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ESTABLISHING A “MARRIAGE” OR “PAIRING” HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOUGH, SINCE COMBINING TASTES AND PERCEPTIONS IS A VERY DIFFICULT TASK. AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE EVEN HARDER IF YOU TRY TO PUT MR. HABANO AND MODERN MIXOLOGY AT THE SAME TABLE

Coffee, chocolate and spirits have undoubtedly been the most classic alliances for premium cigar. But, what could you offer to somebody who wants to enjoy it with a drink of lower alcoholic content than rum, cognac, whisky or brandy? Molecular cocktails could be a bold alternative.
For a long-lasting relation, these blends should have ingredients that contribute to achieve a harmonic pairing with habanos’ range of tastes. The mix can contain coffee, chocolate and dark rums, habano’s allies per se. The color of these cigars is quite similar to those featured by coffee, cacao and aged eau-de-vie or spirits, which always sway from brown shades to mahogany and chocolate-brown.
They are linked to scents, tastes and that highly powerful spirit delivered by the habanos, coffee or spirits, which get blended and strengthened, like a subtle scent, picked up from several feet away.
Of course, the use of other ingredients like dried fruit, spices, syrups and aromatic plants is not ruled out… as well as such techniques as gelification, froths, and even blowing the cigar’s smoke around the container.
For that endless range of blends, there is a wide variety of vitolas, in which personal preferences play the leading role. Nevertheless, it’s always recommended to seek a sommelier’s advice. At the end of the day, they are experts in this matter.
It’s also important to keep in mind that habanos can be puffed on in different moments of the day, but choosing the right moment and analyzing the time you can devote to fully enjoying it are key elements to striking the perfect harmony.
What does molecular cocktail stand for?
Molecular techniques have become popular and attractive in the world of modern mixology. Amazing shows are conducted with the use of froths, liquid nitrogen, gels, fogs, heat, the solidification of liquids…, elements that have a significant impact on the psyche of customers.
Mixology or Molecular Cocktail entails the application of analysis methodologies and scientific techniques when it comes to preparing cocktails. The goal is to manipulate the states and characteristics of the matter in a bid to come up with new tastes, sensations, textures and visual effects, thus helping consumers live unknown experiences.
So, when you enhance your knowledge in terms of the molecular structure of the elements used and improve existing techniques, you are ready to create blends in which the key elements are preserved and the tastes are boosted.
The application of this discipline logically requires highly creative criteria, as well as chemistry training in the first place. That’s what it takes to use such elements as calcium chloride, liquid nitrogen, alginate and nitrous oxide, among others. Likewise, the use of new tools like siphons and even disposable needles calls for certain handling skills.
Nonetheless, trying your hand at molecular cocktail or mixology, and making it pair with habanos, could be a quite singular experience, perhaps too daring for some people, but very modernist for others.

MOLECULAR MIXOLOGY TECHNIQUES

Esterification or Caviar: It can be classified as classic, inverse and with isinglass.
Cocktail Gelification: Based on the use of isinglass.
Liquid Nitrogen: It creates a smoky or foggy atmosphere. It happens when hydrogen gets in contact with any liquid.
Brulee: The use of blowtorches to apply fire to the cocktail and coat it in caramel.
Froths: The use of siphons, where egg whites, agglutinating agents, isinglass and even fats are applied to created frothy textures.
Carbonated Drink : It takes the use of siphons and capsules of CO2 in order to increase the content of this gas in cocktails.
Air : Based on the use of soy lecithin.