- Size: 4.5″ x 50 (Petit Robusto)
- MSRP: $161.00 (box of 23)
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Wrapper: Habano Oscuro
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Body: Medium Full to Full
- Strength: Medium Plus
- Humidor Time Prior to Review: 6 months+
- Cigars smoked prior to review: 7
- Date Smoked: April 1, 2018
The My Father Le Bijou 1922 was developed by Jose “Pepin” Garcia to pay homage his father, Jose Garcia. When you figure that the My Father brand was originally developed so Pepin’s son, Jamie Garcia, could honor his father, this is a cigarception of sorts.
Le Bijou means “the jewel” in French, and I couldn’t think of a better size to try in this blend than the little Petit Robusto version. It certainly is a little gem of a cigar when you pull one of these out of the humidor for a closer examination.
The Le Bijou 1922 was released in 2013, and was awarded high rankings by Cigar Aficionado that year. In 2015 the cigar took 1st place, as the 2015 “Cigar of the Year” and was awarded a mind melting 97 point score. With credentials like that it seemed like an obvious cigar to check out.
Appearance and Pre-Light Aromas
This is the Petit Robusto size. Compact and about as thick around as my thumb. It’s tough to get a good look at the construction with the 3 bands takings up most of the real estate. But the dark brown wrapper is tightly wrapped. The cigar feels heavy for its size. Seams are tight, veins are present but minimal. The wrapper has a dull sheen to it and I can feel a fair amount of tooth on the wrapper. Topping things off is a nicely applied triple cap.
Smelling the wrapper I get a heavy chocolate, spice, and earthy aroma. From the foot I get a concentrated hay, earth, and chocolate. I clip away the cap and take a pre light draw. Lots of spice, chocolate, and a faint whiskey. I gingerly slip off the orange fabric foot band and get to toasting.
Start time is 3:15 P.M.
First Third
Immediately I am assailed get that signature “Pepin Garcia blast” of pepper. It’s hitting me front and center on the tongue, and burns the nose on the retrohale. After a puff or two chocolate and nuts comes in, but the pepper remains the star of the show. Body starts off at a solid medium.
The chocolate notes build while earth and woody notes linger with the pepper on the finish. It’s Easter Sunday. I tried reviewing this after work on Friday, but I was interrupted half way. Thankfully I bought a 10 pack of these, so I still had a couple left as back ups.
Since I’ve had a few of these already, I have some idea as to what I’m getting into. But each cigar has been a little different from the last. I’ve found that this cigar needed a good amount of rest to start smoking properly. I bought a 10 pack, let them sit for a month, and the first one burned horribly and required a lot of relights. I waited another month and the second cigar wasn’t so hot either. It was only after 4 months that I was able to get an even burn.
But the humidor time has fixed my burn issues and our Le Bijou is smoking nicely. 10 minutes in and we have an inch of snow white ash forming, and a pretty sharp burn line. Smoke drifts lazily from the foot and plays in the breeze. People have complained that the newer versions of this cigar don’t smoke as well, and while I haven’t smoked any sticks from the original release, I’d say that this little guy needs some rest. The draw is free and easy, but this is still a compact little cigar.
Lets return to the flavors. 15 minutes in and we are still getting a healthy dose of pepper. That is still the biggest flavor. Chocolate, nuts, and earth flank it. Wood finds its way into the spicy finish. And I’m getting some baking spice in addition to all the pepper. Not particularly crazy flavors, but they are satisfying and the cigar is pleasant. It’s smoking nicely and I can’t complain.
It has been over a month since my last review. Yikes, this blog may not make it, as many blogs are wont to do. Frankly I’ve been preoccupied with my job and other blog. I’ve been too exhausted to want to review cigars. That hasn’t stopped me from smoking them however. I’m sampling what I have.
Since I’ve only been smoking on the weekends I’ve been averaging a couple cigars a week. It’s hard to review cigars that way as ideally I like to smoke a few of a certain blend before sitting down to review it. If I review this Le Bijou Petit Robusto when I smoked it the first time it would have been a disaster. Because the cigar was a disaster. But over time the cigar, and my opinion, has changed for the better.
