Classic vs. Overproof: Which Rum is Best Paired with a Cigar?

A special thanks to Maria Harutyunyan from Swiss Cuban Cigars for this guest post. For more information on pairing cigars with rum, find her contact info at the end of the article.

Rum is one of the most delicious and versatile drinks in the world. It can be consumed alone or included in a variety of cocktails. But this amazing liquor is also well-known for the beautiful pairing it forms with cigars. This combination is very satisfying and it can be adapted in many ways in order to suit you.

As for the cigars, there are so many types of rum that choosing the right combination can often prove to be difficult. Even though the pairing process is a subjective matter, there are some guidelines that may assist you on this amazing taste journey.

What is an overproof rum? As a general definition, overproof rums are the ones with a higher concentration of alcohol in comparison to the classic rums. The lowest alcohol concentration for this type is 57.5% and it can reach even the incredible percentage of 75.5%. This concentration is reached through multiple processes of distillation and not necessarily through aging.

These rums are full of personality and taste and they are best enjoyed next to a medium to full-bodied cigar like a Cohiba Robustos. In general, these rums can have a great variety of aromas and tastes and some feature very harsh intensities that are best matched with a full-bodied cigar.

A hidden trick used by many fans of both overproof rums and cigars is to drink the rum with ice. This is because the high level of alcohol of this specific type of rum can dry the mouth and the palate, making the aroma of the cigar less tangible. If you use this simple trick you will be able to enjoy both the rum and the smoke of the cigar.

Credits: pixabay.com/ro

What is classic rum? Classic rums are generally the ones that feature the traditional processing steps and the aging process. Among them, we can distinguish white rum, gold rum, and dark rum as the big families. White rum, as the name says, has a transparent color. This particular type is very mild and the production makes it one of the most affordable on the market because the aging process is very short and in some cases, this rum is not aged at all. The alcohol level is mild and it is best paired with a mild cigar.

Gold rum has a rich shade of amber or yellow and it has as a special aging process. These rums are usually aged in wooden barrels in which flavors like vanilla can be added in order to achieve a more complex taste bouquet. They can range from mild and smooth aromas to bursts of spice that tingle the tongue. They are best paired with medium or medium to full-bodied cigars like Partagas in order to achieve the ultimate balance.

Dark rums are the ones that undergo a longer aging process and have more intense flavors. They tend to feature really unique personalities and they can be enjoyed next to a cigar that can match the strength, preferably a full-bodied one.

Credits: pixabay.com/ro

Which is the winner? Basically, the winner will be the rum of your choice. Rum is a subjective experience; some may love the higher level of alcohol and the bold personality of the overproof rum while others may prefer the milder variations like the white or gold rum.

Rum has the great advantage of being a very versatile and overall delicious drink that can work in many drinks and cigar combinations. The overproof rums tend to be consumed in lower quantities because of the great amounts of alcohol but this will not prove to be a problem if you learn how to pace drinking with smoking,

Classic rums tend to be smoother and this is why many people stick to them. Dark rums can prove to be amazing pairs for cigars thanks to the amazing taste combinations that can be created.

Overall, you should experiment with both types of rum in order to find out which one, or maybe which ones, are the best for your taste buds.

Would you like to find out more about pairing cigars with rum (or other alcohols)? Contact Maria at [email protected] and visit the Swiss Cuban Cigars website.

Find the Rum Therapy Rum & Cigar Club Tee here!

St. Nicholas Abbey Rum Experience Tour, Barbados

If you’re a rum lover, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy fantastic rums on the beautiful island of Barbados. We’ve traveled many places in the Caribbean, but we felt like we were in rum heaven during our time on the island!

We had a list of distilleries to experience and St. Nicholas Abbey was certainly one of them. Their small batch rum is highly rated and currently only available for purchase at the distillery (and a few select online retailers). Located on the lush northeast side of the island, St. Nicholas Abbey offers tours that include a walk through a beautiful Jacobean mansion that dates back to 1658 – one of the few left in the Western hemishpere, the sugar plantation, and the rum distillery – including a rum tasting.

We rented a car for our time on Barbados and aside from finding ourselves hopelessly lost in Bridgetown a few times (a big thank you to the kind residents that helped us find our way), we were glad we had the flexibility to explore a lot of the island. The drive to St. Nicholas Abbey was a pretty drive, albeit a little challenging to find due to a conspicous lack of signage on the entire island. Once we got our bearings, we started to notice rolling fields of sugarcane dotted with homes and farms. As we approached St. Nicholas Abbey, a mischievous pair of monkeys ran across the road, jumping into a tree next to the road and watched as we passed.

