6 Cuban Rum Cocktails to Try

10 March 2020 by Ellie

With many rums produced in Cuba, the country has become linked with some tasty alcoholic beverages using this spirit. Here we share some of our favourite Cuban rum cocktails that you can make at home!

Mojito

One of the most popular cocktails in the world, the mojito originates from Cuba and makes use of delicious white rum.

You will need:

• 60ml white rum
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• Soda water
• Mint leaves
• Crushed ice

1. In a tall glass, add the sugar, lime
   juice and a few mint leaves and mix and mash together.
2. Fill the glass half-way with crushed ice.
3. Pour the rum over the ice and mix all
   together with a long spoon.
4. Top off the drink with soda water and
   garnish with some extra mint leaves.

Daiquiri

Daiquiri is another popular cocktail that makes use of delicious Cuban rum.

You will need:

• 60ml white rum
• 10ml sugar syrup
• 25ml lime juice
• Ice

1. Add ice to a cocktail shaker and pour the
   ingredients over before shaking together.
2. Strain the mixture into a glass and
   serve.

The daiquiri has had several variations created over the years, so if you would like to experiment with flavours, then why not try one of these twists on the classic recipe?

Strawberry Daiquiri

Before you add the ingredients to the shaker, pop in a handful of strawberries and crush with a pestle. Add the daiquiri ingredients as above, shake and strain into a glass for a fruity sip.

Blue Daiquiri

In place of sugar syrup, use blue curacao for a tropical-feeling sip with a vibrant colour.

Achim Schleuning / License: Creative Commons CC-by-sa-3.0 de

Hemingway Daiquiri

Created by a bartender at La Floridita in Cuba for Ernest Hemingway, the Hemingway Daiquiri, also known as Papa Doble, is a twist on the daiquiri that sees the sugar replaced with double the rum – as requested by Hemingway!

La Floridita bartender Antonio Meilan later added grapefruit juice and maraschino to this cocktail to make it more palatable.

You will need:

• 90ml white rum
• 30ml grapefruit juice
• 15ml lime juice
• 5ml Maraschino liqueur
• Crushed ice

1. All ingredients should be blended with crushed ice for a few seconds before being served in a tall glass.

Cuba Libre

A simple cocktail that most rum lovers will have tried – even if they didn’t realise it! Make sure not to forget the squeeze of lime to make this a true Cuba Libre!

You will need:

• 50ml rum
• 100ml cola
• ½ lime
• Ice

1. Cut half a lime into wedges. Squeeze the juice of half the wedges into a tall glass and put the remaining wedges into the glass whole.
2. Add ice to the glass, pour the rum over and top with cola.
3. Stir all together gently and serve.

El Presidente

El Presidente gained its popularity in Cuba during the 1920s, following the American Prohibition. During the prohibition in the US, many paid a visit to Cuba to enjoy a rum-based cocktail or two!

This cocktail is so named in thanks to the Cuban president who did not impose a ban on alcohol in Cuba! 

You will need:

• 40ml rum
• 20ml orange curacao
• 20ml vermouth
• Dash of Grenadine
• Ice

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in all ingredients.
2. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

El Nacional

El Nacional is named after the Hotel Nacional in Havana. It mixes sticky sweet tastes of dark rum, pineapple juice and apricot liqueur into a rich, flavourful sip.

You will need:

• 20ml white rum
• 20ml dark rum
• 20ml pineapple juice
• 14ml lime juice
• 7ml apricot liqueur
• Thin slices of lime
• Ice

1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, shake and strain into a glass.
2. Top the glass with a thin slice of lime.

Whichever cocktail you choose, why not pair it with a luxurious Cuban cigar to enjoy all the best tastes of Cuba?

How to Pair Cigars and Wine

12 February 2020 by Ellie

From comparable creation and ageing processes to being a luxury collectable, there are a lot of similarities between cigars and wine. With similarities comes the potential to form a great pairing, and cigars and wine can offer just that. We take a look at how you can create a great pairing.

How Does Pairing Work?

The general rule of pairing should come into play here – pairing like with like. The stronger wines get paired with the stronger cigars, and the milder smokes go with the lighter wines. You can then work with the flavours present in each to find complimentary pairings.

Check out our Ultimate Guide to Pairing for more ideas on how to pair with cigars.

Red Wine and Cigars

Pairing cigars with red wine is typically the most popular pairing type for wine. Red wine tends to be aromatic and fuller in flavour, making it a good idea to pair with medium to full-bodied cigars.

Compliments Bitterness 

Red wine can have slightly bitter notes present within each sip, which will complement the rich smokiness of your cigar.

Flavour Matching

With all pairings, matching or complementary flavours are necessary to make the two items work well together. When it comes to wine and cigars, finding flavours that complement can be easier than other pairings, as both should detail notes of their subtler flavours on their labels or descriptions.

For example, wines with a sweeter, cherry taste may work well with a cigar with hints of almond. An earthier wine will require a full-bodied, cigar with hints of pepper or leather to compete flavour-wise.

White Wine and Cigars

White wine tends to be quite delicate and fresh tasting, making it slightly harder to pair with cigars than other types of wine. However, if you have a light-bodied smoke, then a white wine will work wonderfully with it.

Pairing a white wine with a lighter cigar will ensure that the flavours do not overpower each other, allowing the delicious subtleties of each to shine through.

Rose Wine and Cigars

Rose wine offers the drinker traits of both red and white wine, making it a beverage that can work with a wider range of cigars. Typically best paired with medium-bodied cigars, rose offers complexity of flavour and fruity notes that can work with an assortment of smokes.

