Fonseca Edition MX Review — Fonseca Edition MX Toro Grande by My Father Cigars

Today, we review the Fonseca Edition MX in the Toro Grande size from My Father Cigars. The Edition MX is the second blend that My Father Cigars has released under the Fonseca Brand. It was in 2019 when My Father Cigars acquired the Fonseca brand from Quesada Cigars. The Fonseca brand was established in Cuba by Don Francisco Fonseca. The Dominican version of the Fonseca brand has been made by the Quesada family since 1974. Instead of moving production of the existing brands to My Father Cigars, the company set out to create its own interpretations of the Fonseca brand instead. In 2020 came the first Fonseca by My Father Cigars, a Nicaraguan puro. Fonseca Edition MX made its debut in 2024. The MX stands for Mexico and that is because a Mexican wrapper highlights this blend.

My Father Cigars has been acquiring old Cuban brands over the years. Other old Cuban brands revived under the My Father Cigars portfolio include La Antiguedad, La Opulencia, La Gran Oferta, and Cabañas (this one in conjunction with JR Cigars). The one difference with the Fonseca Brand is that it was a more active brand than the others resurrected by My Father Cigars—and it was already being produced outside of Cuba.

Let’s examine the Fonseca Edition MX Toro Grande and see what this cigar offers.

Fonseca Edition MX Toro Grande – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

In addition to the Mexican San Andres Oscuro wrapper, the Fonseca MX Edition also uses all Nicaraguan tobaccos for the binder and filler. Production comes from the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Wrapper: San Andres Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.

Vitolas Offered

The Fonseca MX Edition is available in four sizes: Robusto, Toro, Toro Grande, and Cedros. Each comes in 20-count boxes.

Robusto: 5 x 50
Toro Gordo: 6 x 60
Cedros: 6 1/4 x 52
Toro Grande: 6 1/2 x 56

Appearance (*)

The San Andres wrapper of the Fonseca MX Toro Grande had a near-dark roasted coffee bean color. There was a slight amount of toothiness on the wrapper. There wasn’t a lot of oil on this wrapper. The surface of the wrapper had some thin visible veins and some minimally visible seams.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

Before lighting the cigar, the Fonseca MX Toro Grande cap was removed using a straight cut. Once the cap was detached, the pre-light draw ritual began. The cold draw delivered notes of coffee, earth, and a touch of chocolate. Sometimes, I get a “mocha” note on cigars that I term a fusion of coffee and chocolate, but this was not the case here. In fact, the coffee note had a slightly syrupy texture.

Tasting Notes

The Fonseca MX Toro Grande opened with notes of coffee, earth, cedar, chocolate, and cherry. Early on, the earth notes moved into the forefront. The combination of the chocolate and cherry notes joined the earth notes. The cedar and coffee notes settled into the background. Meanwhile, the retro-hale produced an additional layer of cedar.

The earth notes remained grounded in the forefront as the Fonseca MX Toro Grande moved through the second third. The chocolate and cherry notes receded into the background, joining the coffee and cedar. Some black pepper emerged on the tongue and in the retro-hale. Slowly, the pepper notes increased in intensity. By the end of the final third, most of the chocolate and cherry notes that provided sweetness early on had dissipated.

The pepper notes joined the earth in the forefront by the final third. The retro-hale still contained a mix of cedar and pepper. Meanwhile, notes of cedar and coffee remained, but these were more distant. This is how the Fonseca MX Toro Grande came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

The burn of the Fonseca MX Toro Grande started out low maintenance, but in the second third, it required more touch-ups. The touch-ups facilitated keeping a straight burn path and a straight burn line, but this cigar required more touch-ups than I preferred. The cigar had a silver-gray ash, which was relatively firm with only occasional flaking. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were ideal.

Draw

The draw of the Fonseca MX Toro Grande was somewhat open, but I wouldn’t describe it as loose. Generally, I prefer a bit of resistance when drawing, and while this one was more open than I prefer, it didn’t have any significant negative effects on the overall experience.

Strength and Body

Fonseca is a brand that I have historically associated with dialed-back cigars. The Fonseca MX Toro Grande fits this bill. The strength and body start off in the mild to medium range. By the second half, both attributes increased in intensity and moved into the medium range, where they remained for the duration of the smoking experience.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

I have always believed that My Father Cigars has been a leader in the industry for many years. The Fonseca MX Edition once again demonstrates excellent packaging from My Father. The primary band is a combination of the classic Fonseca logo and the My Father Cigars band, and this blend has proven to be very effective. The secondary band prominently displays “MX Edition,” with colors inspired by the Mexican flag. Additionally, the cigar features a green footer band. Lastly, the box wrapping does justice to these cigars.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

Back when My Father introduced its first Fonseca cigar, one thing I really was impressed with was that My Father put a cigar that seemed different. I was hoping this would be the case with the Fonseca MX Edition. Unfortunately, it was not. The MX Edition had its moments but lacked a lot of wow factor. While I could appreciate that it stays to Fonseca’s roots as a dialed-back smoke, there wasn’t much in the way that connected me to Fonseca flavor-wise. In the end, this is a cigar. I would recommend trying a sample before smoking, but I’m inclined to give one of the other sizes a try down the road.

Summary

Key Flavors: Earth, Coffee, Chocolate, Cherry, Cedar, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Very Good
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Mild to Medium (1st Half), Medium (2nd Half)
Body: Mild to Medium (1st Half), Medium (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good

The Smoking Syndicate Review

Let’s Get Pairing

Tripp and Denis did pairings with the Fonseca Edition MX on a Let’s Get Pairing episode. Due to age restrictions, you need to click on watch on YouTube.