My Father Cigars – IPCPR 2016

My Father showcased the same booth as years past, save for one change: double the space. No, they did not expand the booth, but now occupy the entire territory, with Tatuaje and L’Atelier moving into their own, dedicated booth.

Two somewhat new lines were introduced, though the focus was clearly on their more limited offerings (García & García and Le Bijou 1922 Limited Edition 2016), which were both shipped to retailers prior to the show. These cigars were displayed in four prominantly displayed pillars, occupying the entire middle section of the MF booth.

With the same look as years past, it was fairly easy to miss anything new from the brand. Attendees were basically drawn to the booth’s center, containing the limited brands—which look so similar, you may not even realize it was two lines. Throw in the fact that these attractions had already shipped months before the show, and you have an underwhelming showing from the critically acclaimed My Father brand.

Flor de las Antillas Maduro

Flor de las Antillas was originally offered at retailer Federal Cigar’s 91st anniversary event in 2012. This Cuban-inspired blend would later go on to receive the prestigious #1 Cigar of the Year award from Cigar Aficionado, helping to solidify My Father Cigars as one of the industry’s leading manufacturers. It was fitting then, that My Father would later introduce the Flor de las Antillas Maduro cigar at Federal Cigar’s 94th anniversary event in 2015; this was followed by another vitola of the same blend for their 95th anniversary earlier this year.

The cigars are set to go regular production, bringing the original two sizes back, along with three others. It’s unclear at the moment whether all sizes will be box-pressed, or just the two original vitolas.

García & García

My Father’s most expensive cigar to date has arrived! García & García again follows the theme throughout the My Father lineup of honoring family, such as the original My Father cigar, the Don “Pepin” Garcia series, La Dueña, Le Bijou (honoring Pepin’s father), and Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial. García & García showcases the talents of the legendary duo of father and son – Pepin and Jaime Garcia.

Though the cigars were released in early June, they were displayed front and center at the MF booth. The look is very similar to that of My Father’s annual Limited Edition series, showcasing the base MF band, elongated to add the García & García designation. Unlike the LE series, this is not a sub-band, rather an extended band. The cigars make use of the Garcia’s Pelo de Oro tobacco, which the family often incorporates on its more limited/luxurious releases. Also, unlike the LE series, García & García will be a part of the regular lineup, crafted on an ongoing (small batch) basis and will be offered only to retailers that meet a strict set of standards – similar to Drew Estate’s Drew Diplomat Program.

The Judge

The Judge is an extension to the brand’s eponymous My Father cigar, replacing the Habano-Rosado wrapper for a new Ecuadorian Sumatra. The cigars were available at the booth, though bands and presentation had not been finalized. The look has since materialized, showcasing a large sub-band, as well as an ornate vista that displays a bearded, Victorian-era man (complete with top hat), next to what appears to be a similar box of cigars (Inception style…). The name is said to stem from a friend of the Garcia family, whom is a judge.

The blend is fuller-bodied than the original My Father, using select tobaccos from three of the Garcia’s farms in Nicaragua. There are two sizes at launch – both box-pressed and large in size.

Le Bijou 1922 Limited Edition 2016

The second of the two feature cigars at the MF booth was the newest cigar in the brand’s annual Limited Edition series – Le Bijou 1922 Limited Edition 2016. Using the Le Bijou 1922 blend as the basis for this year’s iteration seems an absolute no-brainer, considering the regular production version took home Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year last year and has thus been among the most popular lines for 2016.

The cigars showcase My Father’s finest presentation, using large, white boxes containing individually-boxed coffins – 14 cigars per box. The look follows the theme from years past, using a gaudy sub-band with the cigar’s name and a silk foot band that shows the year of release. Like the García & García cigars, these had been released prior to the show – shipping in late June. The blend alters the award-winning 1922 cigar’s recipe, using an Ecuadorian Oscuro wrapper (as opposed to Nicaraguan Oscuro) and incorporates the rare Pelo de Oro tobacco in the filler.

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