2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #1: My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años Limited Edition Corona Extra

#1 2023 Cigar of the Year: My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años Limited Edition Corona Extra

SPECIFICATIONS

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro (aka “Oscuro Oscuro” or “Habano My Father”)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Corona Extra: 5 1/2 x 48 (Box Pressed)
Price: $13.00

Sponsor: No
Samples Provided for Initial Review: No
Review: My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años Limited Edition Corona Extra (5/1/23)
Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Company): 7 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2020, 2022, 2023)

The Details

The #1 2023 Cigar of the Year is the My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años Limited Edition Corona Extra.

In 2008, Jaime Garcia created the first My Father Cigar to honor his father, Don José “Pepin” Garcia. A year later, Pepin paid homage to his own father, José Garcia Alayón, releasing a cigar known as the My Father Le Bijou 1922. Le Bijou is French for “The Jewel.” He called it 1922 because that was the year that Pepin’s father was born.

Since the year 2022 marked 100 years since the birth of José Garcia Alayón, the Garcia family decided to create a special limited edition cigar offering to mark the centennial of the elder Garcia’s birthday and called it the My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años Limited Edition. The 100 Años was released in two sizes, but it was the Corona Extra that put this cigar over the top for 2023.

The blend for the two 100 Años Limited Edition cigars is described as different from the core Le Bijou 1922 line. The cigar is not only a 100% Nicaraguan puro, but a Garcia family puro in that all of the tobaccos come from the Garcia family farms. The wrapper is a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro that has been dubbed by the Garcias “Oscuro Oscuro” or “Habano My Father.” The rich brown-colored wrapper is what makes this cigar stand out. The Garcias said a special fermentation process contributes to the flavors and aromas of this cigar.

The size is 5 ½ x 48 Corona Extra, and it has a slight box press to it. The boxes of the 100 Años release contain 22 cigars, the number paying homage to the birth year of José Garcia Alayón. Of course, the cigar comes out of the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The flavors detected are mocha (coffee and chocolate fused together or complementing each other nicely), earth, cedar, stone fruit, and pepper). The flavors are medium to full-bodied, complemented by medium to full strength. The 100 Años Corona Extra brings a perfect storm of excellent, well-balanced flavors. You will find this cigar builds on the foundational components of the original My Father Le Bijou 1922, but takes them to the next level. This is a true masterpiece by the Garcia family. In terms of the 2023 Cigar of the Year race for #1, the 100 Anos Corona Extra was the clear winner.

For My Father Cigars, this is the seventh time the company has placed at least one cigar on the Countdown. It is also My Father’s first #1 Cigar of the Year on Cigar Coop. Including the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1, the My Father Factory has landed two cigars in the Top 10. It also gives Nicaragua a total of 17 cigars on the 2023 Countdown.