We evaluate a sibling of Cigar Aficionado’s 2012 Cigar of the Year. Does My Father have another hit on it’s hands with La Antiguedad?

Wrapper: Habano Ecuador Rosado Oscuro
Binder: Corojo, Criollo, Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

This review is based on smoking three sticks each, which we purchased ourselves.

Draw: This is a nice looking robusto at 5.25 x 52. It has a red-brown wrapper leaf with a dark dry brushed tone; it appears very rich, and even has a rich leathery feel. Mine has a few construction touch-ups, like a small piece of leaf slipped under one of the seams, apparently as a patch. The triple-cap uses different leaves, or at least different light and darks. These are not problems, though, rather just visible variations worth mentioning for the sake of mention. Overall, this is a well constructed prensado, firm with just enough give. Wrapped with a beautiful label and red-ribbon at the foot, this promises to be a great smoke.

Punch: The artwork on the band is quite detailed. It appears to me to be depicting a Spanish Conquistador preparing to shoot half a pineapple off of the head of a Roman Centurion – I could be wrong. Whatever it is, it looks real well done.

From myfathercigars.com:

“La Antiguedad (The Antiquity) is the Garcia’s second project to be developed after the mega success of Flor de las Antillas, in which they will once again embrace the authenticity and historic value of the original Cuban art… …This addition to the My Father Cigars portfolio will continue to showcase the Garcia’s Cuban heritage and respect for tradition… …The Garcia family classifies the exquisite blend found in La Antiguedad as medium to full in strength, which offers complex yet balanced flavors.

P: Punched mine. The cold draw is perfumy – florals and tobacco – with a slight nuttiness. And the draw is to the medium side of loose.

D: Clipped mine; and I disagree – my draw is on looser side of medium.

P: There is a harsh pepper on the attack and a sweetness on the finish, accompanied with mild black pepper on the back of the throat; the middle is grain. The harsh attack was short lived – after getting started, ¼‑inch in the predominant flavor is mild nuttiness, a touch of almond, leather, woody, burnt coffee, all still with a mild pepper finish. Medium-full flavor intensity.

D: Agreed. It has an initially bitter harsh attack. Like chewing a bay leaf, or maybe oil of oregano? Bitter on the attack, bay leaf in the middle and aftertaste. It’s strong enough that for me it triggers a mild gag reflex on the back of my throat… plus something minty. Beyond that, this initial flavor is hard for me to define.

After the first half-inch, the harshness fades and a more complex flavor comes forward. There’s caramel, toffee, sweetness like a chardonnay, some carrot, plum, and green pepper, new leather, coffee… very rich, very subtle overall. Right now, the new leather sweetness and garden flavors have the lead in a good, even blend.

P: By ¾‑inch in, the whole thing has mellowed significantly to a mild-medium. A mild, new leather is about all that stands out. It’s well-balanced; no one flavor dominating. A subtle mix, with mild complexity. Smooth. Difficult to identify distinct flavors.

D: Starting into the second third, I’m already feeling this cigar. It’s a nice mellow loopiness, not a raging headache. The bitterness has left altogether. More sweetness at this point, and it has a much richer flavor now, creamier… tiramisu flavors? Mocha, cherries/almond, cashew, mild hardwood, suede. This is a significant transition from the first. It has occasional transient flavors, like mild radish, and mild mustard …maybe a touch of vinegar essence? Apple-cider vinegar; these are all very mild. This last toke, I had candied lemon!

On this third stick, I’m really having significant burn issues. Once I reached the middle of the stick, it was hard to keep it alive, requiring frequent purge-puffs or out-and-out relighting, especially the wrapper. I notice that after particularly troublesome parts, the ash ends up looking very woolly.

P: I’m picking up an aromatic smoking wood.

D: Starting into the last third the pepper fades pretty much completely. almost plum flavor, very smooth, very creamy. Chamois with plum. No cedar at all. Smoked it to the nub; had to stoke it to keep it alive; had to stop because of the heat. Nice finish!

Because of all the puffing I needed to do to keep this third stick alive it started to get the best of me. I took a break to walk around, finish my water, and opened a FreeState Wheat State Golden. I also had a Sunbelt Sweet & Salty bar. I’m feeling much better, and the breakfast bar was the perfect analog for the flavors I’m tasting in the cigar.

On the relight, the bitterness was back until a thorough purging. Based on my experience with this stick, I’d say the sweetness is from the wrapper. After wasting much of the remaining length on relighting and restoring the flavor, I regret that there was little smoke-ability before it became too hot.

P: Near the end it is still smooth and well blended, meaty, woody leather – well balanced. But be careful; with one of the sticks I had the nicotine sneak up on me like a ninja with a railroad tie.

Burn it or Spurn it?

P: Burn it. This La Antiguedad is subtle. Nothing jumped out at me and demanded my attention — it has a calm confidence. In contrast to Draw’s observations, in general I didn’t notice a lot of change from start to finish, with the exception of the pepper attack mellowing. Smooth, well-balanced and mildly complex; consisting of nuts, leather, smoked wood, and burnt coffee. All of mine had great construction – no burn issues to speak of. These are worth the $7.00 asking price.

Draw: Agreed. Burning is a recommended thing with this one. Good construction with an appearance and rigid softness reminiscent of a Tootsie-Roll. Full-flavored, complex, with a strong lean toward mild sweetness overall, but bitter and peppery initially. Medium-toward-full strength, at least that’s how I’m feeling it. This is not for lightweights, although I’d be compelled toward coma to enjoy it fully. I’ve enjoyed well over an hour, not counting breaks, of smoking time. Good smoke production but not much idle-smoking (thus, it also seems to go out). I’m looking forward to the resmoke in 6 months and next year.