My 12 Days of Christmas: Unwrapping the Humidor.

...Two Turtle Doves

I come to you, my readers, bearing gifts.  Twelve days of gifts to be exact.  From now until Christmas, I'll  be giving 12 reviews of cigars that have been in my humidor for various amounts of time.  Nothing beats the gift of one's own humidor and the treasures that lay within.  So, here we go.

Previous post(s): A Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the second day of Christmas, my humidor gave to me...

A Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Toro

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf maduro
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Nicaraguan
Time in my humidor: 10 months

Don Pepin Garcia may be the legendary cigar blender, but it doesn't take a genius to see that Jaime (his son) isn't too far behind.  Hailing from the My Father cigar factory in Nicaragua, the Jaime Gacria Reserva Especial line burst onto the industry scene in the summer of 2010.

This 54x6 cigar brings complex flavors and nuances to an aficionado's palate.  The cellophane wrapper is cloudy with oily residue from the excellently constructed maduro wrapper.  The dry draw is filled with pepper and savory earthy flavors.

Upon lighting the cigar the bouquet is filled woody and peppery notes with bountiful smoke on the palate.  I remember when I first tried this cigar over a year ago, there was a pronounced acidity that lingered throughout the core of the stogie.  However, with age, it seems to have subsided.   Instead, a rich, medium bodied sweetness begins to come to the forefront to compliment the spice.

The finish is short, yet perfect for the early evening when I chose to enjoy this.  I chose to pair this cigar with a 25th anniversary holiday seasonal beer from The Pyramid Breweries, called Snowcap.  The beer's roasted caramel malts and full-bodied taste complimented the Jaime Garcia's exquisite flavor and richness.

My Ratings:
Appearance - 10
Pre-light taste- 9
Construction - 9
Draw - 9
Burn - 8
Aroma - 10
Flavor - 10
Balance - 9
Finish- 8

Total Rating: 9.1

 Take it from Jaime, the best gift is a shared passion and honoring those you love.  And take it from the whole Garcia family, There is Nothing Wrong with Knowing You Are the Best.
 
Two down....ten to go.

Regards,
Bear