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Don Pepin has fast hands!

http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/webap.../view/1481/27/

One of the most entertaining discussions was with Jose “Pepin” Garcia (pictured - with his magic hands - above), perhaps the hottest cigar maker on the current scene. Famous for his ability to blend, he was perhaps best known in Cuba as the fastest roller on the planet!

Asked about his actual achievements – as opposed to legend – the often-quiet and reserved Garcia was excited to recount just some of his experiences in contests where he and other top rollers matched skills:

> His all-time best performance came in a cigar-rolling marathon held in Las Villas in 1996, where he completed 2,450 “Nacionales” – 5 1/2 inches by 42 ring gauge – in 20 hours, beginning at 8 p.m. and finishing at 4 p.m. the next day.

> In 1986, he came to prominence by rolling 600 “Cervantes” – 6 1/2 inches by 42 ring gauge – in just 10 hours.

> A couple of years later, he rolled 470 of the famous “Piramide” style – torpedoes of 6 1/8 inches by 52 ring – also in 10 hours.

> In 1998, he made a staggering 240 “Gran Coronas” – the giant 9-inch by 47-ring cigars best known as the “Montecristo ‘A’” size – in eight hours, compared to 140 for the next-fastest roller!

He was nationally recognized in 1999 as the fastest roller in Cuba, and then left in 2000, ending up in Miami and beginning his ascent in the American market. The rapid rise of his cigars parallels his status as the roller with the fastest hands in the world.