All Rise! Here comes The Judge. Originally released in two sizes; a 5 x 50 Robusto and a 6 x 56 Toro the cigar was almost rushed due to the potentially pending FDA regulations. A year later the company would add the 6 x 52 Toro Fino, and in the spring of 2020 they would add two more sizes, a 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda as well as a limited production 5.25 x 52 TAA Release.
Cigar Review: My Father The Judge
Size: Toro (6 x 56 Box Press)
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan Criollo & Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaragua
Debut: August 2016
Box Count: 23
Smoking Time: 2 hours 3 minutes
The Cigar: At first glance you would be hard pressed to call this a Sumatra wrapper as the wrapper has a Rosado/Colorado appearance to it. The wrapper has a subtle amount of oils to it and is uniform in color. Featuring the classic pink My Father band, the secondary band denoting The Judge gets lost with its brown background. Additionally the cigar has a tan foot ribbon. In the hand the cigar is firm and hefty in weight.
The Taste: Deliciously sweet on the cold draw with notes of molasses and caramel. The aroma from the foot is quintessential My Father with cocoa, cedar and a hint of cappuccino. Once cut and lit, My Father The Judge doesn’t offer that quick hit of pepper that the brand is known for. Instead, the cigar stars off with a creaminess and sweet complexity. There are notes of cocoa, coffee, caramel and marshmallow fluff. The retrohale sees some pepper and birch with a caramel finish.
Moving into the second third mocha becomes the primary flavor profile with nuance of earth, cedar and caramel. It remains incredibly complex with a thick syrup like mouthfeel. The retrohale is woodsy with minimal pepper that only appears on the long finish.
The final third becomes more earthy with birch and cedar as the cigar loses a lot of its sweetness. It remains enjoyable but the complexity of the first two-thirds begins to diminish. The retrohale enhances the wood and earth notes with a prolonged finish that lingers well after the cigar is put down.
The Conclusion: I’ve been sharing stories of my 25 years in the industry lately, so let’s discuss the first time I went to Esteli, Nicaragua in 2012. I went with Eddie Ortega and Jason Wood. Eddie was there to work on a line for his brand Ortega and Jason and I were there to work on the new Nestor Miranda Special Selection Connecticut. We were sitting in the office of Jaime Garcia who is the son of Don Pepin Garcia. We went through some blends but they were all missing something in my eyes. I remember Jaime getting pissed that this gringo was not happy and wanting to tweak the blends over and over. Jason and Eddie were translating that he was ready to kill me. We eventually found the blend and the next day Jaime had us over to his house so it couldn’t have been too bad.
As far as The Judge from My Father, the first time I picked it up I wasn’t happy with it. It lacked that typical My Father profile. I made the mistake of pre-judging the cigar before first light. I didn’t pick up another for a few weeks as I am a firm believer a cigar deserves at least two chances. This time I went into it with an open mind and while it is not the My Father I reach for on a regular basis it is an enjoyable line especially if you want that quick hit spice on the first light.
Score: 91
Price: $13.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
