The La Duena is one of my favorite cigars that My Father offers. The flavor profile is a break from the spicy norm of the Don Pepin, and My Father Cigars.
The Garcia family, owners of My Father Cigars, are brilliant cigar makers. The first line of cigars to come out of the company were the spicy Don Pepin, followed by a cigar line named after his son, Jaime Garcia. Finally, Don Pepin Garcia’s daughter, Janny, built a cigar that catered to her appetite of a full flavored yet medium strength cigar. Time to review a cigar I already know is good. 😛
Prelight
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf & Nicaragua
Filler: Connecticut Broadleaf & Nicaragua
Vitola: 6 x 42 (Petit Lancero)
Price:$7
The dark brown hued wrapper is somewhat rustic with visible veins, and a not so smooth feel. The aroma coming from the foot is strong of raisin, barnyard, and earth, while the cold draw presents notes of cocoa and coffee.
The artwork on the band has a classical appearance, a silhouette of a woman and the name of the cigar. The pigtail cap brings a nice touch.
Flavor and Smoke
The beginning flavors are pleasant chocolate and mint with a bit of graham cracker, these are the forefront notes. It reminds me of those thin mint Girl Scout cookies, although without the sweetness. The finish on the flavor profile is cedar and mild spice.
The smoke production is on the cloudy side. The smoke is not all that creamy, but far from harsh, it gives it a little kick on the retro-hale.
Halfway through, I notice a slight increase in the almost absent sweetness. Otherwise for the most part the profile remains unchanged with the same chocolate, mint, and graham notes making the majority of the noise, then the cedar and very mild spice on the finish. This probably doesn't sound like a flavor profile that balances well together, but these two mini-profiles, in the vast flavor profile, act somewhat separately of each other..., one comes first, followed by the other.
Much like the beginning of the smoke, the sweetness becomes less noticeable as the cigar burns down in the final section, also the profile nuances darken as a whole. Despite the darker flavor profile, the La Duena remains medium in strength, and quite tasty.
Final Thoughts
The La Duena by My Father Cigars is a fantastic medium bodied smoke that's packed with flavor. Construction-wise, the ash was pretty flaky and does not hold on strong at all, much like a Padron. If you aren't diligent, you will be wearing it. Otherwise, both the burn and draw were phenomenal, no re-lights needed.
Overall the La Duena is a medium body stick, with flavors that would please a wide range of smokers. When selecting a My Father Cigar, the La Duena is often overlooked, but it has a very pleasant flavor profile, with a price point that sits well. La Duena deserves a regular smoking rotation, or a spot in the humidor.
My emoji rating 😋
emoji scale (🤢😖☹️😕😐🙂😀🤗😍)
Smoke time: 1.25 hours
Cigar paired with: Pendleton - neat
Price opinion: 👍🏻
Recommend/buy again? I do often!