My Father No. 1

At just 11 years old in 1961, Cuban-born Jose “Pepin” Garcia sat down at his first rolling table; since then, he’s taken the cigar industry by storm with his lifelong passion. In 2003, he immigrated to Little Havana, Miami, and set up his humble little cigar factory. His passion and drive has made him one of the most recognized names in the industry and his cigars reflect that passion with copious amounts of highly rated and well-distinguished brands. His son Jamie is a talented blender in his own right and secretly began working on his own project. Once Pepin found out about the project, which was near completion, he asked his son for three cigars which he smoked later that night. He not only loved the cigars but was deeply moved when his son told him that he planned on naming them My Father as a tribute to him.

The original and the best known My Father is what you have in your shipment today. This cigar comes with numerous 90+ ratings and a more recent 94 rating from Cigar Aficionado. My Father also received a spot two years in a row in their Top 25 Cigars in 2009 and 2010 with an additional spot a few years later in 2014. My Father brings old world Cuba and the very best of Nicaragua with a Havana twist. The very first thing that you will notice is the stunning reddish-brown hued Habano-Rosado leaf that comes from the misty valleys of Ecuador, and upon inspection, you’ll also notice that it is shiny with oils and nearly flawless. Inside is a mixture containing a bevy of hand-picked premium Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long-fillers which is secured by a zesty Nicaraguan binder. Sit back and relax with this medium to full-bodied smoke and enjoy flavors of pepper, dark espresso, and hints of nuts. Elegant and complex, our panel recommended pairing it with a Cognac.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.