Don Pepin Garcia Tabacos Baez Serie H Monarcas

This wonderful cigar bears the name of its world-renowned maker, Cuban-born master blender José Pepin Garcia. He makes some of the world’s finest cigars, and with this cigar rating an 89 from Cigar Aficionado we will agree. Born José Garcia in Cuba, he started rolling cigars at the tender age of 11 in Baez, p rovince of Villa Clara, Cuba. After perfecting his craft, he left Cuba for Nicaragua in 2001 where he started making his mark as a cigar master. In 2006, Pepin started El Rey de Los Habanos, Inc in Miami, Flordia and he hasn’t stopped perfecting his craft since. The Serie H is a one of a kind marvel that is a bit of a change of pace from the usual full throttle cigars that Don Pepin Garcia cigars are known for. It starts with Cuban-seed long fillers and binder and is generously wrapped with a rich Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper.  The result is a complex blend of flavors of earth, toast, coffee, and a tobacco core. Try yours with a cognac on a chilly winter’s night.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.