Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut Staff Review
Recently, we received the new Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut. It’s handcrafted at the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, and I’m smoking a 5-by-50 Robusto for today’s review. For years, the original Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial, which is finished in a dark-brown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, has been a staple in the humidors of My Father fans for its bold flavor and affordable price point. Reserva Especial Connecticut offers a new profile with a lighter wrapper leaf.
Since my tastes gravitate towards fuller-bodied cigars, I know I’m in good hands smoking a Connecticut blend from the Garcias because most of the cigars they make are full of rich, complex flavor. The Robusto I’m about to fire up is finished in a golden, chestnut-blond wrapper leaf with a thin vein structure. It’s grown in Ecuador from Connecticut seeds, and underneath is an aged blend of Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos the Garcias grow on their own farms. I can tell it’s well made when I gently pinch the cigar because it’s firm without being stiff and pliable enough with no soft spots.
Jaime and his well-known father, Pepin, achieve a high level of quality with the cigars they produce because they’re in control of the entire process when the seeds are planted, throughout the growth cycle, and when the tobacco is harvested and aged. They’ve built up enough reserves of premium tobacco over the past two decades, they’re never under pressure to rush the aging process or take shortcuts. Allowing their tobacco to fully mature is the reason their cigars are always smooth and consistent.
Before I ignite my Robusto, Reserva Especial Connecticut conveys a creamy profile of leather and barnyard notes with hints of pepper in the cold draw. I pick up aromas of cedar, hay, and dried fruit with a touch of mustiness as I bring the foot of the cigar close to my nose. After toasting it for a few minutes, the first draws erupt with lots of pepper on the palate, but it fades quickly. My first impression reveals tasting notes of bran cereal, wheat, and fresh bread for the most part. As the binder, filler, and wrapper tobaccos combust at a nice uniform pace, notes of cedar and oak surface while the spice continues to mellow.
As Reserva Especial Connecticut progresses, vibrant floral aromas balance the cigar’s spicy undertones in the retrohale. The cigar becomes earthier in the second half while its peppery nuances increase in intensity with a hint of bitterness and charred oak on the finish. The Robusto exhibits an easy draw that can lead you to smoke the cigar too fast. A word of caution – take your time with Reserva Especial Connecticut and smoke it slowly. Remember, the Garcias blend a lot of strong Nicaraguan cigars. Although this blend features a milder wrapper, the cigar possesses a decent kick that will catch you off guard if you’re not careful.
By the time the band is off, I’m easing my way through the nub which resonates with bready spices and malty notes of oak, cedar, nuts, and leather. Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut is medium-bodied through the end. This is a worthy introduction to the My Father portfolio, but don’t mistake it for a mild cigar. You’ll want to eat something beforehand. I spent over fifty minutes savoring the Robusto, and its overall flavor and performance deserve a respectable 90-point rating in my book. Order a few today and taste it for yourself.
