The Light Up:
Don Pepin Garcia released the My Father Le Bijou 1922 cigars at the IPCPR show in New Orleans. The original My Father line was created by Jaime Garcia as a tribute to his father, likewise the Le Bijou which means “the jewel” in French was created by Don Pepin to honor his father who was born in 1922. The Habano Oscuro wrapper was thick and had a beautiful shimmer to it. Using all Nicaraguan tobacco and bearing a new secondary band, this cigar looked more appealing than the original My Father line. Now to the good stuff. Sitting on my back porch, I had in my hand another treat, the My Father Le Bijou 1922 by Don Pepin Garcia. This 6″ x 52 toro was dark and rich. The wrapper had a intriguing scent, like cream or vanilla. The construction was hearty with lots of tobacco packed tightly and wound into perfection by the skilled hands of tobacco artisans. At first puff, the blend was missing the customary Pepin spiciness. I expected there to be more strength like the original, but it lacked in that department a little as well.

The Mid-Stick:
Passing the quarter marker, the cigar began to lose some flavor. The spiciness still remained and was almost unpleasant. The spiciness caught you right in the back of your throat. Some coffee and mocha undertones were present but overpowered. Some hints of sweetness were present and the ash and burn were consistent. I was sitting there contemplating the differences and realized there was no comparison. The original had outdone the current version.

The Finish:
Although the construction was flawless and appearance was gorgeous, I was a little disappointed. I had expected the follow up to blow the original My Father line out of the water. Maybe I got a lemon, who knows. I’ll have to revisit this cigar after aging a few and see what changes occur. The price point didn’t help either. At nearly $12.00 a stick these puppies failed to impress, hey you don’t until you’ve tried them all, right?. We’ll see how it compares the next go around, an 89 in my opinion.

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
Ernie Padilla has done it again! Using Corojo 2006 tobacco to blend his new Padilla Dominus brand, this all Nicaraguan-grown blend is fantastic. The Corojo 2006 wrapper has a beautiful shimmer to it and a rich reddish brown color reminiscent of a fine Cohiba. The tobacco was packed nicely and the cigar had good weight to it. I was anxious to see what this cigar had up its sleeve. The light up was tasty with notes of hazelnut and coffee. Strength was medium with some peppery accents. A quarter into the cigar, I was beginning to experience the complexity of the blend. There was definitely more ahead.

The Mid-Stick:
Coming up on the half way point, the cigar picked up some strength. The blend was now full with plenty of smoke. Coffee and hazelnut still lingered and were soon joined by a strong cocoa flavor. The wrapper was burning evenly and the aroma was tantalizing. The draw perfect.

The Finish:
Remaining consistent with his brands, Ernie Padilla was on the mark again, producing another fantastic cigar. The complexity and quality of his cigar is what keeps me smoking the brand. The cigar had neared the end and had remained smooth and creamy all the way through. Although the strength had increased towards the end, the cigar never strayed too far from the initial idea of a smooth full bodied blend. I would definitely recommend trying one for yourself if you’re a Padilla fan, and if not, you’ll soon become one! Although a little pricy at $9.00 for a Robusto, it’s still worth trying. A well deserved 91!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
I attended the My Father event here in Orlando briefly and was able to snag a few of these beauty’s. I had the honor of seeing Ms. Janny Garcia and what a beauty she was! The cigars were beautiful as well. I purchased two of the No.1′s and a No.2 which qualified me to received a free Cuban Classic cigar by Don Pepin. I’ll smoke and review all of these soon. The My Father line was created by Jaime Garcia to honor his father José Pepin Garcia. He secretly worked on the line until someone in the factory leaked the little secret and Pepin found out and obviously approved! The Nicaraguan filler and binder were grown at the Garcia farms in Nicaragua, while the wrapper was acquired from Oliva. I lit the No.1 up which happened to be a robusto, and right away the cigar was slightly peppery. Although a little spice is a Pepin signature, it wasn’t overpowering. Instead I received an earthiness similar to sweet feed or hay. The cigar had lots of smoke and great body with hints of cocoa and coffee lingering around my palate. I’d lean more to the fuller side of the spectrum rather than medium bodied. With smoke in the air and a fully belly from Carlos’N Charlie’s, I proceeded.

The Mid-Stick:
Heading towards the middle of the cigar, it’s heartiness emerged. The spice had returned and the new taste of caramel touched my tongue and gave it a jolt of satisfaction. This was another addition to the Garcia family masterpieces. The cigar burned exceptionally well, despite the windy conditions. I never once had to relight or retouch the cigar, signifying a perfect construction, a characteristic of the Garcia’s quality and knowledge of cigar making. Heading towards the home stretch, I wondered what else this secret would unveil.

