40% ABV
Rum
Dominican Republic
Cigars and rum are a natural pairing. The raw materials that are elaborated to make these products grow favorably in the same climates, often in the same countries. Serendipitously, the wood, pepper, earthy flavors and aromas of cigars are easily complemented by the sweetness in most rum. Assuming the level of quality is high on both spirit and smoke, you could blindly reach for any cigar and rum and they would play together nicely. Like buying a shirt off the rack that is the right size, it’ll do the job. But have a shirt tailor made for you from the ground up and you’ll never want to buy off the rack again. That’s what La Aurora has accomplished with this rum, making it purpose-built to pair flawlessly with its cigars.
The team at La Aurora collaborated with Ron Barceló to produce the E. León Jimenes 110 Aniversario. La Aurora’s master blender, Manuel Ynoa, in a recent conversation with Cigar Snob explained, “We worked hard for three years to develop this rum. We drank rum and smoked cigars in the morning, afternoon, and in the evening until we arrived at this rum. It was hard work.” Jokes aside, the rum is a limited-edition product, with 3,000 bottles produced annually. To get to that point, the distillate is aged eight years in virgin American oak barrels and finished for another two years in French oak.
The effort was recognized at the 2020 World Spirits Competition in San Francisco where it took home double gold and the Beverage Tasting Institute awarded the E. León Jimenes 97 points.
Pairing by: Erik Calviño
Tasting Notes: E. León Jimenes 110 Aniversario Rum
The E. León Jimenes 100 Aniversario offers up tons of caramel and butterscotch as well as oak spice and ripe fruits on the nose, giving it a cognac-like characteristic. The palate is a continuation of the nose and the addition of notes of chocolate and herbal bitters with a long finish. Enjoyed neat alongside the cigar, the rum infuses a delightful fruitiness into the smoke while the cigar brings the dry, oak notes to the forefront, knocking down the sweetness noticeably. The pairing is as advertised; both products positively impact each other harmoniously.
Cigar Pairing: La Aurora 120 Anniversary
The cigar is a solidly packed, thick toro finished with a clean and velvety-smooth wrapper. Upon lighting, the blend opens with a balanced combination of cedar, pepper, and toasted almonds delivered along a rich, creamy texture with an aroma of leather and baking spices. The flavor intensity is quite full while the strength tops out at medium plus.