Finally spotting a sign for St. Nicholas Abbey, we turned on to the long entry lined with Mahogany trees creating a canopy over us. We parked and strolled up to the mansion.

The St. Nicholas Abbey Mansion

We were just in time to join a tour, payed our entrance fee – Adults (13 and over): BBD $45, US $23, and joined the tour of the mansion, which was fascinating in its entirety, but we were especially amused by “the crapper”.

The mansion dining room
Living room

Next, we were taken to a beautiful shaded area between the mansion and rum tour where we were treated to a glass of rum punch.

We then viewed a short historical movie taken by the grandfather of the owner as the family left Europe and made their way to to Barbados by ship in the 1930’s and their early years in Barbados. The short movie was fascinating and gave us some insight into the beginnings of St. Nicholas Abbey.

Simon Warren leading a St. Nicholas Abbey Rum Tasting

Then, it was time to taste the rum. Simon Warren, son of owners Larry & Anna Warren who purchased St. Nicholas Abbey in 2006 in order to preserve it as a part of the island’s rich heritage, gave an informative tasting, injected with his signature dry humor, and included samples of both their award winning white rum and their 5 year old rum – made from their white rum and aged in old bourbon barrels that previously contained their longer aged molasses rums. We really enjoyed both. A sip of their 12 year molasses based rum, created from a rum base purchased from another Barbados distillery, Foursquare, to help launch the St. Nicholas Abbey aged rums, put us over the top.

The 5 and 12 year

We knew we had to take some home and purchased the 5 and 12 year, both in beautiful etched bottles that are in themselves works of art. They offer free engraving, so we had our 12 year bottle engraved.

Annabelle, the St. Nicholas Abbey copper pot still

After chatting a while with Simon, who is extremely personable and
knowledgeable about rum and the distilling process, we strolled through the expansive plantation, stopping to visit the small bottling house and then Annabelle, their copper hybrid pot/column still!

As if all of that isn’t enough to make you want to visit St. Nicholas Abbey on your next trip to Barbados, a new attraction just opened; The Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway – an exciting family attraction now part of St. Nicholas Abbey Great House Plantation and Distillery. It’s a steam locomotive journey through the plantation fields and mahogany woods culminating with the expansive highland view of the east coast of the island from Cherry Tree Hill. Read the story of the St Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway here.

A walk through the St. Nicholas Abbey Rum Packaging Room, Barbados

We really enjoyed our time at St. Nicholas Abbey. Once we run out of our current stock of St. Nicholas Abbey rum, we’ll have to go back to re-stock, chat with Simon some more and check out the new train ride. Cheers!

To find out more about the tour and St. Nicholas Abbey rums, check out their website, Facebook page, and Instagram page.

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC.  All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit. 

Coquito

A traditional Christmas drink in Puerto Rico, this smooth & creamy rum drink is nicknamed Puerto Rican Eggnog by some. Several recipes we found called for eggs and some did not. We opted to leave out the eggs, but I’m sure it would make the drink even fuller and creamier – more akin to a typical eggnog, although we didn’t mind the lightness and frothiness without the eggs at all… Feliz Navidad!

*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!

Coquito

A traditional Christmas drink in Puerto Rico, this smooth & creamy rum drink is nicknamed Puerto Rican Eggnog by some.
Course: Drinks
Author: Rum Therapy

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Pour all ingredients into a blender. Blend on high until frothy.
  • Refrigerate until cold or serve over ice.
  • Pour into individual glasses and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Notes

This recipe can easily be increased to accommodate the size of your holiday party!

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Mango Hurricane

Always on the lookout for some new and delectable rum cocktail recipes, we ran across this one last week and decided to give it a try. The recipe was found on the Cruzan Rum website, and as we happened to have a bottle of Cruzan Mango Rum on hand, we put a couple of them together. Delicious! These will be great during the warm, long and lazy days this summer.

*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!

Mango Hurricane

These will be great during the warm, long and lazy days this summer!
Servings: 2
Author: Rum Therapy

Ingredients

  • 3 oz. Cruzan Mango Rum
  • 3 oz. Cruzan Aged Dark Rum
  • 6 oz. Orange Juice
  • Splash of Grenadine
  • 1 c. Ice
  • Cherry and orange slice for garnish

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients (except for the grenadine and garnishes) in a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour into hurricane glasses, add a splash of grenadine then garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry. Enjoy!

