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CUBAN CIGAR HISTORY
 The tobacco plant originally came from South America. Even though it is impossible to state exactly when it was brought to the largest island in the Antilles, it can be said that that happened between 3000 and 2000 B.C.
The aborigines considered tobacco a miraculous medicine and an essential element in their religious, political and social ceremonies. It was a part of their agriculture and an inseparable adjunct of life.
Europeans were introduced to this planta source of great physical and spiritual pleasure when they first reached the Americas. It didn't take long for the Old Continent to develop a veritable passion for it. As was only to be expected, Spain had the most smokers who were also the first to be subjected to terrible punishments for smoking.
The habit later spread to Persia, Japan, Turkey and Russia, where the cruelest punishments were established. Curiously, as bans on smoking gained ground, tobacco was increasingly used for medicinal purposes.
On April 11, 1717, King Philip V established a royal monopoly on tobacco-growing in Cuba a decision which has gone down in history as the Estanco del Tabaco. Tobacco-growers who opposed the onerous law lost their lives.
The monopoly remained in effect until June 23, 1817, when a royal decree did away with the monopoly, permitting free trade between Cuba and the rest of the known world as long as it was through Spanish ports.
No slaves were used in tobacco-growing. Sugarcane wasn't such a delicate crop, and slaves could be used in its cultivation and harvesting, but, as José Martí said, tobacco plants had to be handled as carefully as if they were fine ladies. Immigrants from the Canary Islands worked in the tobacco fields, laying the foundations for a very special breed: Cuban farmers.
The 19th century provided the final reaffirmation of Cuba's tobacco production. Suffice it to say that, in 1859, there were nearly 10,000 tobacco plantations and around 1300 cigar factories in the capital. Cuba entered the 20th century in very precarious conditions, for its devastating wars of independence had just ended
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COHIBA
Taste: Medium In 1492, during Columbus' first voyage to the "new world", he visited the island of Cuba. His sailors were introduced to "Cohiba" by the island natives, a bunch of dried leaves that were smoked in a pipe called a "Tobacco".
In 1982, three types of Cohiba Cuban cigars were introduced to non-diplomats: the Lanceros, the Coronas Especiales and the Panatelas. Three more vitoles were added to the brand in 1989: the Esplendidos, the Robustos and the Exquisitos, completing what is known as "La Linea Clasica". Five more vitoles were added in 1992 creating the "Linea 1492": the Siglo I, II, III, IV and V. Cohiba remains the “King of the Cubans”. Only the finest tobacco leaves are used to create the various types of Cohiba cigars |
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MONTECRISTO
Taste: Medium/Full The Montecristo Cuban Cigar Brand is distributed widely throughout the world and sold originally by Dunhill New York, the Montecristo brand cigar currently accounts for almost 50% of all Cuban cigars exported each year, making the Montecristo the most popular Havana cigar in the world. The Montecristo was originally branded in 1935 under the name “the H. Upmann Montecristo Selection”. |
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ROMEO Y JULIETA
Taste: Medium Founded in 1873, the Romeo Y Julieta brand once printed over 2,000 cigar bands! The “Romeos” are one of the most well-known and popular of all of the Havana brands. Over 40 shapes and sizes are produced under this brand, some of which are considered the very best in their size. Romeo y Julieta cigars have won gold medals worldwide for both taste and quality. |
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BOLIVAR
Taste: Full In 1901, the Rocha Cuban Cigar Company began producing this outstanding brand – the Bolivar. Named after the infamous General, the Bolivar cigar is often compared to the character of the great General himself – strong, powerful and robust in every way.
Today, Bolivar cigars are thought to be amongst the strongest, most full-bodied cigars produced in Cuba. The Bolivar cigar is not for the beginner; it’s distinctively strong flavor and robust nature draw mostly seasoned Havana aficionados. Oddly, at one time the Rocha Bolivar was famous for offering the world's smallest Cuban cigar, the Delgado, measuring only 1 7/8ths inches by 20 ring gauge. It is said that the royal nursery at Windsor Castle once housed a spectacular dollhouse complete with a miniature box of Bolivar Delgado cigars in residence. |
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PUNCH
Taste: Medium Don Manuel Lopez of J. Valle & Co founded Punch in 1840 with the British market in mind where the
humorous magazine of the same name was much in vogue. A contented Mr. Punch, cigar in hand, remains a feature on the labels if each box of these long-appreciated medium strength cigars. |
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HOYO DE MONTERREY
Taste: Medium Jose Gener, originally a leaf grower and eventually the founder of one of the greatest Cuban cigars factories on the Island of Cuba, began producing the great Hoyo de Monterrey brand in 1960.
