AshMap
Overview
There is a particular kind of cigar that rewards the smoker who has stopped chasing hype and started chasing consistency — and El Centurion is that cigar. Introduced in 2011 as a slightly more accessible sibling to the flagship My Father line, it has spent over a decade quietly outperforming its price bracket while the spotlight stayed fixed on its more famous relative. That obscurity is the smoker's gain. What Jaime García built here is not a diluted version of the namesake blend but a parallel expression of the same Estelí terroir — darker in tone, more rustic in character, and arguably more immediately satisfying at the moment of lighting. The Robusto, at five inches by fifty-two ring gauge, is the vitola where this blend makes its clearest argument.
Before the flame touches the foot, the wrapper tells you what's coming: a Nicaraguan Habano Colorado leaf with a medium-dark reddish-brown cast and a faint oily sheen that catches light like polished mahogany. The cold draw offers sweet cedar and a whisper of dark cocoa. Once lit, the opening is a dense, almost chewy affair — roasted espresso poured over dark cocoa, with sweet cedar threading through the middle and black pepper arriving fast on the retrohale, asserting the Nicaraguan backbone with real authority. Leather and a subtle earth note round out a start that is layered rather than merely loud.
The second third is where the blend finds its most elegant register. Dark chocolate and cured meats interlace with aged oak, and the pepper — still present — steps back into a structural role, holding the profile upright rather than dominating it. Then a hint of dried fruit emerges: raisin, or perhaps dark cherry, adding a sweetness that feels earned rather than added. It is the kind of transition that makes you set the cigar down for a moment just to register what just happened.
The final third intensifies without turning coarse. Concentrated espresso and dark cocoa return with force, joined by a deep forest-floor earthiness and leather that lingers on the palate. Strength builds steadily toward full — a genuine 4 out of 5 — but never tips into harshness or acridity. The finish is long, warm, and marked by dark spice and a roasted nut note that stays with you well after the last inch. Construction throughout is textbook My Father: an even, slow burn, a firm salt-and-pepper ash that holds an inch or more, and a draw with just enough resistance to produce thick, voluminous smoke without effort. Forty-five to fifty-five minutes, start to finish, and not a wasted one among them.
Cigar Specifications
| Wrapper | Nicaraguan Habano Colorado — Colorado |
|---|---|
| Binder | Nicaraguan Jalapa |
| Filler | Nicaraguan tobaccos from Jalapa, Estelí, and Condega, aged a minimum of three years |
| Country of Origin | Estelí, Nicaragua — My Father Cigars factory (La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, or GFDE, production under My Father's own fac |
| Vitola / Shape | Robusto |
| Size | 5 x 52 |
| Strength | Full |
| Price | $12–$16 per cigar |
| Tier | Premium |
| Aging | Tobaccos aged a minimum of three years prior to rolling; box aging recommended for an additional 3–6 months |
Tasting Notes & Flavor Progression
First Third
The opening delivers a rich, roasted espresso with a pronounced dark cocoa underpinning and a touch of sweet cedar. Black pepper arrives quickly on the retrohale, asserting the Nicaraguan backbone with authority. Leather and a subtle earth note complete a complex, densely layered start.
Second Third
The profile evolves into a beautifully integrated interplay of dark chocolate, cured meats, and aged oak. The pepper mellows slightly but remains present as a structural element rather than a dominant force. A hint of dried fruit — raisin or dark cherry — begins to emerge, adding sweetness and dimension.
Final Third
The final third intensifies with concentrated espresso and dark cocoa, joined by a deep, lingering earthiness reminiscent of forest floor and leather. Strength builds steadily toward full without becoming harsh or acrid. The finish is long, warm, and satisfying with a lingering dark spice and roasted nut note.
Construction, Burn & Draw
Construction is consistently excellent — a hallmark of the My Father factory — with an even, slow burn that produces a firm, slightly flaky salt-and-pepper ash capable of holding an inch or more. Draw is ideal, offering just enough resistance to generate thick, voluminous smoke without effort.
Pairing Recommendations
Spirit
Aged Nicaraguan rum such as Flor de Caña 18 Year or a peated Scotch whisky like Laphroaig 10 — the smoke and iodine of the Islay malt mirrors the cigar's earthy depth beautifully
Wine
A bold Zinfandel from Napa or a Monastrell-based red from Jumilla, Spain — their dark fruit and spice profiles complement the cocoa and raisin notes
Non-Alcoholic
A single-origin Nicaraguan pour-over coffee, medium-dark roast, brewed strong — the terroir symmetry with the filler leaf is remarkable
Who Should Smoke This?
Picture a smoker who has been at this for a few years — someone who has burned through the beginner-friendly Connecticuts and the mid-strength Dominicans and now wants to know what full-bodied Nicaraguan tobacco actually tastes like when it's done right. It's a Tuesday night in late autumn, dinner is finished, the dishes can wait, and there's an hour of quiet ahead. They pour two fingers of Flor de Caña 18, settle into a chair on the porch, and light the El Centurion. What they get is a cigar that meets them at their experience level and then pushes slightly past it — full strength delivered with enough refinement that they can taste every transition rather than just feeling the nicotine. It's the cigar that teaches a developing palate what Estelí terroir means, and it costs less than a movie ticket to do it.
Bottom Line
El Centurion is the most underrated cigar in the My Father portfolio — a full-strength Nicaraguan blend that delivers flagship-level craftsmanship at a price that makes the flagship look indulgent. If you've been circling the My Father line without committing, this is your entry point, and you may never need another. Buy a box, smoke one now, and age the rest for six months; you'll thank yourself twice.
Similar Cigars
Explore all My Father Cigars cigars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto a strong cigar?
Yes — it carries a Full rating, 4 out of 5 on the strength scale. Physically, that means a noticeable nicotine presence that builds steadily from the second third through the final inch, though the blend never turns harsh or acrid. Smokers accustomed to medium-bodied cigars should eat beforehand and consider pairing with something sweet or aged to buffer the intensity.
What does El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto taste like?
The first third delivers roasted espresso, dark cocoa, sweet cedar, black pepper on the retrohale, leather, and earth. The second third transitions into dark chocolate, cured meats, aged oak, and emerging dried fruit — raisin or dark cherry — with the pepper mellowing into a structural role. The final third intensifies with concentrated espresso, dark cocoa, forest-floor earthiness, leather, dark spice, and a lingering roasted nut note on the finish.
How long does El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto take to smoke?
Expect 45 to 55 minutes. The 5 x 52 Robusto format is a classic mid-length smoke, and the El Centurion's slow, even burn — a hallmark of My Father construction — means it smokes closer to the 55-minute mark if you're pacing it properly rather than rushing.
What is the best pairing for El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto?
An aged Nicaraguan rum such as Flor de Caña 18 Year is the natural match — the rum's caramel and oak notes mirror the cigar's cocoa and cedar while its sweetness tempers the full strength. For a bolder pairing, peated Scotch like Laphroaig 10 works beautifully: the smoke and iodine of the Islay malt echo the cigar's earthy depth. Wine drinkers should reach for a bold Napa Zinfandel or a Monastrell-based red from Jumilla, Spain.
Is El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto good for beginners?
Honestly, no — not for a true beginner. At Full strength and $12–$16 per cigar, it's a poor starting point for someone still developing their palate and nicotine tolerance. Beginners are better served by medium-bodied cigars first; once they've built up experience, the El Centurion becomes an excellent next step into full-strength Nicaraguan tobacco.
Where can I buy El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto?
Premium cigars at this tier are sold through authorized tobacconists, brick-and-mortar cigar shops, and reputable online retailers specializing in boutique and premium brands. Look for retailers that carry the broader My Father Cigars portfolio, as El Centurion is typically stocked alongside the flagship line. Avoid unfamiliar marketplaces where authenticity and proper humidification cannot be verified.
What is the price of El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto?
Expect to pay $12–$16 per cigar, depending on the retailer and regional tobacco taxes. At this price point, El Centurion sits firmly in the premium tier while remaining noticeably more accessible than the flagship My Father line — which is precisely the positioning Jaime García intended when the sub-brand launched in 2011.
Is El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto worth aging?
Yes. The tobaccos are already aged a minimum of three years before rolling, so the cigar is eminently smokeable on arrival. However, an additional 3 to 6 months of box aging is recommended — the Nicaraguan Habano Colorado wrapper and the Jalapa binder will marry further with the Estelí and Condega fillers, softening the pepper edge and deepening the dried fruit and cocoa notes. Beyond a year, the blend may begin to lose some of its assertive character.
What wrapper does El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto use?
It uses a Nicaraguan Habano Colorado wrapper — a medium-dark reddish-brown leaf with a slight oily sheen, firm to the touch and well-pressed. The Colorado shade sits between a rosado and a maduro, and it contributes much of the cigar's dark cocoa, cedar, and roasted character while providing the structural integrity that produces the firm salt-and-pepper ash.
Where is El Centurion by My Father Cigars Robusto made?
It is rolled in Estelí, Nicaragua, at the My Father Cigars factory — La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, or GFDE — under My Father's own production oversight. The blend draws on Nicaraguan tobaccos from Jalapa, Estelí, and Condega, with a Nicaraguan Jalapa binder, making it a fully Nicaraguan puro in everything but name.