Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial 2011 Limited Edition

Following the success of the last two Limited Edition My Father cigars is the new Jaime Garcia 2011 Limited Edition! This 6 1/2x52 Toro has a Broadleaf wrapper, but a higher priming leaf than the normal Reserva Especial. This also features some of the famous Pele De Oro tobacco Pepin is growing at his farm in Nicaragua. I am liking the secondary bands used for all of the limited edition cigars coming out of the My Father factory. 3,700 boxes of 16 were released, with one of the 16 cigars being a Connecticut wrapped version. This is being done to see the public's reaction to the blend with a different wrapper for a possible release for next year. I didn't get a chance to pick up one of these, but I would be interested to see what this smokes like with that lighter wrapper. 

This cigar is very well made with a perfectly applied triple cap and a firm feel to it. The dark wrapper is quite toothy and is one of the nicer broadleaf wrapped cigars I have seen. Like the regular release Reserva Especial's there is a very strong aroma at the foot of this cigar, very deep and earthy with some cocoa. The prelight draw shows a fairly open draw with a rich earthy flavor, you can definitely taste the broadleaf. Once lit this starts out with some spice on the sides of my tongue and is producing huge clouds of smoke. Flavorwise this has plenty of leather, dark chocolate and that great earthy taste. At times there is almost a smoked or charred meaty flavor that I always like tasting in a cigar. The spice has really backed off after the first inch. 

I really like the regular Reserva Especial blend and this has a lot of the same flavors, just amped up. This has more strength and an even richer flavor profile. I am loving the bitter chocolate flavor at the core of this cigar. The thick wrapper has needed a few minor touch ups but it hasn't taken away from the smoking experience. The ash holds for about an inch and is a little on the flakey side. This is a very full flavored cigar with almost chewy smoke and the strength is at the medium/full range as I reach the band. There is a great balance of strength and flavor, something I always like to see. 

 

In the final third the flavors have stayed consistent and rich. This is smoking great now but I can see these aging really well. Jaime definitely knows how to blend! This is moving into the full strength category and I am starting to feel the strength. I burned my fingers finishing this one. 

The Jaime Garcia RE 2011 Limited Edition is a great smoke and is worth the $16 price tag. I liked the big, bold flavor profile and that bitter chocolate flavor that is present througout the entire cigar. If you liked the Reserva Especial and other Broadleaf wrapped cigars out of the My Father factory then this one will be right up your alley. One thing worth noting is that even with the full strength and bold flavor this isn't one of those cigars that kills your palate after smoking it. There aren't a lot of cigars I will spend $16 on but this is one I could see myself picking up more of. My buddy Paul picked this one up for me and I am looking forward to grabbing a few more! 

Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial

Today's review is of one of the new cigars out of the My Father factory in Nicaragua, but this one is not blended by Don Pepin Garcia, but by his son Jaime. The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial is available in 5 sizes, a Petite Robusto, Robusto, Toro, Belicoso, and Toro Gordo. The one I am reviewing today is the Robusto, measuring in at 5 1/4 X 52. This is a Nicaraguan Puro with a broadleaf wrapper.

Since this cigar is coming out of the My Father factory, its not surprising that this cigar looks and feels very well made. The wrapper is perfectly applied with a triple seam cap. This dark wrapper shows a little bit of oil and just the slightest amount of tooth and no major veins. I like the new band design. The Pepin family has been coming out with some great new bands for their cigars lately.

The predraw shows some dank earth and cocoa, and a little barnyard that I actually enjoy in a cigar. The aroma off the foot also shows that very nice barnyard characteristic. The draw is pretty close to perfect, with the right amount of resistance to it. After lighting, this cigar starts off with some clean woody flavors, and a very nice spiced meat flavor as well. There is plenty of spice through the nose as well. The spice isn't as up front as a lot of other cigars coming out of Pepin's factories, but its still there. Even after an inch into this cigar I can tell this is going to be a complex smoke. The burn has been very even and the nice white ash holds on for at least an inch. Again, another very well made cigar. At the halfway point the flavors have stayed very consistent, and very tasty. There is still a ton of that meaty flavor and a little less of the hard wood. There is a little bit of sweetness underneath the meatyness. I am really liking the balance of umami and sweetness. This is a solid medium/full bodied cigar.

Blending great cigars sure runs in the blood within the Pepin family. This offering from Jaime is excellent. It isn't any secret that I am a huge fan of most of the cigars coming out of Pepin's factory, and this is no exception. This is a little lighter than the My Father Le Bijou, but also showcases that meaty flavor I like. It has some of the hallmark flavors I expect from a Pepin cigar, but certainly stands on its own with a complex blend of premium tobaccos. I was pretty surprised to see the price point of this robusto, $6.50. This is definitely worth the price of admission. There have been some very good cigars coming out this year at a very approachable price point, and this is one of them that really stands out. These should start showing up in your local stores anytime now, as well as the other new Pepin release, La Reloba. (which I will be reviewing soon!)

Have you had a chance to try any of the new cigars coming out of the My Father factory?