But that’s alright. I’m doing this for fun. A thought experiment. Or lack of thought experiment.
Body has ramped up to a medium full. I’m getting more wood now. Especially on the retrohale. No sweetness. Heavy pepper, chocolate, earth, nuts and more wood. Mmm… wood.
It’s a beautiful day today. The weather is balmy, but a light breeze and a shady spot of the back yard is keeping me cool. There won’t be many days like this left this year. Soon the heat will rise. Last summer I enjoyed the heat. Smoking in the back yard reading books and sweating to the oldies. Not a bad way to while away the time. I wonder how well a camera and laptop will play with that equation.
Our Le Bijou continues to chug a long. 15 minutes in and the razor sharp burn is marching steadily towards the first band.
It’s pretty much the same flavors as before. I don’t find this to be a terribly complicated cigar, nor did I ever notice much in the way of flavor transitions. Perhaps with all of my senses focused on the stick like a laser I’ll be able to tease something out of this smoke beyond pepper, chocolate, nuts and earth. The aroma of this cigar is sweet and spicy. Like a plate of North Florida barbecue glistening on a tray. Get you some.
The sun breaks free of the trees and ignites the band in a fiery burst of gold. The bands on this cigar are something else. Made from thick gold embossed paper. Very ornate. I’m sure they weren’t cheap but they look cool. The edge of the first band begins to darken so I gently tug it free. The ash drops cleanly into the tray as I set the cigar down.
Second Third
I apologize in advance for the crappy pictures here. I don’t know what was going on with my camera as I had plenty of light and the usual settings on. Sorry.
Smoke time is right at 20 minutes. I’ve had one of this smoke in 45 minutes, but usually I’m more towards an hour and a half. This one seems to be burning quickly. At least for now.
I don’t know about you but some of my cigars seem to stall out in the final third or so. The minutes pile up and the smoke time balloons. I don’t mind as long as the flavors are alright. But part of the reason why I bought these was because it was a smaller cigar, and I was hoping these would work well when I wanted a shorter smoke.
Pepper and chocolate continue to swirl from the Le Bijou 1922. Nuts and oak flank the pepper and chocolate as secondary flavors. Earth seems to weave through it all, bringing it all together. A tangy sharpness flits around the edges of my palate. The beginning of cedar or citrus? Who is to say. Birds call to each other in the distance.
I finished reading The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara this morning. It’s an account of the battle of Gettysburg told from a few perspectives on both the Rebel and Union side. What an incredible book. It has piqued my interest in the civil war, a subject I know little about. Well worth the read if you are in the mood for a good book. And there is even some cigar smoking in the novel. What’s not to like?
Our Le Bijou continues to charge forth like Sherman’s cavalry. Pepper chocolate and earth continue to take up the vanguard. The tanginess from early has stepped away for now. The body remains a medium full, and the strength has begin to kick in. I’m a little light headed.
The burn has been great, and each puff issues forth an impressive cloud of pale grey smoke. We are 45 minutes in and the second band is less than a quarter inch away. I snap one more photo for posterity and peel away the final band.
The pepper continues to stand tall. This is a stick for fans of spicy cigars. Girly men need not apply to the Le Bijou. It may look small and elegant, but it’s heavy handed with the pepper, and the nicotine has begun to ring my bell.
The burn has gone slightly wavy. I may need to correct it when the second chunk of ash drops. As if on cue it drops directly onto my lap. Fuck me sideways. And the wrapper beneath the band has a crack in it, so a big piece is now flaking up off the cigar. When it rains it pours. I attempt the “Lick and Stick” brand of cigar repair and hope for the best.
None of this has impacted the smoking qualities, and big mouthfuls of smoke emit with each puff. We are at the final third and the home stretch.
Final Third
Smoke time is a few minutes shy of 45 minutes. The Le Bijou 1992 rest comfortably in my ash tray. The passing wind stirs the contents. The burn remains a little wavy and uneven. If give the high spots a toasting with my torch. Probably unnecessary but I’ll take the cheap insurance.
