Don Pepin Garcia
Cuban-style, triple-capped cigars made with Nicaraguan tobacco
- Founded
- 2002
- Founded by
- José "Pepín" García
- Family
- The García family; José "Pepín" García is president and his daughter Janny is treasurer
- Home
- Miami, United States
- Factory
- El Rey de los Habanos in Little Havana, Miami, and Tabacalera Cubana in Estelí, Nicaragua
- Lines here
- 4
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The house
The story of Don Pepin Garcia
José "Pepín" García was born into a family of tobacco growers and cigar makers in Báez, Villa Clara, Cuba. He began factory work in December 1961, aged 11, and joined the Félix Rodríguez export cigar factory in March 1963. Over four decades in Cuba, he became a Class 8 Master roller and a Tabaquero Maestro, helped blend Cohiba, Partagas and Montecristo cigars, and oversaw quality assurance for Cohiba during the 1990s.
García left Cuba in 2001, first moving to Nicaragua and then Miami. He began El Rey de los Habanos, Inc. in June 2002 and formally incorporated it that December. Its first factory opened on SW 8th Street in Little Havana, sharing an address with the company headquarters.
The first brand García made independently was Tatuaje for Pete Johnson. Demand following strong ratings in Cigar Aficionado exceeded the small Miami factory's capacity, leading to the establishment of Tabacalera Cubana in Estelí, Nicaragua, in June 2006. The Don Pepin Garcia brand is produced in both Miami and Estelí.
With the opening of the Estelí factory, the broader company adopted the name My Father Cigars, taken from a blend created for Pepín by his son Jaime García. Father and son also developed Don Pepín García Series JJ together.
Milestones
Moments that made the house
- 1961
Begins in tobacco
At age 11, García began working in a cigar factory in Báez owned by an uncle.
- 1963
Joins Félix Rodríguez
He began work at the Félix Rodríguez export cigar factory in Báez.
- 2001
Leaves Cuba
After forty years developing his rolling and blending skills in Cuba, García moved first to Nicaragua and then Miami.
- 2002
Establishes his company
García began El Rey de los Habanos, Inc. in June and formally incorporated it in December.
- 2002
Opens Miami factory
The El Rey de los Habanos factory opened on SW 8th Street in Little Havana.
- 2006
Expands to Estelí
Tabacalera Cubana was established in June to meet growing demand.
- 2012
Cigar of the Year
Flor de las Antillas was named 2012 Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado.
- 2015
Second Cigar of the Year
My Father Le Bijou 1922 was named 2015 Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado.
Recognition
Awards & honours
2012 Cigar of the Year
Cigar Aficionado · 2012
2015 Cigar of the Year
Cigar Aficionado · 2015
Craft
How they make them
Don Pepin Garcia cigars use Nicaraguan tobaccos in varying combinations. The Blue Label is an all-Nicaraguan, hand-rolled long-filler blend with a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, while the Black Edition uses a Habano Rosado wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. Production follows Cuban-style methods, and cigars are finished with a triple cap. Every box carries its manufacture date; García also brought extensive quality-control experience from his work overseeing Cohiba quality assurance in Cuba.
Details
Things most people don't know
- Early start
- Pepín García began working in his uncle's cigar factory at age 11.
- Master rank
- He attained Class 8, the highest stated ranking for a cigar roller.
- Rolling record
- He received the Productivity Prize for rolling 320 Julietas in four hours.
- Cuban credentials
- He helped blend Cohiba, Partagas and Montecristo cigars.
- Dated boxes
- Every box is marked with its date of manufacture.
- Exclusive Salomons
- Don Pepín García Series JJ Salomons are rolled exclusively by Pepín himself.
In the humidor
Don Pepin Garcia up close
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