After claiming Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year in both 2013 and 2015 the Garcia Family earned their stripes in the public eye, but the public was just learning what many of us have known for years prior - that Don Pepin & Co. Are on a whole ‘nother level when it comes to fine cigar blending. Take for example, The Judge, a medium-full bodied cigar combining an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with an all-Nicaraguan blend of binder and filler tobaccos. Now, I’ve heard that same blend recipe used before in other cigars, but those other cigars didn’t taste like this. Crisp cedar, warm leathery sweetness, big black pepper that creeps up on you, and creamy cocoa and nutty notes materialize with perfect balance over the course of a slow, straight burn. SOC