Jaime Garcia, the son of Don Pepin Garci are the father and son team, the masterminds behind the My Father factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Add to the mix the lovely Janny Garcia and you have the first family of cigars in the modern market. Jaime Garcia who has a degree in agriculture released his first cigar, the Jamie Garcia Reserva Especial in 2010 with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.
In 2012, the blend got a makeover exclusively for New England with an Ecuadorian Shade Grown wrapper. The blend was slightly tweaked to compensate for the new wrapper.
Cigar: Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial
Size: Toro (6 x 54)
Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut Shade)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
The Look: The wrapper has a golden brown appearance to it, that borders on blonde. If you have heard of a person refer to a Connecticut shade grown as a blonde wrapper, the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut would be the prime example. There are some medium-sized veins present that detract a little from its appearance, but the roll is flawless. In the hand the cigar is firm with no soft spots and the stick has a slightly above average weight.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Jaime Garcia has a slight earth and notes of tangerines, but also a taste that reminds me of cheerios. By that I mean there is notes of oats and wheat. The foot matches the breakfast note, with oats and wheat as well. Once the cigar is lit using my Black Label Dictator, there is some of that classic Pepin spice, but it has muted some, and takes on a Jaime spin of their signature.
As we progress into the first third of the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut the pepper remains but it is subtle, and not what we have come to expect. In the background there is a delicious warm buttery note, reminding me of toastado cubano. Also joining the party are some nuts and wood.
As we enter the second third of the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial New England Exclusive the ash is holding strong and the sweetness of the cigar remains. There is still buttery richness to it, but also some honey notes and continued nuttiness. The spice begins to build especially through the nose but dials back a bit from time to time.
The final third of the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut offer some spice through the nose that borders on wasabi, but at the same time it doesn’t totally overpower the buttery notes remain. There is continues nuts, and a wisp of cinnamon on an incredibly cream finish.
The Burn: The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut has one of the firmest ashes I have run across lately. I chose to ash the cigar at the half way point just to change the characteristics of the smoke, but in the past I have easily held the ash for 3/4 of the stick. The draw was flawless with the right amount of resistance and smoke production was ideal. The burn line was crisp. and thin especially for a Connecticut shade wrapper.
The Finish: I was really surprised with the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut and would put it above that of the My Father Connecticut. Perhaps it has to do with some aging as Two Guys Smoke Shop, where I work still has these available in Petit Robusto, Toro, Belicoso, Gordo from their original release. The cigar is flavorful and smooth while having some of the Nicaraguan flair that makes it a definitive My Father product.
Score: 92
Price: $7.29 / $127.99
Jaime Garcia Connecticut
Jaime Garcia Connecticut Foot
Jaime Garcia Connecticut Burn