Find more delicious rum recipes here!

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Watermelon Rum Punch

What’s best about this recipe? You can use the watermelon itself to serve the punch! Easy peasy, and it looks great! Chill the ingredients before pouring into the watermelon for a refreshing, summery cocktail!

*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!

For more delicious Watermelon and Rum Recipes, check out the links below the recipe.

Watermelon Rum Punch

Ingredients

  • 1 Large Watermelon
  • 1 750 ml White or Silver Rum (we used Bacardi Superior White)
  • 1/4 c Rosie's Lime Juice
  • Drill, Spigot (we took a spigot off of a water dispenser)

Equipment

Instructions

  • Scoop the fruit out of the watermelon. Blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer with small holes or a cheese cloth to remove large particles and seeds. Add the entire bottle of rum (or less if you want a less potent drink) and the lime juice and stir. If needed, add a little sugar to taste. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Use a drill to make a hole about the size of the spigot in the watermelon. Insert spigot in the watermelon, tightening the attachment on the inside of the watermelon.
  • When you’re ready to serve, put the watermelon on a pedestal (we used the one our water dispenser sits on), fill it with the chilled Watermelon Rum Punch and pour into glasses through the spigot!

You might also enjoy these other Watermelon and Rum Drinks!

Watermelon Daiquiri

Watermelon Rum Freeze

And for more delicious rum recipes, visit our Rum Recipe Picture Directory

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

Afrodisiac

We received a lovely bottle of Afrohead Briland 07 Premium Aged Dark Rum last week and spent some time sampling it neat and over one cube, enjoying it’s creamy, smooth taste.  Although this rum can easily be enjoyed on it’s own, we decided to try it in one of the recipes found on their website. We chose a recipe called Afrodisiac – mainly because of it’s name, but also because of the interesting blend of ingredients. The taste combines a bit of hot, sweet and spicy and showcases the deliciousness of this distinctive rum. Cheers!

Jump to Recipe

*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!

Afrodisiac

This recipe combines a bit of hot, sweet and spicy and showcases the deliciousness of this distinctive rum.
Course: Drinks
Servings: 1

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Slice and Muddle jalapeño in shaker.
  • Add AFROHEAD Rum, lemon juice, simple syrup and papaya juice.
  • Shake and strain into chilled martini glass.
  • Garnish with jalapeño slice.

Notes

For more recipes and information on AFROHEAD Rums, see their website, follow them on Facebook, and check out their Instagram feed.

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

Rum Distillery Tours on the Island of St. Croix


St. Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands, not only has beautiful beaches, top-notch culinary experiences and a wide variety of great accommodations, it offers two distinctly different, yet interesting, rum distilleries tours for rum lovers – or those that would just like to learn more about rum.

Cruzan Rum and Captain Morgan are the two distilleries found on this, the largest US Virgin Island. Cruzan Rums have been crafted on St. Croix by the Nelthropp family for generations while Captain Morgan opened it’s St. Croix Distillery in 2011 and a visitor center on the site the following year. What does that mean for rum lovers like you and me? You’ve got two completely different tours to experience on St. Croix and you can easily do both in one afternoon!

Cruzan Rum Distillery - copyright Rum Therapy
We began our rum tour by getting a lift in Christiansted from Joseph, of Joseph’s VIP Taxi Tours (contact him at 340-277-6133). We knew we would be enjoying the rum drinks at the end of each tour and hiring a taxi is the way to go. Joseph was a great tour guide and was recently voted taxi driver of the year on St. Croix. He was warm and welcoming, and gave us some great info on St. Croix along the way.

Captain Morgan Rum Tour - copyright Rum Therapy
First stop? The Captain Morgan Experience Center. Here we started the tour with a short and entertaining movie about Captain Morgan, then followed a tour guide through the Information Center, learning about the history and current Captain Morgan products.

Captain Morgan Rum Tour - copyright Rum Therapy

Outside, we boarded a small tram to take a short tour through the distillery, learning about the distilling process along the way.

Captain Morgan Rum Tour - copyright Rum Therapy
Once back at the facility, we were treated to two rum drinks of our choice and tastes of any the different types of rums, if desired.

