Spark It Up!!!: Cigars and Mason Jars - Don Pepin Garcia Vegas Cubanas

Don Pepin Garcia is a major player in the Cigar world.

Don Pepin began his life with tobacco in December of 1961 at the age of 11 when he began working in a factory in Báez owned by an uncle.^[1] In March of 1963, he began working at the Félix Rodríguez export cigar factory in Báez where he worked until he emigrated to Nicaragua in 2001.^[1] He spent thirty years in Cuba developing his skills as a torcedero (cigar roller) and blender, earned numerous accolades for his blending abilities and achieved the highest ranking possible as a cigar roller, Class 8 (Master). Among the awards he won was the Productivity Prize for rolling 320 Julietas (a vitola of 7x 48 in size) in four hours.^[1] The Cuban press often compared the speed and dexterity of his rolling to that of a magician.^[1] He is also a Tabaquero Maestro (Master Blender), and was also a “teacher of teachers” in the arts of blending and rolling cigars.^[2]

He helped blend cigars such as Cohiba, Partagas, and Montecristo. During the 1990's, he was in charge of Quality Assurance for the Cohiba brand,^[3] and was also a consultant to several Cuban cigar makers. Also during the 1990's, he was accounted Cuba's most productive master roller.(Link)

Well known indeed! I wrote about receiving these cigars the other day and tonight I sparked up a Don Pepin!

These "Cuban-seed Corojo long-fillers cultivated from the dark, fertile soils of Nicaragua back in 1999. These aged tobaccos are cloaked by a light-brown, Habano Rosado Claro leaf, completing a complex cigar with balanced notes of earth and leather, with spicy, herbal undertones and a luxurious aroma" are way under priced. I enjoyed this smoke with a short glass (two and a half) of Beams Black Label and crushed ice. The taste of the wrapper was sweet and it cut perfectly. The draw was easy, very easy in fact. The burn was flawless and the flavor was consistent from start to end. I'm saying... If you liked this cigar at the beginning, you will love it at the end. Spicy, earthy, and a hint of licorice made this one a winner for me. I have two more in the humie and I am glad.