Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic
Don Pepín García Cuban Classic is one of the early signature lines from Cuban born blender José "Pepín" García, whose family later built My Father Cigars. García left Cuba in 2001 and spent time in Nicaragua before settling in Miami, where he founded El Rey de los Habanos. He launched this black banded blend in 2006, when the small Miami factory was struggling to keep up with demand, much of it driven by cigars he was making for other brands. Cuban Classic was made in Estelí, Nicaragua, and My Father describes it as the first blend produced at the family's factory there.
The line is a Nicaraguan puro built around Cuban seed tobacco and a Habano Rosado (Corojo) wrapper. Its sizes are named for the birth years of Pepín's family members: 1950 Toro, 1970 Belicoso, 1979 Robusto, and 2001 Gordo. The 1979 Robusto, named for his daughter Janny, earned a 92 rating from Cigar Aficionado and a place on the magazine's Top 25 list for 2007. Two decades later the line is still sold, and in 2026 My Father released the Clásico 20th Anniversary, a limited 6½ x 52 toro extra, to mark the original Nicaraguan debut.
Stogie At A Glance
Review
First Third
Pepper cedar spices and a palpable sweetness on the lips on the light. Big coffee notes as well from the beginning. There's sweet and saltiness like sweet and salty peanuts on the pallet and finish. Sweet and salty note continues with a very general coffee and Earth flavor. cedar has dialed down some since the beginning. And of course, as soon as I say that the cedar comes back with some black coffee and pepper. Slightly creamy coffee notes on the finish. Getting near the end of the first third cedar and Earth become the main note, with the earthy pepper on the finish. Smoke texture is thin and draw is slightly tight but manageable.
Second Third
Second third coffee notice coming through stronger now with the cedar, still some creaminess on the finish. Not as much pepper as I was expecting. And as if on cue, the pepper starts coming out more halfway through the second third, earthy coffee notes with cedar and pepper. Cedar and black coffee are the main note now, with black coffee and slight pepper on the finish. Great construction and burn line, draw stays a little tight but nothing crazy.
Final Third
Starting the final third, black coffee and cedar continue to dominate the palate. Coffee and pepper on the finish. The finish is shortening, not short yet tho. Slight nutty notes coming thru with the black coffee, earth, and peppery cedar notes. Cedar and pepper on the finish with some lingering coffee notes as well. Coffee and cedar on the finish, with some cedar and pepper on the retro.
Score
80/100