Like all other Southern Draw lines, the Kudzu is produced at AJ Fernandez’s Tabacalera Fernandez factory in Nicaragua. The Kudzu features a double fermented Habano Oscuro wrapper over Cuban seed Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos. Three vitolas are available in the original Kudzu blend including: Robusto (5 1/2 by 54), Toro (6 by 52), and Gordo (6 1/2 by 60). Additionally, three line extensions with distinct blends have been added including the Axil Lancero (6 1/2 by 50), the Code Duello Semi Box Pressed Perfecto Double Ometepe (5 by 58), and the Code Duello Semi Box Pressed Perfecto Double Oscuro (6 by 56).

I previously reviewed the Southern Draw QuickDraw Pennsylvania HERE. You can purchase the Southern Draw Kudzu from our site sponsor Famous Smoke Shop. Make sure to use coupon code “CASASAVINGS” for $15 off orders over $100.

THE FACTS

Price: $9.50
Vitola: Toro Box-Pressed
Size: 6 by 52
Wrapper: Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

Southern Draw’s Kudzu wears one ugly wrapper with its crazy color variations from medium brown to black, a couple stitch-like veins, and two tears in the leaf. To the touch, the wrapper is velvety smooth, which is a surprise considering the rustic appearance. This box-pressed 6 by 52 cigar is evenly filled from head to foot with no soft spots to be found.

A big aroma of barnyard greets me from the wrapper, while barnyard and dirt come across on the closed foot. Upon cutting the cap, I find a stiff draw as flavors of rich cedar, cherry, and cinnamon are found on the dry draw.

FIRST THIRD

The Kudzu journey begins with a warm cedar and decent amount of spice, followed by yeast and sweetness. While there isn’t a big pepper flavor at the start, there is certainly a good amount heat going on in the mouth. The finish is rather clean with a faint earth and pencil shaving flavor. A large section of the Habano Oscuro wrapper is struggling to burn, but I am unwilling to break out my lighter just yet.

MIDDLE THIRD

There is an ebb and flow going on with the sweetness as I move into the second third of the Southern Draw Kudzu. The warm cedar remains, but darker flavors of earth and black coffee have arrived. At the midway point of the cigar, the flavors are in the medium to full realm. The spice has calmed, but a more pronounced pepper flavor has developed. Even though the draw remains firm, the smoke production is sufficient and I don’t feel like I am having to work to enjoy this cigar. I have hit the tipping point and I am breaking out the lighter to hopefully fix this whacky burn.  

FINAL THIRD

The Southern Draw Kudzu Toro takes on a whole new dimension in the last couple of inches. The profile is less aggressive, but remains rich, and a mellow coffee and cocoa take center stage. After the touch-up in the last third, the cigar is performing well, allowing me to close out this cigar with ease. 

WRAP-UP

Robert Holt and the rest of the crew are doing something right over at Southern Draw Cigars. And it doesn’t hurt when you pair up with one of the hottest manufactures to make your cigars either. The Southern Draw Kudzu delivered notes of cedar, spice, coffee, earth and cocoa. I did not see the transition in the final third coming, but it turned out to be my favorite part of the cigar. Both samples smoked for review had some burn issues, one worse than the other. But when all is said and done, I am still fan of this blend.

The post Southern Draw Kudzu Toro appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Famous Smoke Shop’s Cory Grover reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing this cigar.  Of course, there was no way I was going to decline the opportunity to do so.  Famous Smoke carries just about everything Davidoff, and you can check out Famous Smoke Shop’s Davidoff page here.

For some reason, there have not been a lot of reviews here of Davidoff cigars, but Jeremy did a great one of the Millennium Blend which you can find here, and Tony reviewed the Escurio here.