The Finish:
Nearing the band, I realized there were no more secrets. She has left it all on the table and the evidence was plentiful. Grey ash laid scattered in the ashtray. The end was near, could this be that there were no more surprises left? I didn’t care, I ventured on past the band and enjoyed every inch. I understand why Cigar Aficionado announced this as their No.3 cigar of the 2009. It lays out everything in front of you and all that’s left for you to do is sit back and enjoy, no need for secrets! Would I smoke it again? Definitely! Verdict: Find one and enjoy! Decently priced at $10.00 and 5.2″ x 52. A strong 92!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
Recently named the best cigar of 2009 by Cigar Aficionado, this aged Nicaraguan puro commemorates the 45th Anniversary of Padrón Cigars. Nicknamed “The Hammer”, the Padrón Family Reserve comes in both a natural and maduro wrapper and are in boxes of 10 cigars. Apparently they are very hard to find, but fortunately my local tobacconist carried them and I was able to land one! At first sight, this box-pressed beauty made my eyes and mouth water! The rich maduro wrapper, although slightly veiny, was smooth and seamless, a toothy complexion was also evident. I was going to bare the cold weather to smoke this one! At first puff this cigar came out strong! A peppery, slight bite on the tongue at first which is not the norm for the brand, transitioned into a smooth roasted nutty taste after about a quarter into the smoke. I must admit this was stronger than your normal Padrón, but what do you expect from such an aged and powerful blend. The aroma was fantastic and body was a mouthful.

The Mid-Stick:
Reaching this point in the experience was pure delight, a Padrón smokers wet dream. The cigar had developed into something extraordinary, a characteristic of a well thought out blend. Padrón is known for this with all of their products. Nutty, smooth, creamy, I could go on forever with descriptive words but there’s just not enough words in the english dictionary to describe the cigar, so I’ll leave this one…fantastic. I see now why this cigar was given the industry’s most prestigious award. Who could argue, not me that’s for sure. The burn began a little uneven, but straightened out without any assistance. Coffee undertones began to emerge and a thick white ash was lingering at the end of my progress thick enough to fall off and remain in my ashtray intact, another trait of good tobacco.

The Finish:
I removed the third band with the 45 inscription on it and began working my way to the secondary and primary bands removing them as I continued smoking. Lesser cigars may become bitter beyond the band and so it’s time wasted to venture past this point. I began searching for some way to extend the experience as I could already feel my fingertips getting warm, signaling I was nearing the end of the stick. I braved on. The strong coffee and cocoa flavors intensified at the last quarter forcing me to keep on puffing. There was barely anything left by the time I realized it, and at this point I was pinching my fingers together to savor every last bit. What remained was something that could barely even be called a nub. I had smoked this baby down to the first seam of the head! My fingers may have been screaming in agony, but my palate was screaming with enjoyment! Although at the higher end of pricing, $30 to be exact, which is what I paid, this cigar is one of those treats a cigar smoker seeks. Definitely not a smoke for a newbie, but rather for a seasoned smoker. Would I spend the money again? Most definitely! I think I’ll grab a few more to add to the collection. Rating this cigar a strong 94 simply would not do it justice. The Padrón Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro is off my charts!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

First Impression:
Here’s my first attempt at a beer review in relation to cigars. The bottle looked fancy, the beer looked dark like cola and smell was incredible. I was looking forward to pairing this with my full bodied cigar. It was recommended to me by the bartender who happened to work at the cigar bar. Go figure!! I had in my hand the Alec Bradley Prensado Torpedo which I rated earlier. The combo was deadly! Two full bodied killers that complemented each other better than Bonnie and Clyde. A great choice! At first pour, there was a very light head which dissipated quickly leaving behind a dark, rich liquid which filled my glass. The first sip was nutty and had undertones of licorice and molasses. The cigar too had a nutty taste which was complemented by the brew. Puff after puff, sip after sip and the combo was going strong.

Mid-Glass:
At this point in the experience, both my cigar and beer were complementing each other. Not bad for a beer from Spain. I must admit I had never even heard of this beer. The dark beer I was used to drinking was Guiness which seemed to cancel out my palate and coat my tongue too much to enjoy a good cigar with. The nuttiness continued and was joined by some roasted coffee notes. The consistency was light and not too overbearing, leaving my palate clean to enjoy the flavors of the cigar as well.

