After spending some quality time relaxing down by the river with the cedar-rich, spicy Belicoso that is the Cuban Classic from Don "Pepin" Garcia, I decided to dabble in a similar smoke rolled by My Father Cigars.

The Series JJ "Selecto" is a fine specimen of a robusto. A Miami-made short smoke that is teased as being "3/4-to-full," and layered with spice and sultry earthiness. In the interest of determining precisely how different this premium cigar blend is from its bullet-shaped brethren I puffed a few weeks back, I fired the sucker up one autumn afternoon.

What would result was a bit of a surprise, especially toward the parting puffs portion of the smoke. And I mean that in the best possible way...

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Unlit Impressions

Double-banded, and sporting a silky ribbon around its foot for appearances and protection, the Series JJ Selecto comes awash in white. The 50-ring-gauge and 5-inch length of this rich red robusto make it a real looker.

Cold unlit pulls are primarily corojo cigar wrapper spice at first, with a nice plunk of criollo earthiness to mellow things out. Untorched aromas are sweet and slightly savory, with a faint whiff of cocoa powder lingering somewhere inside.

Initial Smoke

Corojo Rosado wrappers can be deceptive sometimes. In the case of the Series JJ, this fiery red cigar wrapper immediately teases you with spice upon being lit. But the smoke itself is not all corojo leaf, and this robusto quickly calms down, striking the lower end of medium in strength and flavor intensity.

This premium cigar blend seems intent on bringing balance from the get-go. This is achieved by allowing the richness of the Nicaraguan criollo binder and criollo/corojo filler to bring an earthen balance to the flavor and strength of the smoke. Definitely a milder initial approach than the Cuban Classic from My Father Cigars/Don "Pepin" Garcia.

2nd Half

Anything past the halfway point of the superbly constructed, yet surprisingly mellow Series JJ, is sure to be a blast for full-strength cigar fans. All of the subtlety of the corojo cigar wrapper ignites with intensity, and the criollo internals take a turn toward the dark side.

Thoughts turn back toward that claim of "3/4-to-full" on the My Father Cigars website. For outside of the first 15 minutes of this cigar, this claim has felt tepid at best.

Oh, and what a final half this is... as toasted criollo earthiness and corojo spice meld together for a fantastic finish.

Parting Puffs

The parting puffs of this particular cigar type are so pleasantly potent, that anyone who can handle a medium-strength cigar and above will surely singe their fingertips. And if the winds had not picked up, this little Series JJ "Selecto" would have surely become a finger-singeing smoke. 

It's a leathery, alkaline-rich, spicy finish that is just as approachable as it is robust. Yet another sensational closure to a product of My Father Cigars blending ingenuity and engineering.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Save for a slight canoe finish, construction strength and smoke output were both on point with the Series JJ "Selecto."

Not once did the cigar burn too hot, and the tightly packed ash held its composure until tapped every time. The draw was flawless, and the feel of the stick itself felt immaculately handmade.

Final Thoughts

All told, I enjoyed the Series J "Selecto" by Don "Pepin" Garcia, but not to the maximum until the final third or so.

Physically, it was very well built, but not as balanced throughout as say, the robusto-sized "Currency" by H. Upmann. Neither was it as intensely intriguing as the near-flawless Futuro 109 by Warped Cigars, which contains a strikingly similar premium cigar blend. 

Nevertheless, this smoke did deliver the goods on many levels and is a fantastic choice for those in search of that 3/4-to-full cigar smoking experience. I look forward to trying this cigar again down the line and pairing it with a full-bodied red wine. 

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