Don Pepin – Cigars

Don Pepin Cigars: Origins in Cuba

The Don Pepin brand and its namesake master blender represent top-tier cigar production and traditional craftsmanship. Before diving into his renowned brands, let's take a closer look at the journey of this extraordinary cigar maker.

José Garcia and Don Pepin

José Garcia learned the art of cigar making in his hometown of Baez, east of Havana. At just 11 years old, he sat at his uncle’s rolling table in the factory, acquiring the knowledge to craft Cuban cigars. He later perfected his skills at the Felix Rodriguez Cigar Factory, producing cigars for prestigious brands such as Cohiba, Montecristo, and Ramon Allones.

Later, he trained around 200 cigar rollers and was one of the few who mastered complex formats such as Salomones.

Through Nicaragua and Mexico, José and his son Jaime Garcia made their way to the USA. Thanks to his collaboration with Eduardo Fernandez, a major tobacco producer in Nicaragua, he was able to establish his own brand in the USA in 2002. Fernandez holds a stake in El Rey de los Habanos Inc. and supplies the company with high-quality tobacco.

Award-Winning Don Pepin Cigars

More than 20 ratings exceeding 90 points in renowned magazines such as Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider highlight Don Pepin’s excellent reputation. His cigars are known for their intense flavor, distinctive peppery spice, and superior quality. The classics include the Original, Clasicos, and Series JJ.

“To me, in the last five years, the most exciting person and cigar concept to hit the industry has been Pepin Garcia (...) He has a special way of blending that has not been seen in the industry.” – Jose Blanco (La Aurora S.A.), in: Cigar Aficionado (11/12 2007).

José Pepin is among the greats of the cigar industry and is held in the same regard as Nick Perdomo, Nestor Plasencia, and Rocky Patel.