Captain Morgan Rum Tour - copyright Rum Therapy
At the end of the tour, you can peruse through the Captain Morgan shop and take home a souvenir of your visit.

Joseph was waiting for us outside and we boarded the van for our next rum experience. Just a short hop away, we entered the Cruzan Rum facility.

Cruzan Rum Distillery - copyright Rum Therapy
We were immediately taken by the Cruzan rum culture and our first view of a sugar mill surrounded by the flags of the seven nations that have ruled St. Croix – the most of any of the US Virgin Islands.

Cruzan Rum Distillery - copyright Rum Therapy
Walking up to the Visitors Center, we enjoyed the sights of a generations old facility.


Cruzan Rum Distillery - copyright Rum Therapy
Our tour guide took us through the actual distillery and we loved being so close to the process, smelling the molasses and watching it ferment.

Cruzan Rum Distillery - copyright Rum Therapy
In one of the storage rooms, filled with barrels and barrels of the delicious aging elixir, she explained the aging process and the color variations of different rums.

Cruzan Rum Distillery - copyright Rum Therapy
At the end of the tour, we were deposited in the Cruzan tasting room – not a bad place to be, where we enjoyed our choice of several different Cruzan Rum cocktails and again could sample the individual rums, if we wished (we did…).

Cruzan Rum Distillery - copyright Rum Therapy
After a few minutes of shopping, we headed back to find Joseph, who was waiting patiently for his, then, very happy crew, and we made our way back to our home for the night, Hotel Caravelle in Christiansted.

Have you taken the rum tours on St. Croix? Tell us about it!

Find out more about the rum tours here:

Captain Morgan 

Cruzan Rum

A special thanks to USVI Tourism Board for arranging our rum distillery tours!

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

Dos Maderas Luxus. A Rum Too Good to Share?

 

During a rum tasting at The Breadfruit & Rum Bar in Phoenix, our host, rum expert, Dwayne Allen, prefaced the tasting of a premium rum with these words; “There are some rums you buy to serve in a cocktail at a party. There are some rums you buy to share only with the closest of friends & family, and there are some rums, well, that are so rare and special, that you save them just for yourself.”

Those words have remained etched in our brain as we have ventured into the world of fine rums – something we knew nothing about a few years ago.

Dos Maderas 5+5 copyright Rum Therapy
Enter Dos Maderas 5+5. Also first experienced during a rum tasting, we immediately fell for it. Made by Williams & Humbert – a sherry maker, this rum is aged for 5 years in the Caribbean in bourbon casks and then taken to Jerez, Spain, where it’s aged for an additional 5 years in sherry casks. Unfortunately Dos Maderas 5+5 was not easily found, and we ended up ordering a couple of bottles from Hi Times Wine Cellars.

Sometime last summer, we noticed a post on the Dos Maderas Instagram page with a photo of Dos Maderas Luxus. Luxus, a blend of rums produced on the islands of Barbados and Guyana, is aged for 10 years in the Caribbean, then shipped to the Williams and Humbert facilities in Spain, where is rests for an additional 5 years in oak-wood sherry casks. Due to the age and intricate process, this luxurious rum costs a bit to procure – $125-150+ a bottle.

Since we’re quite fond of the 5+5, we immediately we began a search for the Luxus and mentioned it to our fellow rum aficionado, Dan. A few weeks later, we got a call from Dan, asking if we’d like to do a rum tasting of Luxus – he’d found a bottle and had it shipped to his home.

Dos Maderas Luxus
The exquisite elixir did not disappoint; very smooth, rich and complex, slightly sweet, with a subtle hint of sherry. One glass led to another until the bottle was half empty.

Luxus is a limited edition and Dos Maderas releases only 5,000 bottles of it a year. Although we feel Luxus might fall in the “rums so rare and special, that you save them just for yourself” category, it was definitely nice to share notes and thoughts with a friend. Thank you Dan, for letting us in on the Luxus experience!

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Rum Therapy’s Top 10 Rum Recipe Posts of 2016


It’s become a Rum Therapy annual tradition to summarize the 10 Most Visited Rum Therapy Island Blog Posts of the year and then follow it up with Rum Therapy’s Top 10 Rum Recipe Posts. Kind of like the iconic Dick Clark New Years Eve Countdown, but, well, you don’t have to stay up as late!

Ironically, the top 3 most viewed drink recipes are the same as 2015! Guess everybody really likes a good Bahama Mama, Painkiller and Caribbean Rum Punch.

So now, without further adieu, we present the countdown of Rum Therapy’s Top 10 Rum Recipe Posts of 2016:

#10 Coconut Rum Punch

coconut-rum-punch-copyright Rum Therapy
A delicious combination of tropical flavors that will make you feel like your sitting with your toes in the sand. The recipe makes 4, but you can easily double or triple for a larger batch.
Coconut Rum Punch Recipe

#9 Mai Tai

mai-tai-copyright Rum Therapy
This one may have been catapulted onto our 2016 list after we posted (many) photos of the Mai Tai’s we enjoyed on our trip to Maui & Lanai. The recipe is for a traditional version of the Mai Tai, but we found that every tiki bar and restaurant that we visited added their own special twist – such as pineapple juice (it is Hawaii!), a couple drops of grenadine and, of course. a garnish of flowers.
Mai Tai Recipe

#8 Dark Mojito
dark-mojito-copyright Rum Therapy
Well, this one was a bit of a surprise. Not so much that a mojito made the list – why wouldn’t it? But that it wasn’t the Perfect Mojito! The combination of brown sugar and a good dark rum in the Dark Mojito really is a good one though… If you’re a mojito lover, you might want to check out these 10 Mojito Variations as well!
Dark Mojito Recipe

#7 Authentic Rum Punch

authentic-rum-punch-copyright Rum Therapy
A more “authentic” Caribbean recipe version of  Rum Punch which uses the rhyme: 1 of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 of strong, 4 of weak. Usually not as sweet as the juice heavy Caribbean Rum Punch Recipe (see #1), but absolutely rumlicious!
Authentic Rum Punch

#6 Dirty Banana
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We first sampled this creamy rum cocktail in Jamaica years ago, yet the delicious taste is still fresh on our minds…
Dirty Banana Recipe

#5 Rum Runners

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Some are frozen, some on the rocks. Some have an orange hue, some are reddish – but one things for sure – Rum Runners are delicious.
Rum Runner Recipe

#4 Bushwacker

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An adult milkshake if we’ve ever had one, this potent, creamy and delicious rum cocktail is quite popular in the Virgin Islands. Don’t let the cold and creamy taste fool you into thinking it’s a milkshake though – this is one strong (but tasty!)beverage.
Bushwacker Recipe

#3 Bahama Mama

bahama-mama-copyright Rum Therapy
Oh my goodness, this one packs a punch with 3 different rums and Kahlua, but my oh my – it tastes great. Find this popular tropical cocktail recipe here:
Bahama Mama

#2 Painkiller

painkillers-copyright Rum Therapy
Given its popularity, it’s not a big surprise that the Painkiller made the Rum Therapy Top 10 list again! It’s easy to make and the taste will surely remind you of relaxing in the sun and sand on your favorite island (maybe Jost Van Dyke?)
Painkiller Recipe

And the number one most searched recipe on our site for the 2nd year in a row?

#1 – Caribbean Rum Punch!

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Caribbean Rum Punch differentiates itself from an “Authentic Rum Punch” in that a variety of fresh fruit juices can be used, creating tastes that can vary immensely depending on the combination. The recipe calls for orange and pineapple juice, but why not try mango or papaya for a completely different taste?
Caribbean Rum Punch Recipe

Be sure to watch for even more rum recipes in the coming year on our site and subscribe to our YouTube channel to see videos on how to easily create some of our favorite rum drinks.

Find more rum recipes here:

Rum Recipe Picture Directory

Rum Recipes  by Category

Rum Therapy Recipes on YouTube

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5 Warm and Toasty Winter Rum Drinks

Baby it’s cold outside….and it will be for a while now given the first actual day of winter (the Winter Solstice) isn’t until December 21. Here’s a few warm and toasty rum drinks sure to warm you right up. Maybe they’ll make the cold weather a little easier to take. Well, it’s worth a shot…

Rum & Pumpkin Spice Latte

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Rum and Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Hot Rum & Chocolate Coffee

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Hot Rum & Chocolate Recipe

Hot Buttered Rum

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Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Apple Cider with Spiced Rum

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Apple Cider with Spiced Rum Recipe

Gingerbread Rum Latte

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Gingerbread Rum Latte Recipe

Stay warm friends!

 

Find more rum recipes here:

Rum Recipe Picture Directory
Rum Recipes by Category

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC