One of Jose “Don Pepín” Garcia’s first cigar creations is coming back to the U.S. market this month as a store exclusive for The Pipe and Pint in Greensboro, N.C.

Fans of the original from 2005 could be a bit disappointed by this news though, as the cigar has been reblended with an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler from the company’s farms, including some from Estelí, while the original version was a Nicaraguan puro. In a press release issued by the store, Garcia said that “this cigar is my answer to the all of the people who say I can’t blend a milder cigar with full flavor.”

There are five sizes being produced for the relaunch of the El Rey de los Habanos line, a corona, robusto, toro, belicoso, and churchill. The cigars are being produced at the My Father Cigars S.A. factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, with the cigar a regular production release subject to the requests of The Pipe and Pint. The store hasn’t set prices yet, but owner Larry Christopher expects them to be priced between $8-$11 per cigar. All five sizes come in 23-count boxes.

The new El Rey de Los Habanos line will launch during an event at the store on Sept. 20, with Pepín scheduled to be in attendance. While it’s a store exclusive for now, Christopher could be making it available to other retailers in the coming months, though didn’t confirm any specifics other than to say he’s received interest from other stores in carrying the line.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.