Last week we were invited to Hotel Xenia for a Cigar and Rum pairing evening, and when an invite has rum and cigars in the title, you know we come running.
Hotel Xenia is a beautiful boutique hotel located along the Cromwell Road in London and boasts a hidden outdoor garden area which gives you the feeling you are nowhere near central London.
With its high walls, soft lighting, and comfortable seating it really is a hidden gem of a terrace.
The cigar for the evening was a classic favourite of mine – the Partagas D4. One of the most popular cigars, the Partagas D4 measures in at 4 7/8″ (124mm) with a ring gauge of 50 meaning it sits within the Robusto family.
The rum on the night was Plantation Gran Anejo. A Guatemalan rum that has been aged for a minimum of 4 years before being transported to Cognac where it spent upto a year resting in cognac casks before bottling.
I arrived early to grab a good spot, finding that almost every spot on the terrace has been given the care and attention to ensure you are warm, covered and close to a table to rest your drink and cigar.
The evening began with Mark from Hunters & Frankau giving everyone a brief intro to the history of the company as well as the history of the Partagas.
There was some great questions and topics covered including the effects of the US on Cuba, the recent UK tax increase on Tobacco as well as general cigar chit chat, which almost felt like a discussion on the future of cigars.
The great news was that Hunters & Frankau are here to ensure Cuban cigars maintain their level of quality when entering the UK.
The Partagas D4 was aged for 2 years which gave the cigar time to age and mellow out, although the cigar was still a medium – full cigar. However working with the rum the pairing worked as the rum complemented those spice, tobacco aromas which were apparent in the cigar.
Hotel Xenia also kindly put on some canapes to see the evening through and as darkness set and our cigars started to burn dangerously close to our fingers it was time to wrap up the evening and head along the Cromwell Road to catch my train.
The terrace at Hotel Xenia offers a great escape from the hustle and bustle of London terraces and is a welcome getaway for those looking to escape for a couple of hours.
With an extensive cigar and drinks menu, Hotel Xenia is a great terrace to impress your friends with.
Hotel Xenia are holding monthly cigar events. More information can be found at their website here