Josè Pepín García has been in the American cigar market for less than fifteen years; he started out in 2002, having left his home country of Cuba a year earlier. Yet, in that comparatively short period of time, García and his children have established a tobacco empire to be reckoned with in the form of the My Father Cigars company; they have received numerous accolades, including the Number 1 spot in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of 2012 with their Flor de Las Antillas blend. Here, I’ll be taking on the namesake brand of My Father Cigars, the Toro, specifically.
Form and Substance
Vitola: Toro
Wrapper: Habano-Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Dimensions: 6’ x 56”
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Aesthetics, Construction and Feel
I have always been a fan of the artistry of the My Father cigar labels. They are colorful, but not at all flashy; fancy, but not tacky; genuine. This My Father is no different, its lovely pink-themed label offering a peak into the García family’s proud history, in addition to the greatness of the cigar itself.
The wrapper is a bit on the rugged side, and the primary veins of the leaf are quite prominent. On the other hand, these are the only veins that one will ever see on this cigar, no matter how closely he or she will examine it. Furthermore, the body is well-rolled, with little to no soft spots to be found.
Smoke and Flavor
As I place the flaming piece of cedar before this most reputable behemoth, I am taken aback as the first puff comes with absolute ease; the draw is ridiculously smooth and the smoothness is amazingly consistent, varying little as I burn through the stogy. The massive toro has the occasional problems with canoeing, which got me nervous more than a few times. Fortunately, the stogy requires little maintenance, always doing the dirty work for me by righting itself. Thus, the Garcías have once again proven why they’re among the best in craftsmanship.
The palate is greeted by a warm flavor of straight up spice that gently wets the palate and leaves a zesty sensation of pepper on the lips with every puff. As I approach the second third of the cigar, the spice becomes more concentrated as it morphs into a lovely variant of cinnamon. The cinnamon stays at the forefront for the remainder of the cigar, joined in the final third by the occasional burst of coffee in the background. As the nub is approached, the spice that has consistently graced the lips with every puff begins to intensify, competing with the cinnamon and coffee notes. Then, on the final puffs, these two competing forces coalesce into a balanced and most satisfying equilibrium, like a perfectly baked cake. Thus, the smoke experience comes to an end riding on a high note of cinnamon, spice and everything nice.
The Final Verdict
There’s nothing particularly surprising about the My Father No. 5 toro; it’s a beautifully crafted cigar that consistently delivers a great draw and a diverse repertoire of flavor for the smoker. There were a few close calls on the wrapper because of the canoeing, but this likely a result of the cold weather it inevitably had to be exposed to while on the way the cigar lounge where it was smoked (the lounge being Papa Juan, which is way uptown on 141st & Broadway). Thus when the cold is factored out of the equation, this beautiful behemoth of a stogy is an excellent choice for anyone who’s looking to enjoy a good, long smoke after a cold, hard day.
Final Grade: B+
Tips for a Perfect Smoke Experience
This cigar is by no means a hard hitter, but it’s got a bit of a kick to it, especially with the peppery essences it leaves on the lips. There’s of course nothing wrong with that, but it can get away from you if you’re not careful. So help yourself to a nice glass of wine to help wash it down.