The New Fonseca by My Father Cigars – 10 Questions with Janny Garcia
Cigar Press – Talks began in Spain to acquire the Fonseca brand. Was it an easy decision for you to take it on from the Quesada family?
Janny Garcia – Everything was really quick, the brand was not up for sale, we asked if they wanted to sell. When you take over something with so much history it’s never easy, it is a tremendous responsibility because you have to carry on that history and that legacy.
CP – Is it true that Jaime and Pepin both rolled Fonseca cigars in Cuba?
JG – It is true that Jaime and Pepin both worked at a factory where Fonseca was being made but I cannot say they actually made that cigar.
CP – When you first look at a box of the new My Father Fonseca cigars the packaging has a familiar, classic Fonseca feel with a clear My Father spin. Taking a brand like Fonseca, with such a long history, was it hard to find a design that honored the brand’s history while making it your own?
JG – There was a lot of talk about the packaging, we wanted to keep the tradition and at the same time we wanted to integrate it to the My Father look that we all know, we wanted to avoid confusion so I believe Alcides, my cousin, did a fantastic job putting the designs together.
CP – I can really appreciate the fact that you don’t disclose any information about the blend besides that it’s all Nicaraguan tobacco with a Nicaraguan shade grown Corojo ’99 Rosado wrapper. What was your idea behind that?
JG – We started growing that wrapper a few years ago and we wanted to use it and having Fonseca was the perfect opportunity to show the world a 100 percent Garcia puro.
CP – How long did it take you to come up with the blend? Did you have an idea of what you wanted right away?
JG – We started working on the blend since the moment we knew we were acquiring the brand. That was around October/November of 2019. Although we wanted to create something different, we still wanted to keep that Fonseca vibe that people love. We knew we were not coming out with a super strong cigar. My brother and my dad worked on the blend and came up with a few options. We gave samples to many people without telling them what they were smoking. After their feedback we made the decision.
CP – What can people expect when they experience the My Father Fonseca cigar?
JG – It is a classic medium body, full flavored cigar.
CP – What is it that you personally love about the blend?
JG – The aroma and the natural sweet character that comes from the Corojo 99 Shade Wrapper.
CP – What made you pick the four sizes, Belicoso, Cerdros, Cosacos and Petit Corona for this cigar?
JG – We wanted to pay homage to the original Fonseca brand and also have some very traditional, classic Cuban vitolas that really showcased the blend.
CP – It’s been just over a year since My Father took over the Fonseca brand. Once people heard that it became yours they were anxious to see what it would become. What were some of the challenges you faced and what did you do to distinguish your new My Father Fonseca cigar from the former Dominican one?
JG – Our main goal was to make a great cigar , that is all.
CP – A brand that was previously made in the Dominican Republic for over forty years had to have had a lot of brand loyalty. What could you say to the old Fonseca (previously Dominican made) fans that will convince them to keep this in their normal rotation?
JG – Our job was to make a Fonseca by My Father, we hope the loyal fans to the brand will embrace it but they cannot expect the same cigar.
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