Flor de las Antillas Robusto

Flor de las Antillas Robusto – My Father Cigars

Vitola: Robusto, box-pressed

Length: 127 mm (5")

Ring gauge: 50

Origin: Nicaragua

Manufacturer: My Father Cigars

Factory: Estelí, Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium–full

Type: Nicaraguan puro

Award: Flor de las Antillas Toro was named Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar of the Year 2012 with a score of 96

Flor de las Antillas is one of My Father Cigars’ most acclaimed lines. It is entirely Nicaraguan and crafted with a Sun Grown wrapper from the García family’s own Las Marías farm. The Robusto format measures 5 × 50 and, like the other standard formats in the series, is box-pressed.

Background—a tribute to Cuba from the family that left it

The name Flor de las Antillas roughly translates to “Flower of the Antilles” and is a reference to Cuba, the García family’s country of origin and the largest island in the Antilles.

José “Pepín” García was born in Cuba in 1950 and began working with cigars at a young age. After their time in Cuba, the García family carried on the tradition in the United States and Nicaragua alongside the next generation.

In 2003, José García, along with his son Jaime and daughter Janny, opened the El Rey de los Habanos factory in Miami. The business grew rapidly, and in 2009, My Father Cigars established its large factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Flor de las Antillas was launched in 2012 as a box-pressed series made entirely from Nicaraguan tobacco. That same year, Cigar Aficionado named the series’ Toro, 6 × 52, the best cigar of the year and awarded it 96 points.

The award applies to the Toro size, while the Robusto is a shorter size in the same series.

What makes Flor de las Antillas unique?

Flor de las Antillas is a Nicaraguan puro, meaning that the wrapper, binder, and filler all come from Nicaragua.

The wrapper is a Nicaraguan Sun Grown leaf from the García family’s own Las Marías farm. The binder and filler also consist of Nicaraguan tobacco.

The series is also box-pressed, which gives the cigars their characteristic, more square shape.

My Father describes Flor de las Antillas as a smooth and creamy blend with spicy notes and hints of cocoa. In Cigar Aficionado’s review of the award-winning Toron, notes of nutmeg and white pepper are mentioned, among other things.

It is a flavor profile that has become strongly associated with the line since its launch in 2012.

The García Family and the My Father Cigars S.A. Factory

The García family has its roots in the Cuban cigar industry but has, over the past few decades, built My Father Cigars into an established producer in Nicaragua.

José “Pepín” García has extensive experience in cigar manufacturing from Cuba and, together with his family, has further developed the business in both Miami and Estelí.

Today, a large portion of My Father Cigars’ production takes place in Estelí, Nicaragua. The family also grows its own tobacco and oversees several stages of the process, from cultivation and processing to the finished cigar.

Flor de las Antillas is one of the lines that clearly represents the Nicaraguan aspect of the company’s production.

How the flavor develops—third by third

The flavor experience is subjective and may vary between sizes and individual cigars. Since we are not basing this on our own tasting of this specific Robusto, it is better to describe the established flavor profile rather than specify exactly how each third develops.

My Father describes the line as smooth and creamy with spice and cocoa.

When Cigar Aficionado tasted the Flor de las Antillas Toro, they noted, among other things, nutmeg, white pepper, and a balanced character. The Toro was classified as medium–full.

The Robusto uses the same basic blend but has different proportions due to its shorter 5 × 50 format, which means the flavor experience need not be identical to that of the longer Toro.

Construction, Draw, Ash, and Burn

The Flor de las Antillas Robusto is box-pressed and measures 5 × 50.

Since draw, burn, and ash can vary between individual hand-rolled cigars, we do not specify a particular ash length, color, or exact draw resistance without first inspecting the specific cigar.

The cigar can be cut with a standard guillotine cutter in the same way as other cigars with a traditional head. Cut carefully at the cap without cutting too far into the wrapper.

When lighting, the goal is to get the foot of the cigar to ignite evenly without exposing the wrapper to more direct heat than necessary.

Who is the Flor de las Antillas Robusto for?

The Flor de las Antillas Robusto is aimed at those seeking a Nicaraguan puro in a classic Robusto format who appreciate a flavor profile characterized by cocoa, spices, and creaminess.

The series is typically classified as medium to full-bodied depending on the source and format, and therefore offers a more distinct flavor profile than very mild cigars with, for example, Connecticut wrappers.

It may also be of interest to those who wish to explore My Father Cigars and the García family’s Nicaraguan production.

For those seeking different profiles, there are several other series within the My Father lineup featuring varying wrappers, sizes, and strengths.

Robusto or Toro?

Flor de las Antillas is available in several sizes.

Robusto: 5 × 50

Toro: 6 × 52

The Toro is the size that was named Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar of the Year 2012 with a score of 96.

The Robusto is shorter and slightly narrower, while the Toro contains more tobacco and typically takes longer to smoke.

The line is also produced in other sizes, including Belicoso, Toro Gordo, and Toro Grande.

Flor de las Antillas is also available in a separate Maduro version. It features an Ecuadorian Habano Sun Grown Oscuro wrapper paired with a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler.

What pairs well with it?

Taste is subjective, and there is no one combination that suits everyone.

Flor de las Antillas is described as having notes of cocoa, spices, nutmeg, and creaminess, among others. This type of flavor profile is often paired with beverages that have roasted or sweet notes, such as coffee.

However, which combination works best depends entirely on personal preference.

Recommended accompaniments

The Flor de las Antillas Robusto requires no special accessories compared to other premium cigars.

A standard cigar cutter can be used to cut the cigar, and a butane lighter or long matches for lighting.

For cigars intended for long-term storage, a humidor or another solution that provides a stable environment for cigar storage is recommended.

Storage

Flor de las Antillas should be stored in the same way as other premium cigars, under stable conditions where the tobacco is protected from drying out, excessive heat, and significant fluctuations in humidity.

For longer-term storage, we recommend a humidor or another suitable solution for controlled humidity.

We avoid specifying that a cigar needs, for example, exactly three or six months of aging to improve. How a cigar develops over time is influenced by both storage conditions and individual taste preferences.

[Link: Learn more about how to store cigars]

Frequently Asked Questions About Flor de las Antillas Robusto

How strong is Flor de las Antillas?

Flor de las Antillas is typically described as medium to full-bodied. Cigar Aficionado rated the award-winning Toron as medium–full.

How big is the Flor de las Antillas Robusto?

The Robusto is 5 inches long, approximately 127 mm, and has a ring gauge of 50.

Did Flor de las Antillas win Cigar of the Year?

Yes. The Flor de las Antillas Toro 6 × 52 was named Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar of the Year in 2012 and received a score of 96. The award refers to the Toro format.

Is the Flor de las Antillas hand-rolled?

Yes. Flor de las Antillas is a premium handmade cigar from My Father Cigars in Nicaragua.

Is Flor de las Antillas a puro?

Yes. The wrapper, binder, and filler are all Nicaraguan.

What type of wrapper does Flor de las Antillas have?

The Original Series uses a Nicaraguan Sun Grown wrapper from the García family’s Las Marías farm.

What is the difference between a Robusto and a Toro?

The Robusto measures 5 × 50, while the Toro measures 6 × 52. The Toro is the size that received a score of 96 and was named Cigar of the Year in 2012.

What is the difference between Flor de las Antillas and Flor de las Antillas Maduro?

The original series uses a Nicaraguan Sun Grown wrapper. The Maduro version is a separate blend featuring an Ecuadorian Habano Sun Grown Oscuro wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and filler.