the climate was also perfect.

While the cigar was on its first third, it was smooth, way smoother than what I had expected from its technical specifications.  It could have been a random variation affecting this particular cigar, or it could have been caused by the cocktail overpowering the cigar, which would make sense later on, as the cocktail warms up, but not so much at the beginning.  Let’s see how things evolve.

As I entered the second third, the cigar’s notes were stronger, the creaminess was more noticeable and the finish was more reminiscent of stronger, bolder tobacco.  The pairing became more balanced, with black leather and coffee notes up front and a subtle orange touch at the back.  Adding the orange oils to a cocktail may seem strange to some people, but it is something done regularly in mixology, especially to these versions of the Manhattan, to add a fresh dimension.

If you can’t find this particular cigar and would like to replace it with a similar one, consider that the smoking time should not exceed 30-40 minutes.  Otherwise the pairing will be off, due to the increase in the temperature, or alternatively you’ll need to make a second cocktail, which is probably the most reasonable approach. 

Cheers!

Philip Ili Barake

#GRCigarPairing