I was away on another business trip to Germany and when i returned I was greeted with an outstanding care package from the crew at Cornelius & Anthony cigars. I have to say thank you very much for the various samples of the Cornelius which we recently reviewed but I was especially blown away with samples of each vitola in the new Daddy Mac . My wonderful wife was kind enough to un-package them and put them to rest in the humidor for me and forgot to tell me about them till I opened it up the morning after my long trip back from Europe. I smiled and grabbed a Cornelius toro and fired it up to see if the complete package was ready to be enjoyed. Te verdict was; absolutely!
I have wanted to smoke the Daddy Mac ever since I posted the press release from the company. This past Sunday morning I sat out on the back deck, as I do every Sunday morning with my furry pal Ziggy. It was a perfect morning with the sun rising over the palm trees and blooming flowers attracting butterflies and dragonflies that fluttering around me. The squirrels were romping in the yard as Ziggy chased and tried to them. The birds were chirping and flying about and my resident woodpecker was pecking away at the oak tree. I picked out a Daddy Mac Gordo and sat back to enjoy the next couple of hours of cigar enjoyment.
I really like what Cornelius & Anthony is doing and the Daddy Mac is no exception. Like its sibling vitolas, the Gordo is a beautiful cigar to look at, with its smooth and slightly shiny Brazilian wrapper, light veins, tight seams, and a well applied triple cap. According to the press release it has Nicaraguan binders and fillers to complete the blend; a blend that even before cutting and lighting reveals itself, as I pick up a nut and pepper aroma off the foot. This is definitely a properly aged cigar, just waiting to be enjoyed.
The Mac Daddy is available in 4 vitolas:
- Gordo – 6 x 60
- Toro – 6 x 50
- Robusto – 5 x 50
- Corona Gorda – 5.5 x 46
The Daddy Mac is the second premium cigar release for the company and is a tribute to Steven Bailey’s father Mac Bailey – and what a tribute it is! It is adorned with the classic Cornelius & Anthony cigar band and include a secondary band that declares it as the “Daddy Mac”.
After slicing the cap, the cold draw offered some black pepper on lips and tongue and notes of hay and earth. The draw was not restricted.
It was time to toast it up. I chose to use a simple Bic lighter to the job, gently heating the foot and then taking a the first few ignition puffs. Pepper with a hint of sweetness in the background were the first notes to greet the palate, followed up with a woody oak note.
As the pepper tones down the sweetness builds and develops a delicious finish of citrus and coffee after the first inch of the burn. The ash is white and burn line is even with a medium thickness. The retro-hale is delightfully smooth at this point.
he Brazilian wrapper is showing some tooth that I did not notice at first as it warms up. Oils are developing on the wrapper, glistening in the late morning sun . As I puff away on the Daddy Mac, I decide to cue up some Sunday morning light music – T. Rex, Lou Reed, David Bowie and others. In fact, as I am listening, I realize this must be the dead rock star station. Such a shame that we lost these great artists, they set the stage for what was to come and the Daddy Mac seems to be setting a new bar for Steven Bailey and Cornelius & Anthony cigars.
As the Daddy Mac moves through the 1st third, the flavors continue to develop with a creamy note that blends perfectly with the citrus and a floral aroma starting to waft off the foot. The ash is holding tight into the 2nd third.
I would be fine with these flavors through the rest of the smoke, but the Daddy Mac is not done tantalizing the palate as cedar and spice enter in second third wrapped in a delicious sweetness. A salted pretzel finish evolves deep in this stage that keeps me licking my lips. Damn this is a nice cigar!
The ash finally fell just before the secondary band, revealing a well-formed burn cone. This is certainly demonstrative of the quality of the La Zona factory which rolls the Daddy Mac.
Cornelius & Anthony Daddy Mac
Near the end of the 2nd third the early pepper re-emerges and the floral aroma is just so enticing. This is a cigar that even non smokers might compliment you on. I may have to put that to the test some time .
As the Daddy Mac slides into its final third, spice overtakes the profile in a pleasant way down to the finish.
As my morning cigar choice, the Daddy Mac lasted well over 90 minutes and was a perfect way to start my day. It was a solid Medium strength smoke that was loaded with smooth and flavorful smoke – a perfect combination with a strong cup of Joe to get the day started. I look forward to sampling the other vitolas in the Daddy Mac lineup and once again thank Steven Bailey and Cornelius & Anthony cigars for the surprise package.
Cornelius & Anthony Daddy Mac