Beers, Habanos Forge a Winning Pair

The pairing between four Belgium beers and Cuban suds on the one hand, and three habanos on the other hand, was no doubt one of the most anticipated moments among guests attending the 16th Habano Festival.

By the hand of seasoned sommelier Ben Vinken, delegates unraveled the secrets that bring together these two products that, as Mr. Vinken put it, “they rank among the finest in the world.”

To begin with, attendees matched the aromatic and well-balanced taste of the H. Upmann Half Corona with celebrated Cuban light beer Bucanero. Following that moment, the delicate scent of the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 was stacked up against the strength of Duvel and Leffe Brown Abbey black beer. Last but not least, guests tried out the bonds between Partagas Series D No. 4 and the Malheur Brut Reserve and Chimay Grande Reserve beers.

Across the board, experts, sommeliers and aficionados that attended the pairing agreed for a draw between the Monterrey Epicure No. 2 when combined with Duvel and Leffe. In the case of Partagas Series D No. 4, the public rooted for Malheur, quite a surprising outcome since connoisseurs believe the best combination is the one with Chimay Grande Reserve.