Cigar & Rum Pairing

When we think of Cigar and Spirit pairings, whiskey is the first thing that comes to mind for many people.  While cigar and whiskey pairings are often amazing, the majority of great cigars come from Latin American countries.  Many of the great Rums of the world also come from those countries.

How about pairing a great cigar with a fine rum?

La Aroma de Cuba Noblesse, sold by Holt’s Cigar Company is an outstanding cigar from Estelí, Nicaragua.  Produced by legendary cigar maker Jose 'Pepin' Garcia, this wonderful cigar is made from tobaccos grown at the Garcia family's farms.  In the wine world a wine produced from grapes entirely grown at a family farm is known as “Estate Grown”.  These wines are very much sought after and respected.  With grapes or tobacco, controlling production from field to final product is most often a sign of superior quality.

This wonderful cigar is my favorite type – medium to full bodied, soft in texture and burns cleanly and evenly with a soft and even draw.

Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 Solera Rum is a beautiful spirit that pairs perfectly with this cigar.  Lorena Vásquez is the Zacapa Rum master blender.  The Zacapa facility is 7500 feet above sea level in Guatemala, where Ms. Vásquez combines aromas and flavors of slowly aged rums to create this beautiful spirit.

I drink this rum with one large ice cube, so that the dilution is slow and deliberate.  The idea of a “sipping rum” is not in everyone’s lexicon, but fine rum is delicious on it’s own…almost like an Old Fashioned cocktail in a bottle.

“Solera” is an interesting process.  In Spanish, solera means “on the ground”.   When it comes to aging spirits with this method, barrels are organized in rows from the ground up, with the lowest layer of barrels containing the oldest aged liquid. 

In the case of rum, an age stated on the label may be the oldest liquid in the bottle. 
As a side note, a scotch whisky with an age statement must quote the youngest in the bottle.

This rum and this cigar are a wonderful pairing – the cinnamon and oak flavors in the rum compliment the rich Habano Rosado wrapper of the cigar.  The cocoa and cedar flavors of the cigar blend beautifully with the rich tropical fruit flavors of the rum.

Lorena Vásquez, Zacapa Rum Master Blender

Try this pairing!  You will not be disappointed!

Blog post sponsored by Holt's Cigar Company