My Father El Hijo Cigar Review
When I first received my samples of this cigar from Smoke Inn I was impressed because it was a My Father production and they make good cigars. But I was a little confused by the “El Hijo” name attached to it. From my three years of high school Spanish I thought that translated into “Hi Joe.”. Feeling good about learning something in high school I went to Smoke Inn’s site to make sure that I was right. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Here is what they have to say about this cigar:
The third installment of our Microblend SeriesTM, the My Father “El Hijo” (meaning The Son), is a 5.5 x52 box pressed cigar with an unfinished foot, where the binder and filler protrude beyond the wrapper of the cigar. The unfinished foot gives the smoker a flavor experience before the very limited 2009 harvest of select Ecuadorian Habano wrapper kicks in. The experience is unique and very interesting.
This select wrapper had been set aside by the Garcia Family, due to the small quantities produced, and we were very pleased and honored that we were allowed to have it for this project. You will find this medium to full bodied smoke has an extraordinary savory quality.
Now onto the review.
This cigar has a slight box press to it. It is oily with a medium brown wrapper and some small to medium sized veins. It’s got the coveted triple cap as well. But, as a sign of the times, it looks like the cigar maker has cut some costs by ending the wrapper about a quarter of an inch down from the foot. That’s a joke.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5 ½″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $48.75/5 Pack | $146.25/Box of 15
One Man Army Flame!
Right from the beginning you are greeted with bold spice. Spice that lingers for minutes on the back of your throat in the form of black pepper. Through the nose is a combination of warm spice and red pepper. Red pepper is on the tongue as well. As you can tell, there is a lot of spice here in the beginning but there is also a little bit of cashew.
During the second third the flavor profile does go through a bit of a metamorphosis by transitioning partly away from spice to sweetness and wood. Over the course of this third the spice really dissipates; almost into nothingness, which is something I’m not liking.
Around the transition from the second to the final third there is yet another change in the flavors. Wood, nuts and a nice smokiness make up the flavor profile now. Think of it this way: this cigar came in like a lion and went out like a lamb. A tasty lamb though.
I would have much preferred if the flavor profile would have stayed similar to what it was during the first third but that was not meant to be. In both of the samples that I tried there was a change in the flavor profile away from the spice after the first third. While the first third was amazing the last two-thirds were less than spectacular.
It is a medium-full bodied cigar with a good draw and burn. Is it worth trying? Yes. Pick some up here and only here (unless you live in Florida and can go to one of the Smoke Inn shops, that is).
91 points
CAO America Monument (Torpedo) – Cigar Review
This was a cigar I smoked on Christmas Eve and it also helped me win some free cigars from CAO (thanks @caocigars!). All I had to do was take a picture while holding a CAO cigar and I just happened to pick this wonderful stick. Here’s the picture:
Here I am wearing a Santa hat with a white beard for a chance to win a cigar sampler from CAO. I actually won it!
Now onto the cigar review.
As you can see from the picture it is a barber poll type of cigar with one darker wrapper and one lighter one. There is some oil on this cigar and the construction looks perfect, which is impressive considering the fact that it must have been difficult rolling this cigar.
Cigar Stats
Torpedo
Length: 6 1/4″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: USA/Connecticut
Binder: Brazil
Filler: Dom. Rep., Italy, Nicaragua, USA/Connecticut
Cost: $8.00
Santa Light!
Red cracked pepper flavors at the beginning. It’s medium-full bodied at first but I think that might change as the cigar gets further along. The draw is slightly tight now but nothing to complain about since all the flavors are still coming through, which, in addition to the fiery red cracked pepper, there is a very strong leather flavor as well.
As I smoke this cigar further the peppery notes get slightly milder. Well, I guess that’s not totally true because when you blow the smoke through your nose it is still very strong. I am loving this cigar! And it has a strong ash and is burning well. Amazing.
The flavor profile slightly morphs halfway through with a slight chocolate flavor coming through. Even if I try to find faults with this cigar I can’t. I’m not saying it’s the best cigar ever because it isn’t. I will have to smoke more of them to get a better feel of how good this line really is.
As the cigar continues to progress it is getting stronger. Definitely full bodied at this point, which is a little over halfway through. And it’s a complex cigar.
This cigar epitomizes America. It has brash flavors and a punch to it that almost no other cigar I have ever tried has. I will definitely be smoking another one of these in the future.
93 points