The Basics:

Samples provided by Famous Smoke Shop
Wrapper:  Nicaragua Habano Oscuro
Binder:  Nicaragua Jalapa
Filler:  Nicaragua (Condega, Esteli, and Ometepe)
Size:  Robusto box pressed 5 x48
Price:  $14.50
Smoking time:  One hour, ten minutes
Pairing:  Doorly’s Fine Old Rum Aged 12 Years (ABV 40%)

Pre-light: 

The Davidoff Nicaragua Box Press Robusto’s shape gives it an appearance that seems more like a petite corona than a typical robusto, but needless to say, it certainly lives up to what one might expect of Davidoff’s standards.  The wrapper presents itself in an almost uniform amber tinged medium brown spotted with darker hues, a silky oily feel and sheen, and minimal veining leading to a neatly applied triple cap.  It carries a bit of a spongy feel with a few softer spots.  Something I wasn’t expecting is that the primary band also identifies the size of the cigar as Robusto; not a feature you normally see on any cigar, as that would require a different band for each size.  Yep, details obviously matter to Davidoff.  The wrapper exudes a sharp earthy scent, while the foot shows an aroma of rich natural tobacco with faint tones of mossy wood and herbs, and perhaps even a bit of unsweetened cocoa.  After clipping the cap, I am met with sweet spice, light woodiness, a touch of saltiness, and a bit of peppery tingle on the lips and tongue.

First third:

Upon lighting, musty, earthy tobacco, pepper, and sweet spicy herbs hit the palate.  Woodiness bordering on mesquite or hickory follows as the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robusto is already at a solid medium body, while giving up a copious amount of smoke with each easy draw.  The burn line is sharp but wavy, and the ash has unexpectedly fallen into my lap and onto the porch floor.  Toward the end of the opening third, the pepper that had been leaving a scratchiness on the back of my tongue has ebbed, and the entire experience has smoothed out considerably, while bringing in some mocha-like notes and pushing up the body a bit more.

Middle third:

The second ash of the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed has decided to be nice to me and hung on for a good inch before falling off into my ashtray.  The burn has pretty much self-leveled as the mocha/coffee pushes in further and the body continues to climb.  The cigar is rich and smooth and there is just enough strength at this point (combined with the rum) to put me in a nice state of relaxation.  The mustiness is still there, but has moved farther into the background and the sweetness has also fallen back.  Some tartness has emerged, giving the cigar another dimension.

Final third:

Continuing its ascent into the medium-full realm, the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robusto has brought back the pepper, although more in the flavor department than in feel, and some sweetness also return on entry but quickly dissipates on the palate.  Wood, earth, coffee, tartness, a little bit of leather, and that rich and once again musty tobacco intermingle nicely.  The strength continues to move up, but not to an uncomfortable level, as the body approaches full.  With no re-lights or corrections needed throughout, the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed smokes comfortably cool and with just a small amount of softness down to the last ¾”.

Final thoughts:

Nice appearance?  Check.  Great construction and burn?  Yes.  Outstanding flavors, complexity and balance?  Another tick.  The only misgiving I would have is the price, which is obviously a bit high for a 60-70 minute smoke.  That being said, if I could afford it, I would have this stick around at all times.  It’s a damned good cigar to relax and melt into a comfortable chair with, and no doubt one of the best I have had so far this year.  Highly recommended for those who like their smokes on the fuller, stronger side, but still want great balance and smoothness to go along with it.

Thanks to Cory at Famous for sending these to me to check out!  And for another take on this line, but in the Toro size, you might want to take a look into my friend Gary Korb’s review here, which I had to keep myself from reading until I finished my own review, lol.  Sure, Gary works for Famous and is also the head man at Cigar Advisor, but I have always found his reviews to be honest and concise.  Damn, now I want to try out the Toro.

Pairing:

I figured it was about time to take my own advice and match a cigar with a nice rum that I thought would enhance my experience with this cigar.  Doorly’s is a product of the well thought of Barbados based Foursquare Distillery (R.L. Seale & Co. Ltd.), and is mostly available through the Total Wine and More beverage chain.  The Aged 12 Years is a blend of pot and column stilled rums, with 90% aged for 12 years in Kentucky bourbon barrels and the remaining 10% aged for 12 years in Madeira barrels.  Exuding banana and apricot fruit on the nose and a not overly sweet oaky vanilla hit on the palate, this rum presents a smooth and silky feel on the tongue with a nice bit of alcohol warmth.  At about $28 for a fifth, it’s a great deal for a high quality sipping rum and a perfect match-up for a number of cigars.  Hell, that’s an entire bottle for about the cost of two of the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robustos.  This was certainly a great pairing, as each complemented the other with what they had to offer, and any deeply flavored but not overly sweet, balanced rum would do well with this cigar.  If you’re looking for a beer to go with it, I would recommend something rich and strong, especially something barrel aged, and in terms or wine, a rich tawny port with a good acidic balance is something I would love to match this up with.

