Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto is medium brown with a lighter shade surrounding the raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are three bands, with the primary being the traditional design for the brand and carrying a red and gold color combination. The secondary band has the same color combination and denotes the line. The foot has a red ribbon. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of wood and earth while the foot brings cedar, leather and earth. The pre-light draw is just an aged, slightly sweet cedar along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto is a lot fancier in appearance than it once was. The red bands really bring out the maduro coloring of the wrapper, and it has this Natural Maduro coloring. The triple cap is applied very well. The cigar is firm in hand with a faint bit of oil against the fine gritty texture of the wrapper. Small veins are present throughout. There are aromas of sweet spices, rich earth and tobacco.
John: The Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto came in cellophane and had a UPC sticker with the cigar information which tore as the cellophane was opened. There is a primary Don Pepin Garcia band and a secondary E.R.H. band, along with a red ribbon foot band. I weighed the cigar at 17.5 grams and measured the humidity at 60.7% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper were sweet tobacco and sweet wood. From the foot, more sweet tobacco, wood and hay.
Jiunn: The Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto has a fairly uniform Colorado Maduro wrapper shade. Veins are visible but decently pressed, seams tight and bunch and roll even. Pre-light aromas consist of cedar, leather and dirt.

Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, earth and smooth black pepper. At a half inch in, the earth is now right behind the toasted cedar. The retrohale is toasted cedar and earth with mild black pepper. At an inch in, some cardboard joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the earth is now even with the toasted cedar up front, with cardboard and black pepper in the middle of the profile. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with some sweet spice notes that are paired with dark cedar, earth, tobacco and leather notes. It has a floral and herbal vibe as well, with a finish of red pepper. The strength and body are right around the medium level.
John: My first third experience begins with sweet wood that also finishes and is joined by light-plus strength earth. As the first third continues, the primary flavor component is sweet wood. Tannins join the post draw near the halfway point.
Jiunn: The first third provides a flavor mixture of toasted cedar, black coffee with a hint of cream, and dried red pepper spice. Retrohaling gives pencil shaving-like minerality and increased red pepper spice. The finish has a mixture of bread and slightly bitter cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the earth takes a slight lead in the profile. At a quarter inch in, the earth extends its lead a fair amount. At a half inch in, the cardboard increases a bit. The retrohale is now earth, toasted cedar and very mild black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit. As the third comes to a close, the earth is ahead of the toasted cedar, but cardboard just behind the cedar and the black pepper in the back half of the profile. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The second third is in line with the first. I am picking up some pepper and cedar notes with sweet spices. Cedar, earth and herbal notes are present as well. Like before, the cigar is smoking at a medium level for strength and body.
John: Wood teams up with earth into the second third as medium strength tannic wood finishes. Some musty tobacco is present in the center of the profile as it continues. Earth and tobacco define the retrohale through the bottom half. Some time later, bitter wood makes up the finish.
Jiunn: The second third shows a decline in coffee and cream, but picks up more intensities in minerals and dried red pepper spice. The bready notes are also gone from the finish, replaced by less engaging lingering cedar. Strength and body remains medium.

Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toast level of the cedar increases a bit. At a half inch in, the cardboard mellows a bit, and the pepper increases a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and fuller black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper has increased to become even with the toasted cedar. As the cigar wraps up, the earth is just ahead of the toasted cedar and black pepper, with the cardboard in the back half of the profile. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third is in line with the second. There are some mineral notes present with spices and pepper, but it still has herbal, cedar and earth notes. Strength and body remain at that medium level to the end.
John: Wood off the first puff with tannic wood finishing. As the last third settles in, tobacco makes up the center of the retrohale. By the halfway point, earth is present on the finish and lingers into the post draw.
Jiunn: The final third is very similar to the second third in that it’s still a mixture of minerals and red pepper spice. The cedar note also becomes a bit more bitter. Strength and body finish the same medium.

Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn line was straight throughout and the ash held on through each third.
Seth: The burn was amazing from start to finish. Perfect.
John: The burn performance was excellent with the burn being straight through the entire review process.
Jiunn: Performance was nearly perfect. Just needed a quick touch-up based on the burn line showing too much disparity.

Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: Perfect draw on the cigar.
John: The draw was quite snug, roughly 3-1/2 to 4 notches towards the resistant spectrum.
Jiunn: Nearly perfect as well. Just a bit snug but did not impact the flavor experience.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, earth and smooth black pepper. Some cardboard joined in a bit later. The second third saw the earth take a slight lead in the profile and the cardboard increased as the pepper mellowed. The final third saw the black pepper become even with the cedar and the cardboard mellowed a bit. The Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto had an average flavor profile throughout. There was some transitioning throughout, but I felt the profile was pretty boring. I know this is considered a value priced cigar in the current market, but it’s not something I’d see myself returning to.
Seth: The Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto is a solid cigar. It’s nothing amazing, but it’s also less than $9.00. The construction and draw were fantastic throughout, and it has a strength and body level that is approachable to every smoker. I wouldn’t call it an introductory cigar to My Father, but a budget friendly My Father offering. Of the Don Pepin releases, I still prefer the Original and Cuban Classic, there’s more going on there, but I imagine those are a dollar or two more per stick. It’s not something I would come back to, but smoke if handed one and that was the best option.
John: The Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto has an attractive price point for the 2024 and 2025 market price, but outside of that, the flavor profile is pleasant while being entirely forgettable. The burn was excellent while the draw was quite resistant. A cigar with a flavor profile like this had a consistent place in the market 15 – 20 years ago, but with the amount of great blends out there, I’m not sure the price point is enough to carry it. This isn’t something I’d be interesting in returning to. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 30 minutes on the nose.
Jiunn: A fantastic price point is enough to get me excited for potential budget cigar worthiness. But I don’t smoke cigars for the price points, it’s all about the flavors. Given that, the Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto was a disappointment. While the first third showed plenty of promise, the overall profile was too linear in minerals and spice. Not my jam, but I do recommend trying it to see if you can find your bargain bin.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.60

Cost/Point

$1.59

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.55

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.30

Cost/Point

$1.68

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$1.52

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Don Pepín García E.R.H. Robusto