My first run-in with this Don Pepin Garcia line was, I’d have to say, not nearly as pleasant as the experience my colleague described about one year ago.

A product of Miami’s El Rey de Los Habanos factory, this five inch by 50 ring gauge Nicaraguan puro is covered in a slightly veiny “habano rosado claro” wrapper. The only information I could find on the filler is that it is a “Cuban-seed corojo 99 blend.”

The overall feel is spongy, but the perfectly applied triple cap clips off easily. The foot lights well and produces an abundant volume of smoke with a draw that’s a little on the loose side. While the initial blast of pepper is quickly replaced with strong flavors of cedar and leather, the first third is characterized by a finish that’s a little too harsh.

Progressing into second half, the cedar-like flavor remains prominent. The harsh finish fortunately mellows into the sort of sweet finish that I’ve grown to expect from cedar-flavored cigars. At this point, the burn starts to go awry and several corrections are needed before the smoke is complete.

It’s also worth noting that the label is adhered too firmly to the wrapper, which ultimately results in cracks. That setback, however, doesn’t seem to affect the cigar at all because the combustion malfunctions start before the band needs to be removed.

Ultimately, while the flavors are consistent throughout, they don’t seem to ever evolve. What’s more, the burn problems and the wrapper cracks combine to present a subpar smoking experience.

That’s why this blend, launched in 2005 before Don Pepin Garcia was a household name, isn’t one of my favorites. And the $7 per stick price point makes it easy to pass up on. For that, the Vegas Cubanas Invictos earns only two and a half stogies out of five.

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-Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys