My Father Don Pepin Garcia 20th Anniversary Staff Review
I’m savoring an expensive limited edition today, My Father Don Pepin Garcia 20th Anniversary in a 6.5-by-54 size, called the Toro Deluxe, which is available in two different wrappers: an Ecuador Connecticut and a Corojo. I’m smoking the Corojo blend. This exclusive gem was blended to celebrate twenty years of the Don Pepin Garcia line, and it comes in an elaborate 100-cigar Elie Bleu humidor that includes 50 Corojo cigars and 50 Connecticut cigars and sells for a whopping $13,000, or $130 per cigar. Luckily, you can buy the cigars individually without investing in the entire collection.
Now is a great time to smoke a My Father Don Pepin Garcia 20th Anniversary cigar, as the Garcias just won their third ‘Cigar of the Year’ title in Cigar Aficionado for their 98-rated cigar, My Father The Judge, which I reviewed back in 2020. I’m excited to fire up this exclusive 20th Anniversary edition. The cigar’s reddish-brown Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 wrapper leaf shimmers with a touch of oil. Underneath is a blend of extremely well-aged Nicaraguan long-fillers, including the Garcias’ prized Pelo de Oro tobacco. Pelo de Oro translates to “hair of gold” in Spanish and is a strong and flavorful varietal the Garcias use sparingly due to its rarity and limited resistance to disease.
The Toro Deluxe I’ve selected reveals a robust aroma of fresh tobacco, cedar, and leather once I’ve got the cellophane off. Luscious and tangy notes of cayenne pepper and molasses come through in the cold draw after I clip the cap with my guillotine cutter and take a few puffs before lighting up. The airflow is perfect. With its 54-ring thickness, the Toro Deluxe is slightly chunkier than a traditional Toro, and the extra girth balances the intensity of the blend with a cooler draw.
I always slowly toast the foot of a My Father cigar. Their blends are powerful and dense and benefit from a patient light. Plus, Corojo wrappers deliver an intense spice in the nose in the first few puffs. After three or four minutes, I’ve achieved a nice, even burn while subtle notes of coffee bean and anise begin to develop over a potent foundation of hickory and black pepper. The Nicaraguan Corojo version of the My Father Don Pepin Garcia 20th Anniversary is definitely an after-dinner smoke you should pair with a good whiskey.
Savory notes of leather, wood, cayenne pepper, cocoa, and earth build into a brawny profile that retains a surprising level of smoothness. Despite the punch the Toro Deluxe packs, Pepin and Jaime Garcia excel at making strong cigars that are incredibly polished. They do it by fermenting and aging all of their tobaccos for as long as possible. By the time the finished product reaches the retailer, their cigars are rich and cohesive.
Hints of mesquite and raisin create interesting overtones as I head into the second half. The cigar continues with a steady pulse of black pepper, cedar, and earth at its core. DPG 20th Anniversary performs flawlessly, too. A stable, white ash insulates the foot throughout the entire smoke, which develops with a precise burn that never requires a touch-up.
After an hour and twenty minutes, I’m prepared to part with the nub as it expires in my ashtray. Its long and zesty finish lingers with the smoky taste of fresh tobacco while a potent fragrance of campfire hangs in the air.
The story behind My Father cigars began when master cigarmaker José ‘Pepin’ Garcia left Cuba in the early 2000s to join his daughter, Janny, and son, Jaime, in America. Pepin was already an accomplished cigarmaker in his fifties, but his career was just getting started. In addition to My Father, the Garcias produce the La Aroma de Cuba, San Cristobal, and Tatuaje brands, which include some of the most Cubanesque cigars on the market.
My Father Don Pepin Garcia 20th Anniversary is an excellent smoke that shows off the Garcias’ passion for premium tobacco and deep heritage in the cigar industry. It’s worthy of a 95-point rating based on its taste and quality. Value-wise, this is a special occasion cigar, and the price reflects that. However, you’re getting a superb experience that leaves nothing to be desired. And, if you happen to be in the market for the entire 100-count set, know that Elie Bleu humidors are handmade in Paris from the finest materials in the world. You’re buying a high-end, heirloom collection you can age and enjoy for years to come.