*We often post pairings here on Casas Fumando and have always been advocates on finding the right pairing for your cigar smoking experience. Our friends over at Famous Smoke Shop recently released a very easy to use tool which helps you choose the right pairing for your cigar or drink. Check it out here: https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigar-pairing 

The post Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robusto appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

The My Father line produced by My Father Cigars, blended by Jaime Garcia to celebrate his father Jose Pepin Garcia. Much in the same way, the line extension of the My Father Le Bijou 1922 is created by Jose Pepin Garcia to celebrate his father as well.  “Le Bijou” translates to “The Jewel” while the year 1922 represents the birth year of Jose Pepin Garcia’s father.

The Le Bijou 1922 carries a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper vs. the Ecuadorian Habano/Rosado that you find on the standard My Father blend resulting in a much bolder, stronger blend. The Le Bijou 1922 comes in five core formats, the Churchill (7 x 50), the Grand Robusto (5.6 x 55), the Petite Robusto (4.5 x 50), The Toro (6 x 52) and the Torpedo Box-Press (6.1 x 52) which comes in boxes of 23 ranging between $7 and $12.25 a stick. I got mine over from our great friends at Bonita Smoke Shop.

While this cigar/format was originally released in 2011, Cigar Aficionado listed it as this past year’s #1 cigar of the year which prompted me to take a look at it and bring you this review. We’ve actually reviewed the Toro back in 2010 and did a quick draw of this same box-pressed torpedo version in 2011.

Size: 6 1/8 x 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro (Pelo De Oro)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Full
Strength: Full
Price: $11.75
Pairing: Goose Island Bourbon County Barley Wine 2015 (Barley Wine 12.9% ABV)

Prelight:

The My Father Le Bijou 1922 starts out with one of the most beautiful wrappers I have ever seen on a cigar. It’s a very dark brown in color with lots of almost black areas scattered throughout the wrapper leaf. The texture is very rough and toothy while the cigar is covered in thick oils. There are a few very minor veins and some great natural webbing in the leaf. The wrapper feels very dense and hard while the cigar as a whole is very firm from cap to foot as I squeeze it between my fingers. This particular format sports a very comfortable soft box press that leads through the cigar’s body up to a very sharp, tapered, torpedo cap. The My Father Le Bijou 1922 is polished off with three sets of bands. The first is the standard gold, greed, red, and white band that you find on the My Father blends which carry the My Father crest. The details on this band is incredible. The second band is a smaller one with the same basic design which carries the Le Bijou 1922 crest. The third is a simple orange ribbon fount around the foot. I’ve only seen the ribbon placed on the box-pressed torpedo version of this cigar, although I may be wrong about that.

The wrapper on the My Father Le Bijou 1922 gives off a very pungent musk and cedar with some great sweetness while the foot of the cigar carries a much more earthier, natural aroma with lots of sharp pepper. The cap took a little bit of effort to clip using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw was a bit snug, but produced some very bold spice, pepper, sweetness, and musk flavors.

First Third:

Right off the bat the My Father Le Bijou 1922 leads off with some very strong cayenne pepper that left my lips and tongue tingling. After a few puffs though, the pepper almost completely disappears and I am left with some great bold musk, spice, sweetness, oak, and coffee flavors. The flavor profiles starts off very bold and continued to increase slowly as I made my way through the first third. The draw started out very tight but had really started to open up after about an inch or so and is now kicking out a great deal of smoke with each puff. The burn line is pretty thick and slightly wavy leaving behind a trail of slightly compacted white and dark gray ash which held on for about an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

The flavors have become a bit more creamy and subtle in the second third of the My Father Le Bijou 1922. The cigar is still leading with musk and oak backed by some great spice, sweetness, and coffee but the flavors are nowhere near as bold as the first third. While the flavors tamed a bit, the strength hasn’t it’s rockin’ hard. The retrohale produces some great cedar and a whole ton of sweetness with some sharp pepper that is no longer found in the regular flavor profile. The burn line is still a bit wild, but the draw has been much better so I’m not complaining.