I almost feel bad typing this but the flavors continue to be strong pepper, earth, and a little chocolate. It’s a speecy spicy meatball of a cigar. Don’t forget a cold glass of water. Personally I like more complexity and transitions in my smokes, but pepper lovers should be in hog heaven with this one.
Overhead a bird craps on my leg. My girlfriend thinks this is hysterical. I call it good luck, but also elect to keep my mouth closed as I peer up into the oak tree above me. Mazel.
Finally a new flavor emerges: coffee. That’s good. I like coffee. The woody elements pick up on the retrohale. The compromised wrapper is holding up. A sweet chocolate and nutty aroma emanates from the cigar. Body has ticked up to full in my book.
Hardly any clouds in the pale blue sky today. Save a few fluffy white floaters low on the western horizon. It’s Sunday afternoon and life is good.
I stand up to snap another photograph and I’m a little wobbly. I don’t recall the 1922 being such a strong stick, but I’m feeling it now. Maybe it’s all the up and down, or remnats of the intense gym session I had earlier this afternoon.
With an inch and a half left the cigar goes out on me. Damn. I scrape away the snow white ash and give it a relight. Plenty of pepper, wood, and earth now. Not the most amazing array of flavors. Enjoyable, but not mind altering. Unless you count the healthy dose of Vitamin N glugging through my veins.
A few more puffs and coffee returns to the front of the draw flavors. We are exactly at the 1 hour mark. This particular cigar appears to be smoking a shade faster than usual. That’s OK, I’m going to start on Tiger Woods’ new biography after this. I believe it’s called “Sinking Putts and Banging Sluts” but then again I may be off base there. It’s in the other room. A couple mocking birds chase after each other in a bush.
Our Le Bijou 1922 smoulders quietly in the ash tray. That rogue piece of wrapper is peeling away underneath the heat of the cherry. We are getting down to the nub here. It’s still solid and relatively cool so I’ll smoke on it a while more, but we are nearing the end.
A few minutes later it goes out again while resting in my ash tray. I decide not to relight it, and listen to the wind in the leaves as I write my final thoughts.
My Father Le Bijou 1922 Review – Final Thoughts
The My Father Le Bijou 1922 isn’t a bad smoke, but it isn’t my favorite either. I bought about half a box, and am glad I did because it took me trying 3 or 4 cigars over the months before they started smoking right, but I don’t think I’ll seek this one out again any time soon. Cigar Aficionado stated that this cigar “conveys uncanny impressions of dark chocolate-covered raisins, savory leather and a sweet-and-salty finish that resonates on the palate.” Sorry guys, but that simply did not come through for me with this cigar. I got the chocolate but whiffed on everything else. Maybe it’s my inexperienced palate.
It’s pleasant enough, and I’d recommend it for fans of full bodied pepper heavy blends. Those seeking a sweet smoke with lots of transitions should look elsewhere though. It’s a bit of a one trick pony. A pleasant, peppery pony, but a one trick pony none the less.
Although it will earn a “0” on my 0-1 scale, I would give it a 3/5. Not bad, but not exactly for me.
Final Smoke Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Final Score: 3/5
Update 12/11/2018: I smoked another of these from deep in my humidor tonight. I had a campfire going and the desire to try this blend again. The additional 6 months has been good to this cigar. Got some good sweetness from it and more complexity and transitions. Burn was perfect. I regret smoking through my 10 pack so quickly. I think these will only get better with time and this could be a good stick for aging. Certainly a nice cigar with a year and half of rest on it. I may snag another 5 pack if I can get them at a good price.
Pete B. says
Very well written and thoughtful review! I agree with your notes on the general pepperiness of this, my first stick of a 5-pack. Love the intensity and I am looking forward to monitoring the effects of age as you indicate. But in order to do a thorough study over time, I must acquire a full box: Atlantic Cigar has great prices on the VIP plan.
I must also check your other reviews as I really enjoy your style.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Dan says
Pete,
Thank you for checking out the review. I think you will enjoy tracking how this cigar develops over time. I certainly did, and wouldn’t mind adding some more to the humidor. Enjoy!
Dan