Rum and cigars are some of my favourite things. Scrap that they are my favourite things (except my family of course).
So every now and then we like to match some cigars and rum to see how they compare and thanks to our friends at Pirate’s Grog Rum we have some excellent liquid to pair with a cigar.
Pirate’s Grog is an award winning golden rum from Roatán, a small Caribbean island situated 60km off the coast of Honduras.
The name ‘Pirate’s Grog’ is derived from days of old when pirates and buccaneers used the island as a resting point between voyages. The small unprotected island provided a safe haven for trade in between plundering merchant vessels and sheltering from stormy weather.
I was sent Pirate’s Grog 5 year aged rum, the only rum to be exported out of Honduras, as well as their latest release, ‘Pirate’s Grog No.13’. A 13 year aged single cask golden rum, this is their jewel in the crown. With just 777 bottles available, this is a rum that is in high demand.
Being that the rum I was sipping was from Honduras, it made sense to keep the theme and pick out something from the Humidor that came from the same place. I went for a Rocky Patel Vintage 2003 Cameroon Tor as it was blended in the Rocky Patel factory, in Honduras.
This 8-year-aged cigar was blended in Honduras using a Cameroon wrapper with a robust blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican long-fillers that are equally well-aged to create a distinct taste.
With everything set, it was time venture to the man cave (the rum shack/ shed) to light up and pour.
1st Third
Upon lighting, i was instantly surprised with the smooth draw which offered a creamy smooth cedar draw.
I was impressed with the even burn of the cigar, and the instant creamy notes. I also picked up a slight sweet finish which left a nice after taste on the palate.
It was now time to turn my attention to the rum. I opted to start off with the Pirates Grog 5 year aged Honduras Rum.
On the nose I was picking up dried fruits, as well as a sweet smooth buttery note.
Onto the palate, and I was pleased with the smooth butterscotch, vanilla flavours which, when paired with the creamy & sweet notes of the cigar, made a great combination
There wasn’t a long finish but the tobacco & cedar notes from the cigar carried it through to give a small linger which when paired with the rum, created a great taste of both sweet and spice.
The cigar had a slight pepper taste at the beginning, however it was only a slight linger, and in no way overpowering. It was like it was giving the hint that there is more to come ( A bit like when your wife says “it’s fine”! You know there is a lot more to come).
After around 15 mins the pepper hint subsided and it was more of the creamy sweet cedar notes which went really well with the Pirate’s Grog Rum creating a really smooth pairing.
2nd Third
Now I was around 30 mins into the cigar, I felt it was time to break out the big guns and pour a glass of Pirate’s Grog No.13 aka the good stuff.
By this point the cigar was really sticking with the smooth and creamy notes, with a slight hint of leather and cedar but the consistent sweet woody finish.
On the nose the Pirate’s Grog No.13 instantly revealed there was more depth to the rum. You could almost smell the extra ageing that this liquid had gone through.
The rum was equally really smooth, sweet and full of flavour. For a rum that is aged I wasn’t expecting the rum to be as smooth as it was. The rum really complemented the sweet cedar that was coming through from the cigar.
At this point I was still worried that pepper coming back but I think I may have got away with it and it felt like it was all smooth sailing from here on out.
It’s easy to see why there is such a premium on this rum. The rum offers a really easy to drink expression but at the same time it reminds you that this rum is aged and you can really taste that throughout.
Continuing through the 2nd third and the cigar was consistently smooth & creamy with that sweet wood finish coming through complementing the rum.
The rum was very moreish so be warned a bottle may not last long!
Last third
The cigar continued to impress throughout the final third and towards the end that peppery note popped back out to say hello. It wasn’t as full on as I was expecting but just enough to remind you this cigar has depth and flavour.
As an extra special treat, our friends at Pirate’s Grog also sent a bottle of their Black Ei8ht Coffee Rum which is an infused rum with coffee creating a sweet rum & coffee type liqueur.
This really worked well with the last of the cigar as by now those sweet woody notes of the cigar were still there but I was also getting a much richer flavour from the cigar with leather, cream and hints of cocoa.
The Black Ei8ht Coffee Rum really complemented the last of the cigar as the coffee notes really accentuated the cigar making a lovely pairing.
Overall
You can really tell the cigar came from the same place as the rum as they really complemented each other, offering a balanced flavour profile for both the rum and the cigar. There was consistent themes throughout of sweet, creamy vanilla which leave a sweet linger on the palate.
It was pleasurable experience and a pairing I would consider trying again. If you’ve had a cigar with Pirates grog Rum, let us know what you smoked and how it went. We’d love to hear your feedback.
If you fancy trying this Honduras liquid, then Pirate’s Grog is available form their website HERE as well as specialist retailers.
Pirate’s Grog Five Year Aged Honduras Rum is priced around £29
Pirate’s Grog No.13 is priced around £79