Fortified Wine and Cigars

Fortified wines – such as Port, Sherry and Madeira – are excellent choices for pairing with cigars. This type of wine will typically have a higher alcohol content and be a lot sweeter tasting than regular wines. This sweetness works well with cigars that feature oaky, spicy, or nutty flavours.

Smoke Time

Fortified wines also work well with cigars due to the time it takes to smoke and drink. Smoking a cigar properly can take an hour or more, so you need a drink that can be sipped on over the course of an evening. A glass or two of Sherry or Port would be perfect for this!

Should You Use Young Wine or Aged Wine?

Following the ‘like-with-like’ pairing rule, young wine should be drunk with newer cigars, and aged wines should be drunk with cigars that have been matured.

Aged wines tend to be stronger in terms of taste, with bolder aromas. Therefore, it needs an equally bold and strong smoke to go with it; which is what makes aged cigars so perfect for it.

Should You Pair Cigars With Dry Wine or Sweet Wine?

Again, this is dependent on the cigar you want to pair it with. Sweet wine tends to be more delicate, with sweet aromas, making it work better with light or medium cigars.

Dry wine is great for medium and full-bodied cigars, as they tend to be stronger in flavour.

Drink Water

Both dry wine and smoking cigars can leave your mouth feeling dry, so make sure to drink a little water alongside this pairing to keep your palette fresh.

Which wines and cigars would you pair together? Let us know by leaving a comment below with your suggestions!

Perfecting Your Cocktail and Cigar Pairings

17 July 2018 by Ellie

When it comes to alcohol and cigars, even the most seasoned cigar aficionado and spirit buffs can find themselves in a bit of trouble when it comes to finding the perfect drink and cigar pairings. We take a look at how to pair cigars based on our ability to pick out complex flavours with our sense of taste.  

An Introduction to Taste

You already use your natural abilities for taste, such as noticing a new ingredient in your lunch or deciding which wine would taste best with the dinner you made for your partner. With time your palate will evolve and become more refined, which is the way sommeliers and expert cigar makers acquire their skills. A master cigar maker can pick out a single tobacco leaf, and just by smelling and smoking it, they can identify the type of tobacco, tell you where it was grown, and how far along it is in the fermentation or ageing process. When you are able to pair two exquisite items together, the magic starts to happen. Some classic pairings for cigars when it comes to alcohol are Cognac, Single Malt Whisky, Bourbon and Port. Drinks such as Vodka and Gin alone do not work as well, as the cigar overpowers the subtle herbal notes of the beverages. Weaker alcohol content drinks, such as red wine and craft beers, also make an excellent match for certain cigars, just make sure they balance each other out by not letting one dominate and overpower the other. A simple method for beginners is to follow a few of these basic ideas of cigar and drink pairings.  

Mild Cigars

Mild cigars such as a Davidoff Grand Cru No.2 cigar, go particularly well with cocktails that use coffee or Irish cream. Mudslide –  This vodka-based drink can be made using 3 equal parts vodka, coffee liqueur, and Irish cream liqueur.  Just fill a glass with ice, pour an ounce of each ingredient into a cocktail shaker, shake, and strain into the glass. Black Russian –  This is a similar drink which uses vodka and coffee liqueur.  Mix about 1 ¾ oz vodka with ¾ oz coffee liqueur into a glass filled with ice and stir. If you’re not a big fan of vodka, you can replace it with Malibu, Amaretto or Kahlua.

Medium-Bodied Cigars

With medium-bodied cigars, such as the Swag Connecticut VIP Petit Robusto cigar,  drinks like an Irish coffee during the cold winter months, or a stinger when it’s warmer, are a perfect choice. Irish coffee –   Mix 1 ½ oz Irish whiskey with a tablespoon of brown sugar, 6 oz of hot coffee, and as much heavy cream as you want.  Mix the first three ingredients together, and put the cream on top to complete this drink. Stinger –  Stingers are made using brandy and white crème de menthe liqueur.  Typically they are paired with chocolate desserts, but they go very well with medium-bodied stogies.  Mix 1 ¾ oz brandy with ¾ oz white crème de menthe. Pour into a glass with crushed ice and stir (shaking is optional).  

Full-Bodied Cigars

For full-bodied cigars, like a Davidoff 702 Series Entreacto cigar, here at Havana House we enjoy an Old Fashioned cocktail using a quality single-malt, such as Ardbeg Uigeadail Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Mix 2 oz whisky with 1 sugar cube, 1 dash of bitters, 1 slice of lemon, 1 orange and 1 cherry.  Start by combining the bitters, sugar cube, and a teaspoon of water in an old-fashioned glass.  Once they are well mixed, add your whiskey and stir well.  Now add your ice cubes and lemon peel, along with your orange slices and cherry.   In the end, like most things in life, it all comes down to individual taste. You will soon discover through trial and error what works best for you and what doesn’t. Buy cigars online and develop your own perfect pairings by testing out a variety of cigar and drink combinations. What’s your favourite cocktail to enjoy with a cigar? We’d love to try it out, so let us know in the comments below!

Pair Your Cigars with These 7 Drinks

22 May 2018 by Ellie

Most people are aware of what drinks they prefer to order when they go to a bar for drinks with friends, or to dinner with a loved one. But when it comes to pairing your beverages with a stogie, some people can fall short. This isn’t a slight on cigar smokers who are yet to know what to pair their favourite smoke with, but if you are one of those seeking to find more information on what you can sip while you smoke, we’ve got just the thing for you!

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