Pre-light Experience

The cigar looks fairly rustic with a dark brown wrapper, a couple of slightly raised veins and seams that aren’t quite smooth. The head is finished off with three caps that have some areas that are slightly lifting. To contrast the rustic look of the cigar are three bands. The primary band is the traditional company band with a band just below it in the same artwork and color combination denoting the line. The foot is adorned with a green ribbon. An interesting note with the bands is that with the cigar being box pressed, the bands are slightly shifted to one side. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of leather and hay while the foot brings a mix of wood, sweet tobacco and very subtle spice. The pre-light draw brings a nice tobacco sweetness.

Pre-light Experience

The My Father La Opulencia Corona has a strong band game. Three bands to essentially cover 80% or so of the cigar. Joking aside, the wrapper does look nice providing a Colorado maduro shade. Veins are neatly pressed, seams tight, uniformed bunch and roll and a well applied thick cap. Nosing the wrapper gives flowers, cedar, dirt and hay. Aromas from the foot tells rich cedar, plums and white pepper. Cold draw gives dry earth, hay and cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with an interesting mix of wood, baking spice and a vegetal note. At a half inch in, the wood has become a bit fuller and there is an underlying sweetness to it while the baking spice and vegetal notes are still in the background. The retrohale caries a mix of wood and baking spice. At an inch in, a slight cream and mustiness join in as the wood is the primary component. There is still a slight vegetal note in the background while the baking spice has disappeared. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

The first third provides a medium-full strength, medium bodied profile with flavors namely centered around earth and leather. There is also a pronounced caramel like creamed sweetness. Retrohaling brings out deeper creamed sweetness and nuts. The finish is of a lingering earth and leather.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the profile is musty and creamy wood with a vegetal note mixed in. At a quarter inch in, the wood gains a bit of char which pushes the cream out while the mustiness and vegetal note remain. At three quarters of an inch in, the profile is now just slightly charred wood and mustiness as the vegetal note has gone away. The retrohale carries the same musty wood note. As the third comes to a close, the profile becomes slightly drying. The strength in this third bumped up to right at medium.

Second Third

The second third shows some tame black pepper spice coming through as well as minerals. The profile is still overall core notes of earth and leather. The caramel like sweetness starts to dissipate halfway through the cigar (but still a major note). Strength and body remains medium-full and medium, respectively.

Final Third

The final third begins with some bitterness joining the profile of slightly charred wood and mustiness. At a half inch in, a slight cream has returned to mix with the mustiness to support the charred wood. The retrohale carries a slightly toasted wood along with some mustiness. As the cigar comes to a close, the bitterness picks up and is even with the charred wood while the mustiness and cream are in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third takes a decrease in complexities. Not that the profile was ever that complex to start with, but the last third especially loses out the sweetness and instead is comprised of earth, leather and minerals. The finish also becomes grittier with earth and leather. Strength finishes medium plus, and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy but never needed any attention. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Overall burn performance was good. It can use improvements as there was one re-light and a minor touch-up. Aside from that, burning temperature was cool, rock solid ashes and a decently even burn.

Draw

The draw was really good through the first two thirds, then tightened up a bit in the final third.

Overall

The flavor profile was fairly good in the first third, then dropped down from there where bitterness settled in during the final third to make it less than ideal. Construction was very good which is to be expected from My Father. I was interested to see what this offering would be like and I was a bit disappointed as there was nothing really special about it. I’m sure fans of the brand will find this enjoyable, I’m just looking for a bit more from something that I’d want to go back to. Maybe a different vitola would be up my alley and I’m interested in trying to find one that is a better fit for me.

Draw

Draw was tight for my liking. Not so tight that it was a major annoyance but tight enough to notice.

Overall

I find the My Father La Opulencia Corona to be a medium-full strength, medium bodied delivery with decent complexities. Flavorwise, it was dominantly earth and leather with a great caramel sweetness within the first two thirds, but unfortunately tapering off within the last third. This new blend is definitely worth a try but nothing to go deep on.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.62

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.32

Cost/Point

$1.41

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: My Father La Opulencia Corona