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Intro To Habanos Cigars

El Rey de los Habanos was the initial brand of hand-rolled, premium cigar created by Jose “Pepin” Garcia in 2002 after he arrived in the U.S. from Cuba. Pepin began working in the tobacco-making industry at the tender age of 11. His brand is made at a factory in the Little Havana section of Miami, Florida. In 2005, this brand was released for national distribution. It is known as Don Pepin Red Label due to its red band.

The company makes five brands of cigars. There are five vitolas in the El Rey de los Habanos brand: Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, Corona, and Churchill. These medium to full-bodied cigars feature a rich, creamy taste and have a long and heavy finish. The tobacco is made with Cuban seed and comes entirely from Nicaragua and the wrapper is a Corajo Rosado Claro.

Robustos measure 5×50, Toros measure 6×50, Churchills are 7×50, Torpedos feature a pointed tip and are 6 1/8×52, and Coronas are 5 ½x44. Ring gauge is 50 for each vitola but Torpedos, which is 52. Those who buy cigars online can expect to pay about $7 per cigar or just under $150 for a box of 23.

Originally, El Rey de los Habanos were offered in a bundle containing 25 uncellophaned cigars. The packaging was changed in early 2007 to a slide top, semi-varnished box containing 23 cigars and the band underwent redesign at that time. Each box features the Don Pepin signature and a stamp listing the date of packing.

In Winter 2008/2009, SMOKE rated Toro a 91 and Corona received a rating of 90 by Cigar Aficionado in February 2009. According to cigar reviews, this is the brand to get if you like authentic Nicaraguan tobacco flavor. U.S. residents who want to taste what a Cuban seed cigar has to offer can buy these cigars online or in stores.