La Mission L’Atelier 1989

La Mission L’Atelier 1989 is a box pressed 5 5/8 x 54 Toro with a pigtail cap, from Pete Johnson’s L’Atelier line. The La Mission range launched in 2015, and each size is named for a vintage year when Château La Mission Haut-Brion earned a 100 point rating from wine critic Robert Parker. The 1989 is the mid-sized cigar in the three vitola range. Cigar Aficionado scored it 90 points in October 2019.

Each cigar is handmade in Estelí, Nicaragua, at the My Father Cigars factory. A dark, oily Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper covers a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers, including the rare Sancti Spíritus leaf that the Garcia family grows. The strength is medium to full. Expect dark roasted coffee, black pepper, cocoa and leather, with charred wood, anise and a sweet toffee finish.

The 54 ring gauge of the La Mission L’Atelier 1989 gives a cool, dense smoke with room for the blend to develop. The soft box press gives a comfortable, flat sided grip. Reviewers describe a perfect draw, a bold start of black pepper and an ash that holds well. Plan on roughly 90 minutes, depending on pace. It suits an evening smoke after a meal.

This cigar appeals to smokers who like the sweet, earthy side of a Mexican maduro on a Nicaraguan base. It also suits anyone who enjoys pairing a bold cigar with a red wine or a port.

Box of 18 cigars