The "Le Hoyo" series was added to the commercial cigar market in the mid-seventies. The name translates roughly as “the valley of Monterrey”, which is a particularly fertile area of land in the “Vuelta Abajo” area of South west Cuba. |
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H. UPMAN
Taste: Mild to Medium These mild to medium bodied cigars have a very smooth and subtle flavor that has been its hallmark since its introduction in 1844.
A great favorite among aficionados, the history of this brand began around 1840, when Herman Upmann, banker and almost fanatical cigar enthusiast, offered to open a branch of his family-owned bank in Havana Cuba.
In 1844, he (not surprisingly) invested in a cigar factory, and from then until 1922, the company traded as both a bank and a cigar business. In that year, both companies failed, and a British firm, J. Frankau & Co., saved the brand and ran the cigar factory until 1935. It was then sold to the newly-founded Menendez y Garcia Company. And so it was that a legend was re-born. |
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PARTAGAS
Taste: Full Partagas cigars, branded in 1845 by Don Jaime Partagas, is one of the oldest and most well-known of all Cuban cigar brands. The brand is produced in huge quantities in many varieties; being one of the truly great, old Havana brands, the demand for Partagas cigars continues to outweigh the supply of the cigars. |
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SANCHO PANZA
Taste: Light
First produced in 1852, the Sancho Panza is a uniquely delicate, subtle cigar. These elegant cigars are among the most consistently well-made Cuban cigars manufactured today.
These cigars are well suited to the occasional, beginner, or daytime smoker. All the sizes are mild, with some of the larger sizes being among the most mild in their category. The line is small, with only about eight sizes, all of which offer an intriguing, enjoyable experience. The brand is well known for its enormous “A” size Sanchos cigar and the pointed Belicosos cigar. |
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RAMON ALLONES
Taste: Medium These may not be the best known of the Havana brands, but they are among the most respected by connoisseurs, consistently ranking at the top of the medium priced Cuban cigar range.
Rolled in the Partagas factory, which specializes in full-bodied cigars, these cigars will not disappoint those looking for complex, deep flavors. Characteristics of the brand include lovely dark wrappers, excellent construction, perfect burning qualities, a rich flavor and wonderful aroma. For these reasons Ramon Allones vitoles are a firm after-dinner favorite, and for those with a good humidor, these cigars age beautifully. |
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LA GLORIA CUBANA
Taste: Medium The La Gloria Cubana or 'the Glory of Cuba' brand, introduced in 1885, is one of the oldest Cuban brands. Made only by hand (hecho a mano), the La Gloria is available in a variety of mostly long, lanky sizes.
Developed by Jose Rocha and Rafael Garcia, the brand got off to a good start thanks to tireless promotion by Pepin Fernandez, owner of the Romeo y Julieta brand, who helped his friends introduce the La Gloria Cubana and El Crepusculo brands overseas. |
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EL REY DEL MUNDO
Taste: Full Introduced in 1842 by the Antonio Allones factory, the El Rey del Mundo brand was launched under the name "The King of the World". An extremely high quality cigar, “The King of the World” cigar enjoyed great success during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Soon, the company and the brand were renamed 'El Rey del Mundo'. One of the classic Cuban cigars, El Rey cigars boast a mixture of fine tobaccos and a rich aroma. In the mid 20th century, the El Rey brand was one of the most expensive Havana cigars on the market. The brand’s medium-bodied flavor (true even in the larger sizes) and a
distinctively exquisite aroma make this a great cigar for smokers of all levels of experience, and for any time day or night.
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SAINT LUIS REY
Taste: Full Created in the mid 1950s by two British importers, these outstanding cigars enjoy a loyal following which included some famous names like Frank Sinatra and James Coburn. Only 60,000 cigars are produced each year, and they are among the very best
Havana's available on the market.
Special characteristics of the brand include their oily, dark, smooth wrappers, a very full bodied, highly-refined flavor, and superb aroma. They represent an excellent value as they tend to be somewhat less expensive than cigars of comparable quality and prestige.
Make special note of the Saint Luis Rey label which is red with white and gold. These must never be confused with the black-labeled San Luis Rey, which is a Cuban-made brand for the German market. Some Saint Luis Reys are actually machine made in Germany for the mass market. Their black labels bear an emblem not dissimilar to the superior Saint Luis Reys
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