The Last Sip:
Nearing the bottom of the glass, I had already ordered round two and now my cigar was at the half-way point. I believe this beer would complement any medium to full bodied cigar without overwhelming your palate. Would I recommend pairing this beer with any full bodied cigar, definitely! Although there wasn’t too much alcohol content, about 5.4%, it was enough to give me a nice buzz after two. Go out and see if you can find this beer and let me know what you think. I give this dark beauty an 8 out of 10!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
Here’s a product we’re all familiar with (or I’d hope you would be). My uncle surprised me with this beauty on New Years Eve and I was excited. Padrón has long been my go to cigar whether it be the 3000 maduro or any of the 1964, 1926 or pretty much any Padrón product. It’s been about a year since I enjoyed a Padrón. Call me crazy, but with all of the new boutique cigars on the uprise, I decided to try the newbies and see what the hype was all about. They were all good, but no Padrón! The cigar was gorgeous. A beautiful, shiny maduro which reminded me of fine Godiva chocolates. My first instinct was to look at the foot of the cigar for what I call the chocolate swirls (being the ligero in the blend). For the obvious reason these chocolate swirls made for a more flavorful cigar. I taught my uncle to search for them when I worked at the shop. I’m glad he listened, I taught him well!! The construction, appearance, smell and feel were all flawless, like the perfect diamond. I knew I was in for a treat. I made sure to break out my best equipment for the occasion (glad I brought them along). I carefully cut the head making sure not to cut off too much. You get nervous when you have such a beauty on your hands and want to make sure you do everything right. I lit the cigar with a cedar strip, just for some extra woodiness, not that it needed it! I began my journey into cigar heaven. At first puff my mouth was exploding with flavor. By the first quarter, I was looking forward to the rest.

The Mid-Stick:
Nearing the halfway point, the cigar was on a roll. A chocolate aroma was in the air, while cedar, cream and cocoa entertained my palate like a great show. The burn was perfect and the ash was an exceptional light grey. This cigar was everything a premium cigar should be and then some. Continuing on past the second half of the cigar was pure bliss. The only thing missing was some fine scotch, which oddly enough was no where to be found! No need, the cigar was keeping me busy and the holiday coquito ( a Puerto Rican Egg Nog which has coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, evaporated milk, condensed milk and Rum. I’ll post a recipe soon!) was good enough.

The Finish:
What’s left to say? The cigar was everything I had remembered and hoped for. I’m really anxious to go out and get a Family Reserve No.45 Maduro (review coming soon). I’ve heard that cigar is wonderful, but back to the Exclusivo. Heading towards the home stretch, this baby never lost any flavor, aroma or strength. It’s what you’ve come to expect from a super premium product. Nicaragua has long been my favorite countries of cigar production. Padrón is the staple of the country. Just the subtle mention of Padrón sends cigar smokers to the store or their humidors, myself included. Price, who cares! This is one of those cigars you smoke on special occasions. Verdict: if you haven’t smoked one, you’re missing out!! A well respected 93!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
I hope the Holidays were great and everyone got their favorite smokes out of the humidor. This is the first review of the three cigars I smoked on New Years Eve. I remember when CAO first released the MX2 over four years ago. I was working at Sabor Havana Cigars in Miami, FL and was a CAO fan. This new dark beauty reminded me of a gorgeous bar of dark chocolate fresh out of the wrapper. I remember smoking the Robusto which became my favorite and thinking it was a great cigar for the price. CAO strikes again!! This time touching me with one of my favorite things, a box pressed cigar. At first glance on the shelf, I must admit I was over anxious to get my hands on it! Once in my possession, I laid it to rest for about two weeks for the occasion. The cigar wasn’t on the “to smoke list” for New Years Eve, but I really hadn’t made up my mind as to what I was going to smoke, so I packed my travel box with plenty of goodies! Again my curiosity struck when I opened the travel box, and decided to end this torture. Once in my hand, this cigar had some weight on it. Nice and tightly packed, box pressed, I was again in love with the MX2 thus far. The construction, flawless, but what caught my eye once again was the beautiful Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper! When I lit it up, there was a lot of smoke, and no it wasn’t the fireworks going on around me! Once a quarter into the smoke, I could already taste the spiciness of the Brazilian Maduro binder and the nice fillers that crept through oh so gently onto my palate.

The Mid-Stick:
Half-way through this beauty and I was already thinking about purchasing more to add to the collection. The burn was a little uneven because of the thickness of the double wrapper, but it evened out as the cigar warmed up. The cigar had plenty of body. Medium to Full Bodied, but very smooth on it’s strength transitions. It had now developed a woody, earthy taste with subtle hints of chocolate in the background. The spiciness had faded away, but was replaced with a smooth creaminess. The ash was also impressive, white and sturdy. I lost my first ash at around a third way into the cigar, not bad considering that I had just stood it up on my ashtray for a few seconds, a sign of great construction and good tobacco.

The Finish:
By the time I removed the secondary band and worked my way to the original band, I was in smoker’s heaven. Those of you who have smoked a good cigar know what I’m referring to. That point where time seems to stand still and you seem to be the only one in the room. The moment where you’ve realized you had made a great decision on your purchase, and the point where you want to rush out and buy another. The cigar had developed nicely and the blend was now the star of the show. At 5 1/2″ x 55 and a price just under $7.00, this cigar is at the right price for the everyday smoker. I think Newbies can handle this one, so go out and splurge a little! A definite 91!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie