The San Cristobal Quintessence cigar is perhaps the finest of a very fine bunch. From a master blender with a whole humidor packed with accolades comes this delectable smoke with a classic profile that very early took home Cigar of the Year honors in 2021. Instead, it came in just shy at #3, with an incredible 95-point rating from Cigar Aficionado to mark a new high point for the brand.
The founders of this company are no strangers to success. The blending team is led by José “Don Pepin” Garcia of My Father cigars fame, along with his son Jaime. These guys are already tobacco royalty with two Cigar of the Year wins. The other half of this brand belongs to the Levins, owners of Ashton cigars. In the mid-2000s, they were exploring the possibility of branching out from their comfort zone of Dominican cigars into more Nicaraguan-forward blends. And as fate would have it, the Garcias were open to collaboration.
San Cristobal Quintessence is part of a few very high-quality premium cigar lines. Like the others in this group, the interior blend is carefully chosen Nicaraguan leaf. The outside wrapper is Cuban-seed tobacco grown in Ecuador, where natural cloud cover leads to something approximating shade-grown leaf without the need for tenting.
The San Cristobal Quintessence cigar flavors are classic, some of Don Pepin’s best work. As a man who already had an entire career in Cuba before embarking on an incredibly successful second act on his home island, it’s always nice to see him staying true to his roots. The traditional flavors of old Havana are never far away when he hits the blending table – a mixture of cedar, coffee bean, cocoa, molasses, and spice all are married in perfect harmony. It’s a flavor that is smooth and satisfying while always staying interesting. It’s a gourmet smoke every time.
If you’ve been a fan of Le Bijou 1922 or Flor de las Antillas, you’ll find that this is very likely a third companion to round out the trio. And if you’ve never heard of this stuff, don’t worry. You’re in for a real treat. Just clip it, light it, and discover why people come running whenever they hear José “Don Pepin” Garcia. This is indeed the Quintessence of what he’s all about – and what we love most in cigars.
Please browse our selection of San Cristobal Quintessence cigars at your leisure.
You can’t go wrong with a nice whiskey here, but if you’re smoking in the morning, a Cuban coffee (espresso with foamed sugar) would be a superb companion to this cigar.