Finish:

In the final third of the My Father Le Bijou 1922 and the flavor has been pouring back onto the experience and is now well into the full category along with the full strength. The flavors are still heavy on the oak and musk backed by spice, sweetness, and coffee with a bit of the pepper squeaking back in there. The cigar burns very slow and it took my 2 hours to take it down to the nub. I experience no harshness, no extra heat and despite a sketchy burn, I never once had to reach for my torch to touch up or relight the cigar. I close out the cigar with a pretty heavy little nicotine kick.

Overview:

The My Father Le Bijou 1922 was an outstanding stick the first time I smoked it and this still holds true today. The flavors are absolutely solid, the burn was great, the availability is awesome, the price is good, and this format in particular is outstanding. I’m not going to try to figure it this would make my top 10 if it was released last year, not will I try to justify CA’s reasoning behind their decision. Just know that this is a great cigar, and if for some crazy reason you still haven’t tried one, there is no better time than now.

Pairing:

Coming in with another Bourbon County variant this week, I decided to pair the My Father Le Bijou 1922 with Goose Island’s 2015 Bourbon County Barely Wine. Brewed in Chicago’s Goose Island brewery, this extremely rare barley wine comes in at a whopping 12.9% ABV. The Bourbon County Barleywine leads with some great bitterness, sweetness, oak, and cherry with a heavy mouthfeel before finishing very sticky and malty with lots of oak, sweetness, and a nice little bourbon aftertaste. I know that some of the Goose Island Bourbon County Barleywines were infected and didn’t taste proper, but that doesn’t appear to be the case in this bottle as it’s absolutely wonderful. The sweetness, oak, malt, and bourbon marries up perfectly with the flavors that reside in the My Father Le Bijou 1922’s flavor profile. I think this cigar would pair perfectly with a sweet bourbon, a tawny port, or a bold Belgian quad.

The post My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Press appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Headlines cigars are the brainchild of Dee Aguasvivas and Ulises Delgado, owners of Fusion Cigar Lounge, an upscale lounge and bar in Clearwater, Florida. In August 2014, Fusion Cigar Lounge entered into a distribution agreement with Antillian Cigar Corp., the parent company of Sosa Cigars, for the Headlines brand.

Headlines cigars are produced in Tamboril, Domincan Republic at Tabacalera Real, S.A., located approximately 40 miles from Santiago.  Headlines cigars are currently available in two blends, First Edition and Second Edition. Both blends are Dominican puros and are made in the same three vitolas: Page 1 (5 1/2 by 60), Page 2 (6 by 54 Torpedo), and Page 3 (6 by 50). The cigars range in price from $7.50 to $8.50.

William Cooper of Cigar Coop reported on the rebranding of the Headlines brand back in January:

Headlines Cigars will be doing an overall to its existing offerings. The brand has reblended and rebranded its current cigars.  The new offerings include two Dominican made cigar lines Headlines First Edition and Headlines Second Edition.  Both cigars are being done in collaboration with Arby Sosa.

According to Arby Sosa,  “I’ve never been a part of creating an all-Domincan Puro, so this was an exciting project for me. It took over 6 months to perfect both blends, but we are all impressed with the final result. I believe in this cigar and hope all cigar fans will venture out and try this one, and I know they will be happy.

The Facts

Samples Provided by Antillian Cigar Corp.
Price: $8.00
Vitola: Page 2 – Torpedo
Size: 6 by 54
Wrapper: Domincan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican Andullo
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The Headlines 2nd Edition Maduro is draped in a dark brown Habano Oscuro leaf, with a dark red hue, and a mottled appearance. Small to medium sized veins crisscross down the firmly packed cigar from head to foot. This cigar is rock solid and feels hefty in the hand. Sweet notes of chocolate and honey greet me as I bring my nose to the wrapper of the cigar and there is also an underlying barnyard, but not at all off-putting.

The aroma off the foot of the 2nd Edition is full with more of the honey-like sweetness, a nuttiness, barnyard, earth and cedar, followed by a spice tingle in the sinuses. A beautiful, pointy tapered head caps off the cigar. After some trouble clipping through the fully filled cigar, I am pleased to find a decent draw. Big notes of potpourri-like spice instantly meets my palate on the dry draw, followed by chocolate and rich cedar.

First Third

The 2nd Edition Page 2 opens with some harshness and sour notes that fade rather quickly and are replaced with deep notes of earth, wood, and char, with a complete void of any type of sweetness. After about fifteen minutes of smoking, the char notes begin to diminish.  A firm, layered, dark gray ash is produced as the 2nd Edition burns with a slight wave.

Middle Third

As the woodsy notes transition to more pencil shaving-like, a black pepper spice is in full force in term of flavors, while the heat is medium, and the earthy notes are still hanging around.  A newly found cinnamon spice has made an introduction but is way in the background. Still, there is no perceivable sweetness. While the draw has been good from the start, the smoke production has continued to increase. At this point, a satisfying amount of smoke is being produced.

Final Third

Burning along, I find the final third of the 2nd Edition to be rich and savory, but rather consistent with the flavors from early on. The flavors remain full and dark, and the char flavor that exited in the first third has shown back up. The cigar, while not perfect, is burning decently and I do not foresee any additional touch-ups in the handful of minutes remaining.

Wrap-Up

Headlines 2nd Edition brings to the table a consistent profile that is dark, meaty, earthy, and woodsy. Several times throughout the smoke, an undesirable char flavor arrived distracting me from the more enjoyable flavors. However, the biggest issue I found in the flavor department was the complete lack of any type of sweetness, which really surprised me considering the honey and chocolate I picked up on during the pre-light on both the aroma and the dry draw. The absence of sweetness made the profile off-balanced and much to be desired. Regarding the performance, the cigar burned decently with only a single touch-up required, the ash held firm, and an acceptable amount smoke was produced from the beginning, sometimes requiring a few puffs to get a mouth full, but by the middle third, the cigar was pumping out thick clouds of smoke. If I had $8 in my hand, I would hold off on the Headlines 2nd Edition and reach for the 1st Edition that delivered the sweetness I could not find in this stick.

The post Headlines 2nd Edition Page 2 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

A medium to full body cigar with a full flavor profile accented with spicy notes. Uniquely blended by Miguel Cuenca, with a taste group of five seasoned smokers at Cuenca, Cigars of Hollywood, Florida, and later on with the final approval by Ana Cuenca. “This is how we do things at Cuenca Cigars…The blending process is multi layered to insure the best quality,” said Ana Cuenca. The Cuenca 5 reinforces the model behind Cuenca cigars of cultivating consumer palates by allowing the smoker to freely experience the many flavors of the Cuenca Humidor and developing a sophisticated palate. The complexity of the cigar is owed to the testing process of the Cuenca Customers, and we would appreciate a fully engaged feedback process by you in our reviews of the cigar. After all the Cuenca 5 celebrates our appreciation to you as our Customer for the past 5 years.

Our goal was to blend a cigar with complexity and a lot of flavor. We did not want to come out with a mild blend; we love spicy and full bodied cigars. We want to be known and defined for offering a spicy and strong product. We also love to be “different”, in every possible way. Did you notice the absence of the “th” in 5? We like it like that way, and 5 is a great number for us. “Cuenca 5 Anniversary” will have an initial batch of 500 boxes.  Full production will be up to 100,000 Cigars.

All boxes will be signed by Miguel Cuenca. The cigar is a 7 x 54, Torpedo Box pressed, with carefully selected dark Habano wrapper from Nicaragua. It is aged and cured by AJ Fernandez the creator of San Lotano Cigars, a good friend of the Cuenca Family. They come in an elegant cedar box which contains 10 cigars.

Samples provided by Cuenca Cigars
Format: Box Pressed Torpedo
Size: 7 by 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan (Select Habano Oscuro)
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Unknown
Pairing: Water
Smoke Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Pre-light

First off, this is a great looking stick.  The milk chocolate wrapper is consistent in color from head to foot and is smooth to the touch with the smallest of veins.   The festive band is quite large but fits this 7 by 54 behemoth of a cigar.   The Habano Oscuro wrapper gives off chocolate, manure, and mild pepper, with the foot showcasing sweet tobacco, chocolate, and pepper.  The pepper off the foot is already stinging my sinus passage. This stick may be a spice bomb!

The box pressed format makes the Cuenca 5 Anniversary very manageable.  This is one of my favorite formats for a large cigar.  The cigar has no soft spots and gives slightly when squeezed.   The wrapper transitions to the cap neatly making it barely noticeable. The cap clips clean exposing a  draw with a  nice amount of resistance. The cold draw leaves a spice tingle on my tongue but not much in the flavor department.

