Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas

This year, My Father Cigars celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Don Pepín García brand, and in doing so, the company not only released some fancy, high-end cigars but also revisited one of the first cigars to be released by José “Don Pepín” García, Vegas Cubanas.

The line was introduced when García’s lone factory was El Rey de los Habanos in Miami and before My Father was a term that referenced a cigar company, a brand of cigars or a Nicaraguan cigar factory. That launch dates back to approximately 2003, though, in the years following the release, the line was largely phased out, reduced to small numbers of cigars made for select retailers and distributors.

Then, the line came back in 2017 with slightly modified packaging that identified it as a My Father-made cigar, and production shifted to the company’s factory in Esteli.

But once again, the line began to fade into the background, and despite the My Father logo being added to the band and boxes, the line still felt somewhat out of place amidst the company’s other cigars. So, at the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, the company unveiled another update to Vegas Cubanas.

The line received a rework both in terms of its blend and its packaging. The most notable change is new bands and packaging that bring it in line with the aesthetic of the other cigars released under the Don Pepín García brand, such as the Original line, also referred to as the Blue Label, as well as the Series JJ and Clasicos lines.

As for the blend, while it has generally been positioned as a relatively milder blend in the company’s portfolio, it received some tweaks to make it a bit more flavorful but remains a Nicaraguan puro with a corojo rosado wrapper. The line is produced at the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua and is offered in five sizes:

• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas (5 1/2 x 44) — $7.60 (Box of 20, $152)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Invictos (5 x 50) — $8.50 (Box of 20, $170)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Generosos (6 x 50) — $8.70 (Box of 20, $174)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Imperiales (6 1/8 x 52) — $9 (Box of 20, $180)
• Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Toro Gordo (6 x 60) — $10 (Box of 20, $200)

The line began shipping to stores in the second half of September 2023.

• Cigar Reviewed: Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo Rosado)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 5 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 44
• Vitola: Corona
• MSRP: $7.60 (Box of 20, $152)
• Release Date: Sept. 20, 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The green bands that the Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas are both familiar and eye-catching, as they are a nod to the previous design, an identifier of its current identity and portfolio, and a color not commonly seen on other cigar bands. The three cigars are all evenly colored with a fairly typical network of veins, while the seam lines are nearly all invisible until a more concerted effort is made to find them. None of the three wrapper leaves are particularly oily, and each has a very subtle texture to them. There’s just a touch more give to the cigar than I would expect, not enough to call it soft or underfilled, as I would still say it is firm on the whole. The foot has a fairly light aroma that reminds me of saltine crackers and any number of common types of sandwich breads, while one cigar has a very light bit of spicy chocolate. The cold draw is a touch firm in terms of airflow, while the flavor moves the bread into the lead role, with cashews and mixed nuts as a secondary flavor. There’s a bit of creaminess and a bit of a tingle on my lips from the tobacco and a slightly woody flavor.

While the Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas doesn’t have what I would describe as the signature opening pepper hit of other cigars from the brand, there is still a bit of pepper along with a crisp woodiness and a dry, textured earthiness that is seemingly as much for the flavor as it is the texture of the smoke and my physical reaction. Retrohales amp up the pepper just a bit, delivering a hearty sensation that fills my nose without overwhelming it. If I let the cigar rest a bit between puffs, the next draw starts with creaminess before moving into the more palate-stimulating flavors, a quick and interesting progression of the flavors. When I do this, retrohales put an exclamation point on each puff. The aroma picks up a bit of syrupy sweetness as this section comes to a close. Flavor is medium, body is medium-plus, and strength is mild. Construction is very good thus far, with good amounts of smoke, a sharp burn line and a smooth draw.

The sweetness from the final puffs of the first third carries over to the start of the second third, giving the cigar a bit more complexity. Retrohales have a bit more pepper, making for an interesting contrast between the two experiences. Woodiness returns with more vibrance, while creaminess moves to the finish to try and mellow out the flavors on the finish, a task it only partially achieves. The final puffs of this section show a bit more robust profile as it is earthier, a bit rockier, and a touch more peppery. There are even some spots where there’s just a touch of red chili pepper flakes. Flavor is medium-plus, body is medium, and strength is still mild. Construction remains fantastic.

The final third sees the earth become a bit lighter and more enjoyably flavorful, getting away from the heavier, rockier expression from earlier. Retrohales are still peppery, and now they are at their most vibrant. While earlier retrohales delivered a denser sensation that didn’t tingle my nostrils, now they are brighter and more opened up, resulting in a more tingling sensation. The smoke takes on a bit of sweetness in the final inches, a flavor that harkens back to the cornflakes of earlier but now with a sweetness added to it. This new flavor, along with the earth, wood and pepper, takes the cigar to its conclusion, with varying amounts of heat mixed in and the best expressions being the ones with the least amount of it affecting the flavor. The flavor profile finishes medium-plus, body is medium-plus and strength is just shy of medium. Construction remains fantastic, with a very smooth draw, even burn line, good smoke production and no combustion issues.

Final Notes

• I still remember a time when there was a widely held thought in the cigar industry that you should never use green on cigar bands since green represented young, freshly picked tobacco and thus would imply a harsh taste, as opposed to the dark brown colors of properly fermented and aged tobacco.
• I’d be fascinated to hear from some readers who have smoked the Vegas Cubanas line over the last 20 years and have smoked this new version to get a feel for a comparison between the two.
• The band is too large for this vitola. In this case, the secondary band’s V gets covered by the other end of the band and the My Father Cigars logo.
• I’ve long understood Vegas Cubanas to mean Cuban meadows, but has been adapted to refer to the tobacco fields of Cuba.
• I do miss being able to visit Miami’s Calle Ocho and stop in at the El Rey de Los Habanos factory for a cigar or two. That said, those visits remain important memories and a stark contrast to the size of the facilities that the company operates now.
• I didn’t pick up any appreciable strength from the Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was two hours on average.
• Site sponsors Cigars Direct, Famous Smoke Shop and JR Cigar carry the Don Pepín García Vegas Cubanas Coronas. Site sponsor Atlantic Cigar Co. has some stock of the previous edition of the Vegas Cubanas as well.