Thanks to a virtual tasting with the La Aurora crew, I had the opportunity to pufferate on a Family Series Fuerte Sol — the latest cigar from the brand — along with a pour of the legendary E. León Jimenes 110 Aniversario Dominican rum. The cigar is delicious. The rum is tasty. There’s a lot to love about both and the pairing, especially since the flavors mesh well. They play off each other and bring out new, unique flavors as any good pairing should.

But here, now, we’re going to talk about the rum specifically. Why was the opportunity exciting? What is this rum and what makes it worthy of discussing? What kind of flavors did I experience or pick up? Pour yourself a cold glass, light one up if you do that, and let’s get to talking.

Exploring E. León Jimenes

E. León Jimenes 110 Aniversario is not new, it’s actually been around for a bit, bottled for the first time in 2013. Inside is a complex, dark, Dominican rum aged for 10 years. Originally crafted to mark the 110 year anniversary of La Aurora, the company’s cigar brand, this rum was part of a collaboration with Ron Barceló. Some of you might recognize that name.

La Aurora considers it one of its finest creations, precisely why we sipped on some alongside the Fuerte Sol. The goal of this particular spirit was to complement the brand’s cigars, bringing out the best in both premium products. In my opinion, it succeeds at doing that very thing. The caveat, of course, is that the darker and more robust flavors tend to pair best with a stronger medium to full-bodied cigar.

If you’re not familiar with the brand’s history, La Aurora was founded by Eduardo León Jimenes in Don Pedro, Guazumal in the province of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, back in 1903. Over the next century, the León family grew its influence in the region, eventually forming the Leon Jimenes Group. Today, they make a variety of products, not just cigars under La Aurora, but also beer, liquor, coffee, and more.

Dominican rum, refined

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

• Profile: Dark and sweet
• Primary Flavors: Toffee, caramel, spices, and floral notes
• Best Prepared: Neat or on the rocks

For eight years, this blend is aged in American white oak casks, before being transferred for the last two years, and finished in virgin French oak casks (sherry). So, it’s aged a total of ten years, and only 3,000 bottles are produced each year.

Unlike most rums, which are dominated by sweet, bright flavors and undertones of spice, this rum is complex, exhilarating, and, dare I say, rewarding. Immediately, you’ll taste toffee, caramel, roasted almonds and nuttiness, and a creamy lingering sweetness, like molasses, but not quite as potent. It’s delicious, and on a clean palate it would be good enough, but when pairing with a cigar, like you’re meant to, everything is elevated.

Additional flavors include spices, coffee, wood or oak, cinnamon, floral notes, citrus, and even some vanilla. The nose is also fantastic. It’s thick, concentrated and aromatic even before you draw some into your mouth and across your tongue. As any taste-enthusiast knows, it’s also about slightly inhaling those flavors through your nose, what us cigar smokers refer to as retrohaling. You’re not actually inhaling in the traditional sense, more like pulling the scents through your nasal cavity and out of your nostrils. It’s the same technique tasters use with wine, whiskey, bourbon and other delicious mixtures — you’re meant to “nose” the glass first.

Wrapping up the tasting

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

This is not my first rodeo. I actually had some of the E. León Jimenes 110 Aniversario rum when I visited La Aurora in the Dominican Republic. One of the nights, after dinner, I was spoiled because the crew let me take the rest of the bottle back to my room. I enjoyed the evening with lit cigars, from La Aurora, of course, and the rum, and some absolutely phenomenal views. I assure you, I’m not just biased because of that history. This is delicious rum.

But after diving in with this pour, I was right back to that original experience, just in the comfort of my home. This rum is a delight and a stand out if you like these sorts of spirits. It’s actually not too expensive either, considering it’s aged 10 years. Most comparable brands would be asking upwards of $300 a bottle for something like this.

A guilty pleasure of mine is Kraken rum, which is pretty sweet. I know, I know, I’ll probably catch a lot of flak for saying that. But the point I’m making is that this Dominican rum is much smoother, with a similar profile, and also a sweetness that’s just right — not too sweet. It pairs exceptionally well with cigars, La Aurora’s or otherwise, and the bottles are relatively accessible price-wise, though you may have trouble finding them at your local liquor spot in some places. If you do find a bottle or two, don’t hesitate, give it a try.

MSRP: ~$125 per bottle

Recommended Buy: Yes, absolutely, if you like spiced or dark rum.

The post E. León Jimenes 110 Aniversario: Smoothing it out with rum appeared first on The BS Lounge.