Just prior to the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show came word of a new entry from My Father cigars known as the My Father La Gran Oferta. The name La Gran Oferta translates to “The Great Offer” and at one time this was the name of a Cuban cigar brand. As for the cigar, La Gran Oferta became the sixth regular production blend with the My Father Cigars name. It is the second one to use an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper, joining the original My Father cigar. According to My Father Cigars, La Gran Oferta is a different blend and is intended to be a more dialed back offering compared to the other cigars made by My Father Cigars. Today, we take a closer look at the My Father La Gran Oferta in the Toro size.

For completeness here is a list of the six regular production cigars under the My Father umbrella:

• My Father (Ecuadorian Habano Rosado)
• My Father Le Bijou 1922 (Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro)
• My Father Connecticut (Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade)
• My Father The Judge (Ecuadorian Sumatra)
• My Father La Opulencia (Mexican San Andres)
• My Father La Gran Oferta (Ecuadorian Habano Rosado)

Now, let’s break down the My Father La Gran Oferta and see what this cigar brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

In addition to the Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper, La Gran Oferta features all Nicaraguan tobaccos grown on farms owned by the Garcia family.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars SA

Vitolas Offered

La Gran Oferta is available in five sizes – each packaged in 20-count boxes.

Robusto: 5 x 50
Toro: 6 x 50
Torpedo: 6 1/8 x 52
Toro Gordo: 6 x 56
Lancero: 7 1/2 x 38

Appearance

The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper of La Gran Oferta Toro had medium chocolate brown color. There was a slight rosado tint to the wrapper. This was a wrapper that had some oil on the surface. Most of the wrapper seams on this cigar were not noticeable. While there were some visible veins, this was a wrapper that had a smooth surface.

There are two bands on the La Gran Oferta. The primary band is a variation of the classic My Father French-inspired band featuring peach/pink, green, and gold. The secondary band also features a similar band-style with a similar color scheme. The text “LA GRAN OFERTA” is on that band in red font with gold accents. There are two shield-like adornments, on the left and right side of the band. The left side has a gold-colored “MF” logo along with the text “MY FATHER CIGARS”. There is a second “MF” logo on the right shield. The far right has the text “MY FATHER CIGARS” in gold.

The cigar also has a turquoise colored ribbon surrounding the footer.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw

After removing the ribbon around the footer of the My Father La Gran Oferta Toro, a straight cut was used to remove the cap. Once the pre-light draw ritual began, I detected notes of classic wood, natural tobacco, and a slight amount of pepper spice. In the end, I considered this cigar to have a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to fire up the La Gran Oferta Toro and move into the smoking phase.

Tasting Notes

The My Father La Gran Oferta Toro started out with notes of sweet natural tobacco and red pepper notes. Early on the natural tobacco became primary and developed a very nice richness to it. The red pepper settled in the background. As the La Gran Oferta Toro moved through the first third, an orange rind note surfaced. The orange rind had touches of bitterness, but later in the first third, the bitterness diminished and the note transitioned more to a mixed citrus note. Meanwhile, I also picked up a layer of black pepper on the retro-hale.

During the second third, the natural tobacco and citrus notes remained in the forefront, alternating in intensity. Some of the richness of the natural tobacco diminished a bit. Meanwhile, the pepper on the tongue turned into a black pepper varietal.

While both the natural tobacco and citrus remained in the forefront, the citrus seemed to have a slight edge. There was a slight increase in the pepper as well. This is the way the My Father La Gran Oferta came to a close. The resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

In terms of the burn, I found the My Father La Gran Oferta Toro performed quite well. The cigar had no problem maintaining a straight burn  There was a slight curvature to the burn line, but the cigar was never in danger of burning off track. This was a cigar that produced a nice firm ash. The ash had a silver-gray color to it. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal.

Draw

The draw to the My Father La Gran Oferta Toro performed very nicely as well. It had a touch of resistance to it, yet at the same time, I found this to be a cigar that was low maintenance to derive flavor from.

Strength and Body

The La Gran Oferta Toro started out as a medium strength, medium-bodied cigar. I pretty much expected this cigar to remain that way, but this was not the case. The cigar did build up in intensity with both attributes and a little past the midway point, I found this cigar’s strength and body was in the medium to full range. The increase in intensity leveled off by the end, and the La Gran Oferta Toro remained medium to full.

In terms of strength versus body, I found both attributes balanced each other nicely with neither overshadowing the other.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

When I started tasting some of the rich tobacco notes early in the smoking experience of the La Gran Oferta Toro, I had high hopes for this cigar. However, once the richness subsided, this became an average smoke that really lacked some of the complexity I had come to expect from a My Father Cigar. It’s a cigar I can position for both the novice and experienced cigar enthusiast. In particular, if a novice wants to smoke a My Father Cigar looking for a medium/medium plus smoke without the spice, this is a good option. At approximately $7.50, La Gran Oferta Toro isn’t going to break the bank, but I’d probably recommend tryinga sample and seeing if this cigar works for you.

Summary

Key Flavors Natural Tobacco, Citrus, Orange Rind, Black Pepper, Red Pepper
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Minus
Strength: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Remainder)
Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Remainder)
Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Try a Sample
Score: 88

References

News: My Father La Gran Oferta Launched at 2018 IPCPR
Price: $7.50
Source: Purchased
Brand Reference: My Father

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted