My Father Cigars (by Don Pepin Garcia) El Centurion Toro

At just 11 years old in 1961, Cuban-born Jose “Pepin” Garcia sat down at his first rolling table; since then, he’s taken the cigar industry by storm with his lifelong passion. In 2003, he immigrated to Little Havana, Miami, and set up his humble little cigar factory. His passion and drive has made him one of the most recognized names in the industry and his cigars reflect that passion with copious amounts of highly rated and well-distinguished brands. His son Jamie is a talented blender in his own right and secretly began working on his own project. Once Pepin found out about the project, which was near completion, he asked his son for three cigars which he smoked later that night. He not only loved the cigars but was deeply moved when his son told him that he planned on naming them My Father as a tribute to him.

Originally debuting in 2007, El Centurion was a limited edition cigar that was available in just three sizes with only 850 cigars made of each. Selling out quick, many consumers begged for more and Don Pepin answered by bringing it back and making it here to stay! If you’ve had this smoke before, you may notice that the cigar itself is slightly different but overall the cigar stays true to the original. Starting from the inside out, this Nicaraguan puro features a core of well-aged tobaccos including Criollo, Corojo Habano, and the incredibly unique Sancti Spiritus. Securing the core is a Nicaraguan binder, and the cigar is finished with a Criollo ’98 wrapper that is almost dripping with oily goodness. Medium to full in body, expect spicy notes of leather and pepper along with nuances of nuts, oak, and earth. Pair this 90-rated smoke by Cigar Aficionado with your favorite scotch.

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.