First Third

Upon toasting the foot, I’m instantly greeted with a good amount of spice which quickly fades and mixes in with flavors of caramel, cedar, and pepper. The pepper is heavy on the retrohale, tickling the back of throat. The dusty chocolate finish is long  with a lingering spice. While puffing away in the first third, I already begin to notice a transition to much darker flavors of coffee and roasted notes.  Just like determining the age of tree by the number of rings, you could count the number of puffs I have taken on the stick from the black and white layered ash it is leaving.  The burn line is razor-sharp and the ash held on over inch.   The draw is a little snug but producing a decent amount of smoke that is medium/full in flavor and strength.

Middle Third

The caramel has moved on as I make my way into the second third and citrus notes enter the profile.  I continue to pick up a lot of woodsy notes of cedar with an added layer of oak.  I am wrong about the caramel, it is once again in the flavor make-up.  The Cuenca has found a great rhythm.  The profile bounces back and forth from caramel and wood notes to pepper, coffee, and toasted flavors. While the retrohale is on the spicy side, I am really enjoying it.  I have been retrohaling the heck out of this 5 Anniversary, which may be contributing to the nicotine I am now feeling. The smoke has become chewy in the mouth coating my palate with each draw that is now delivering a copious amount of smoke.  A slight wave develops in the burn line but quickly corrects itself. The flavors are full and the strength is creeping up on me putting it into the high-end but not unbearable.

Final Third

The flavors settle into a  combination of vanilla bean, caramel, and oak much like spiced rum.  There is also a meaty flavor entering the profile.  It reminds me of the smell from a wood smoker.  I have been so focused on the flavors that I almost burned right into the band.  As I nub the cigar, the black coffee and citrus begin to dominate the profile but I have not encountered any harshness.  The smoke is no longer chewy but a bit dry. However, my palate is still able to recover by itself (good thing because I’m out of water and too lazy to walk inside).  The burn line is rock solid. The strength has steadily picked up throughout the stick and I’m wishing I had a soft drink or something with some sugar to counteract the nicotine.  I may be putting a sugar cube under my tongue after I finish this stick.

Wrap-up

The Cuenca 5 Anniversary is a solid smoke.  It is rare to come across a cigar that A.J. Fernandez has his hand in and not enjoy it. This cigar is no exception.  The jumping back and forth of flavors kept me engaged the entire 2 hours and 10 minutes.  It is difficult for me to find time to enjoy such a larger stick but this would be a wonderful cigar to have on hand when time permits.  The format and packaging of this stick screams “celebratory cigar”, but, with a price of $8.50, the Cuenca 5 Anniversary could be enjoyed anytime.

The post Cuenca 5 Anniversary appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Garcia family is also involved in a variety of other cigar lines not under the My Father name.  Some examples include the Don Pepin Garcia line, the Jamie Garcia line, some Tatuaje cigars, the Ashton San Critobal line, El Rey De Los Habanos and many others.  He has also been the creator of a variety of house blended cigars for many different Brick & Mortar Cigar shops.  His son, Jaime Garcia, is just recently making a big splash in the cigar world with his original My Father cigar and the newer Jamie Garcia Reserva Especial.  Between these two gentlemen, there are a variety of great cigars attached to their name.  Aside from blending, the My Father Factory is also the home production facility of some other cigars such as the Nestor Miranda 1989 and the recently released Guillermo Leon line.

The My Father Le Bijou 1922 is blended by Don Pepin Garcia himself as a homage to his father.  The name “Le Bijou” means ‘The Jewel’ in French and the year 1922 is the year his father was born.  Don Pepin set out to make sure this was an excellent smoke worthy of his fathers name.  The wrapper used in this cigar is extremely rare and very difficult to grow.  The Pelo de Oro wrapper (commonly called Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro) is not common due to it’s sensitivity and has hardly ever been used for a large number of years.  It comes in asa lighter and creamier version of a traditional Oscuro.  Being a Nicaraguan Puro cigar, this Le Bijou 1922 is made completely of Nicaraguan tobacco.  Let’s see how this rare “Jewel” fares in today’s review.

Cigar: My Father Le Bijou 1922
Drink: Unibroue Maudite
Vitola: Toro (6 x 52)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: About $12
Burn Time: 1.75 hours

Construction:
• This cigar is instantly appealing to the eyes with it’s smooth oily appearance and a dark chocolate brown wrapper
• There are some visible medium sized veins but none that look threatening to the burning experience of this cigar
• It has a bit of give when squeezed slight but springs back quickly, there is also one spot near the head and one near the foot that is slightly softer
• The triple cap is very well applied, it’s clean and smooth and blends in extremely well
• The wrapper is very ornate and detailed, another eye appealing point on this fantastic looking cigar
• Cut was a little firm with my double bladed guillotine and produced a lot of flakes but still came out fairly clean

Burn:
• Toasting was fairly easy and even with my single flame culinary torch, the center was a little dark but glowed brightly after the first draw
• Some minor waving at the start but it has been razor sharp going into the half-way point here
• Staying lit effortlessly as well, not need to continuously draw to keep it going
• No issues right to the nub, the burn was razor sharp the whole way through

Smoke & Ash:
• Tons of smoke right from the initial draw
• A fair amount of resting smoke as well,  giving off what seems to be just a burning wood aroma
• The ash is nothing short of picture perfect, it’s clean round, no flaking and very light grey/almost white color
• Although it looks perfect it appears a little weak as the first ash fell off at around half an inch
• The second ash held on much longer, easily passing one inch
• The smoke machine did not let down, always a mouthful of smoke from each draw bringing with it all the great flavors

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper has a grassy aroma to it and is complimented by some spicy notes, perhaps just a touch of pepper
• The foot has a creamy cocoa and woodsy aroma, there is less spice here but still a touch of nutmeg can be detected
• Pre-light draw is very woodsy and earthy with some pepper and nutmeg spice in the mix
• Initial draws are mostly cedar mixed with a white pepper spice and a smooth creamy finish
• The retrohale has no bite despite the spicy notes I’m getting, it’s very smooth and has the same creamy finish
• As I progress I’m getting some nice espresso notes and the spice is slowly fading
• The espresso notes are balancing just perfectly with the creaminess and the cedar
• I can’t emphasize enough how smooth and balanced the cigar is as I apporach the halfway mark, the finish is just right, not even a touch of dryness.  I could smoke this easily without a beverage!
• Just passed the halfway mark the spiciness came back, specifically some more white pepper
• The cedar notes also came bursting out again leaving the espresso behind but the wonderful smooth creamy finish is still lingering
• The retrohale also developed a little bite and the finish has a lot more cedar than before
• The cigar started off with a mild/medium body but as I near the last two inches it’s definitely approaching a medium/full with a touch of cocoa appearing now and then throughout the whole time
• There was almost no harshness built up all the way to the nub, definitely a nub-worthy cigar

Final Thoughts:
This was a very enjoyable cigar.  The My Father Le Bijou 1922 had lots of interesting flavors and they changed up frequently keeping my palate constantly searching for the new notes.  This is definitely the type of cigar you want to sit down and pay attention to in order to get it’s full experience.  All factors considered I don’t really have anything I can complain about, from the pre-smoke visuals right down to the nub there was nothing I can say I didn’t enjoy.  The one gripe if any about this cigar will be the price, it rings in at over $11 and that may turn away some customers but I have to say it is a worthwhile investment.  It may not make it into your regular rotation for some people but it’s definitely worth having some around.  The construction, dimensionality, flavors and smoothness all make it a great experience.

Pairings:
The Unibroue brewery from Quebec, Canada is quickly making it’s way to the top of my favorite breweries list.  I’ve said this before but their brews never disappoint.  I’ve included the La Fin du Monde by Unbroue in a previous pairing for the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story.  The standard bottle size comes adorned with a gold foil wrapper top and an odd label with a demon and some people paddling a canoe in a red sky.  The flavors are incredibly complex bringing a variety of hoppiuness, bitterness, fruitiness, and even a slight floral note.  It is uniquely refermented on a yeast base and clocks in at 8% alc./vol.  It’s definitely worth trying and although not the best pairing here I think it actually added a layer of interesting flavors to this already complex cigar.  It may come as no surprise here but I think a Port would have been the perfect pairing for the cedar, spice and creamy notes of the Le Bijou 1922.  Other good pairings would include red wine, scotch, coffee or a dark soda.

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