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Cigar Spirits: Five Classic Summer Rum Drinks

8 Jul 2020

Summer may be in full swing, but it isn’t too late to whip up a summer cocktail. And while I’m usually partial to whiskey, nothing says summer like a drink with rum. Something about the result of distilled molasses has just the right combination of sweetness and bite. I find the occasional over-the-top umbrella rum cocktail—like a mai tai, piña colada, or rum punch—have to have too much sweetness to pair well with a smoke (though the classic Daiquirí, as opposed to the overly sweet frozen version, is excellent). So here are five classic rum drinks that work  fantastically with a cigar:

rums5) Mount Gay Tonic — Want a fresh drink that’s perfect for a warm afternoon? Mount Gay Tonic is the answer. Mix rum and tonic water in nearly equal parts, serve over ice with a lime, and you’ll end up with a versatile and invigorating drink that’s a suitable pairing for most medium-bodied smokes.

4) Dark ‘n Stormy — Made with Goslings rum and tangy ginger beer, this concoction mixes one part dark rum with two parts ginger beer, ideally Barritts. Known as the official drink of Burmuda, you’ll need a full-flavored cigar to stand up to its spice.

3) Cuba Libre — You can just call it a rum and Coke, but when you’re pairing it with a cigar “cuba libre” seems so much more fitting.  (The pairing is so fitting that Nestor Plasencia named a cigar Cuba Libre.) I recommend a spiced rum and pairing it with a spicy Cameroon-wrapped cigar.

2) Mojito — For my money it’s hard to beat a mojito: mint, rum, lime, sugar, and a splash of soda water blended perfectly into a refreshing beverage. Enjoy it with a mild- to medium-bodied smoke, preferably a creamy stick with a Connecticut wrapper.

1) Straight Up or On the Rocks — As well as rums blend with other beverages, it’s easy to forget that the best way to taste a fine rum is straight up or on the rocks. Fine rums offer as much intensity as a fine scotch or bourbon, and only unaccompanied will you be able to discern all the complexity of a well-aged spirit. Each will require it’s own cigar pairing, but with such flavors as honey, banana peel, oak, cedar, and pepper, there are more than enough flavors to pair with a fine smoke.

So there you have it, my favorite rum drinks to accompany a fine cigar. Think I missed one? Let us know in the comments.

Patrick S

photo credit: Wikimedia

2 Responses to “Cigar Spirits: Five Classic Summer Rum Drinks”

  1. The Stogie Guys Friday, July 10, 2020 at 9:07 am #

    If you’re looking for the right rum for you, here are a few rums we’ve reviewed over the years (there are many more, if you’d like to search the site):

    El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2007/09/09192007-stogie-spirits-el-dorado-12-year-old-special-reserve-rum.html

    El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2011/08/08162011-cigar-spirits-el-dorado-15-year-old-special-reserve-rum.html

    Papa’s Pilar (Blonde & Dark)
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2013/08/08062013-cigar-spirits-papas-pilar-rum-blonde-and-dark-rum.html

    Plantation 20th Anniversary
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2011/07/07252011-cigar-spirits-plantation-20th-anniversary-rum.html

    Probitas
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2019/08/08212019-cigar-spirits-probitas-rum.html

    Ron Zacapa Centenario 23
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2014/09/09292014-stogie-spirits-ron-zacapa-centenario-23-rum.html

    Ron Zacapa Centenario XO
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2012/04/04032012-cigar-spirits-ron-zacapa-centenario-xo-rum.html

    Stolen Smoked Rum
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2018/03/03122018-cigar-spirits-stolen-smoked-rum.html

    Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum, Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2019/01/01242019-cigar-spirits-wray-nephew-white-overproof-rum-smith-cross-traditional-jamaican-rum.html

    Zafra Master Reserve 21 Year
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2014/09/09182014-cigar-spirits-zafra-master-reserve-21-year-rum.html

    Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Year Old
    http://www.stogieguys.com/2009/08/08182009-stogie-spirits-zaya-gran-reserva-12-year-old-rum.html

  2. Varun Sharma Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 4:32 am #

    Great post. Very informative post.