Cigar & rum combinations

If there is a world that is just as vast as that of rum , it is that of the cigar . Culture, terroir, blending, fermentation, aging , words that seem familiar to these two universes.

The cigar

What gives each cigar a unique taste are the varieties of tobacco and where they are grown, but also the fermentation of the leaves, the choice of leaf stage, etc.

The assembly of a cigar is done by the torcedor (cigar roller) who uses a combination of tobacco leaves from 3 different parts of the tobacco plant called ligero, seco and volado. The tobacco leaves from the top of the plant (the ligero ) provide the strength. Those from the middle (the seco ) provide the flavor and those from the bottom (the volado ) facilitate the draw (or combustion). Each has a different flavor, strength and combustibility, which makes up the filler which is the heart of the cigar.

Next comes a wrapper to hold the filler in place and finally the wrapper which gives the cigar its final appearance.

The wrapper and the under wrapper, also made from tobacco leaves but having undergone a different fermentation process, complete the cigar.

The wrapper can be of a color ranging from very light (claro-claro, or clarissimo, or double claro) to very dark (oscuro). We can also speak of the color called “candela” (greenish). This precise color chart has little or no influence on the aromas of a cigar. It is estimated that the choice of wrapper leaf has an impact of approximately 3 to 5% on the final profile.

A greasy wrapper is often a sign of a good quality cigar.

The different terroirs

Cuban cigars are probably the best-selling cigars in the world. Very aromatic and evolving , they are made up of several parts. They are commonly called hay (first third of the cigar), divine (second third) and finally purin (third third). They are for the most part hand-rolled .

Cigars from the Dominican Republic, Honduras or Nicaragua are often made from seeds of Cuban origin. They are lighter , more vegetal and generally less evolutive. They are mostly made with a flip-flap, a machine used to roll cigars.

Although they do not dominate the market, other countries produce cigars. We can mention Costa Rica, the United States, Mexico, Indonesia ... or even France.

Types of cigars

There are a large number of cigars. They differ in their assembly, size (length and width) and shape, the most common being:

The robusto : Length 124 mm cepo 50 (diameters of 198 mm).

The coronas : Length 140 mm cepo 42 (diameters of 166 mm).

The coronas gorda : Length 143 mm cepo 46 (diameters of 180 mm).

The torpedo : Length 160 mm cepo 52 (diameters 206 mm).

Double coronas : Length 194 mm cepo 49 (diameters of 194 mm).

 

We can also talk about 2 large families of cigars, namely:

– PAJEROS : these are all cigars with a cylindrical body, parallel edges, an open foot, and a rounded and closed head.

– FIGURADOS : these are all the others. For example: the belicosos, the torpedos, the shells, the pyramids, the obeliscos, the solomons and the diademas … up to the culabras.

The choice of cigar module will be made according to your preferences. Aesthetics, size, format, wrapper colors, and time you can devote to it are all selection criteria .

Which rum for which cigars?

Even if it seems obvious, the rum cigar pairing requires a little thought. The lighter an alcohol is in sugar , the less it will tend to overload the palate and mask the texture of the aromas. Thus the rum cigar pairing is done naturally with rums preferably unsweetened from the English tradition and pure juice rums or agricultural rums. A powerful and aromatic cigar will need a round and fine rum. Thus Cubans are better associated with old Cuban rums or certain Latin American rums that are not very sweet.

Dominicans, for their part, find it easier to pair with a French-style rum marked by the freshness and richness of sugar cane. More lively, they will reveal the aromas of a Bally 12 years old which brings notes of vanilla wood and dried fruits. We can also mention the La Favorite Coeur de Rhum, an agricultural rum with its typical aromas of cane, citrus and pepper.

Pairings are an inexact and complex science, and these major principles need to be qualified. We were able to meet Jean-Marie Cornec , a specialist in these rum and cigar associations. The result of this interview will appear in our next article devoted to the subject.

Alchemy lies in finding combinations that only your personal experience can satisfy. Then the magic can happen.

To find the ideal marriage , it is easy for you to buy cigars individually in a tobacco shop (tobacco shop dedicated in part or entirely to the sale of cigars). For rums , you can easily compose a selection of samples on Rhum Attitude.

Example of a rum and cigar pairing

By Simon Lecompte

MONTECRISTO DANTES

To match this majestic piece of Cuban craftsmanship, I chose to take a world tour of the beautiful rum terroirs.

The first third gives us notes of fresh herbs and spices. What could be better than going to Martinique to meet this emblematic house by the shape of its bottle: Bally. I chose the Bally pyramid 7 years. An old rum whose aging has given it a patina on the freshness of the cane juice. It also gave it notes of vanilla, spices and nuts.

The second third is more serious, the dark chocolate and its procession of spices will come to agree wonderfully with a molasses rum. I chose a magnificent blend from the Velier house, The Royal Navy. Assembly of Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad rum in the style of the English Navy rums made from different rums from the British colonies of the time. This blend takes us on a journey. It envelops the rise in power of the cigar without erasing it.

Finally, nuts and white pepper accompany us in this last third and this Dantes demands power. A difficult choice for the last rum accompanying this majestic tasting. I choose the emblematic distillery, now closed, Caroni . It will be a Caroni 1994 Full Proof (23 years of tropical aging in Guyana). Tar, gunpowder, roasted pineapple and candied banana. It's magic. This distillery has never disappointed me and what a pleasure to finish this ballet of flavors having traveled so much. Edmond Dantes , for a moment, performed an intoxicating dance of which his blade, engraved on the varnished box of this module, holds the secret...

Source: Cigar Passion

Credits

Article co-written by Jessica Cohen from the Facebook group La passion du cigare , Fred Chewbie (group administrator) and Nico from Rhum Attitude.

Cigar Passion is a group that currently has nearly 2,000 members. It was created by a cigar enthusiast, for cigar enthusiasts.

Soon, the continuation of our Cigars & Rum file…

Cover photo credits: Fred Chewbie – Others: Wikimedia commons – Montecristo Cigar: https://www.cigars-connect.com/