PCA 2023: My Father Cigars, Inc.

If there is one company I might just have to hand it to for best-kept secrets of the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, it’s My Father Cigars, Inc.. The company said almost nothing about what it had in store for the show this year, and then showed up with armfuls of new cigars, as well as a new booth.

Let’s start with the booth; it was one of two that I saw that used the big letter aesthetic for at least one side of the booth, the other being CLE Cigars, which also used the design a bit more, if judging by quantity of letters. Additionally, after using a scaled-down approach for the past two years, My Father went fairly big; maybe not all-out big, but bigger than many. As you can see, there was an overhead banner, a pair of arches, a tower, and walls, all of which add up to a more pronounced presence on the show floor than a lot of companies had.

As for the cigars, My Father didn’t disappoint, though most of their new offerings are really trending into ultra-premium territory, so if you’re not a fan of high-dollar releases, be prepared to vent in the comments.

Don Pepín García 20th Anniversary Limited Edition

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Don Pepín García brand, and this cigar commemorates what is arguably the best-known Don Pepín García cigar, the Blue Label. The blend includes pelo de oro in the filler, a hallmark of the company’s limited editions. Of note, out of the 5,000 boxes, 3,900 of them will be shipping to U.S. retailers, while the remaining 1,100 boxes are scheduled to go to retailers in international markets. Pricing is said to be in the $40 range, though I was told it wasn’t 100 percent finalized.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano 2000)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Don Pepín García 20th Anniversary (6 1/2 x 52) — TBA

Production: 5,000 Boxes of 20 Cigars (100,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: August 2023 (Tentative)

Don Pepín García 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Humidor

For those really looking to celebrate 20 years of the Don Pepín García brand, there is this Elie Bleu-made humidor that contains two variations on the original “Blue Label” blend.” One uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, while the other uses a Nicaraguan corojo 99 wrapper that I’m told gets some special processing that delivers a more complex flavor. Both versions get pelo de oro in the filler, as well. Pricing and a shipping date are both yet to be finalized.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut) / Nicaragua (Corojo 99)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Don Pepín García 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Humidor Ecuadorian Connecticut (6 1/2 x 54) — TBA
• Don Pepín García 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Humidor Nicaraguan Corojo 99 (6 1/2 x 54) — TBA

Production: 75 Humidors of 100 Cigars

Release Date: TBA

Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas

The Vegas Cubanas line has gotten a rework both in terms of its blend and its packaging, most notably getting new bands and packaging that bring it under the Don Pepín García name and aesthetic.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo Rosado)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas (5 1/2 x 44) — $7.60 (Box of 20, $152)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Invictos (5 x 50) — $8.50 (Box of 20, $170)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Generosos (6 x 50) — $8.70 (Box of 20, $174)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Imperiales (6 1/8 x 52) — $9 (Box of 20, $180)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Toro Gordo (6 x 60) — $10 (Box of 20, $200)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2023

Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial — New Vitolas

The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial line is adding three new sizes, including its first figurado and a massive 7 x 70 vitola, the latter of which is a vitola that My Father is not generally known for offering. In fact, it appears to be the first 70 ring gauge cigar in the My Father portfolio. With the new sizes, the line is now offered in nine vitolas.

• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Broadleaf)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Corona Grande (6 1/4 x 48) — $9.30 (Box of 20, $186)
• Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Figurado (5 x 48/52) — $10.50 (Box of 20, $210)
• Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Gordo Extra (7 x 70) — $12.40 (Box of 14, $173.60)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2023

La Union

This may well be the most intriguing thing I saw on the show floor this year, as My Father and Tatuaje collaborated on a new release called La Union. I should say two releases, as there will be two editions of it released, with Pete Johnson blending a pair of cigars for My Father, and My Father—specifically Jaime García—blending a pair of cigars for Tatuaje.

The blend details are going to get a bit confusing, so let’s start with the fact that all of the cigars measure 7 1/4 x 50 and use a 109-style head, with the vitola being referred to as a Prominente Especial. The first of the two releases—the one in the black humidor—aren’t due out until early 2024 at the earliest, and that assumes a number of things go according to plan. The second release—which will come in a red humidor—isn’t expected until six months after the first release comes out, so maybe late summer 2024 at best. Pricing hasn’t been set yet, either.

One note, Tatuaje’s cigars for My Father will have covered feet. Also, only two pairs per blend have been assigned to create the cigars, and they are limited to making 250 cigars per day. Finally, each humidor will contain 20 cigars per blend, as well as a XIKAR Perfect Xi1 cutter.

La Union — Tatuaje for My Father (Black Humidor)

• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo 99)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

La Union — My Father for Tatuaje (Black Humidor)

• Wrapper: Undisclosed (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

La Union — Tatuaje for My Father (Red Humidor)

• Wrapper: Undisclosed (Sumatra)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

La Union — My Father for Tatuaje (Red Humidor)

• Wrapper: Undisclosed (Broadleaf)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

Production: 1,500 Humidors of 40 Cigars per release*

*300 of those humidors are designated for international retailers as of my visit to the booth.

Release Date: 2024-2025

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.