Brands
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Bolivar
All sizes of Bolivar are Tripa larga, Totalmente a Mano – long filler, totally hand made. It is the brand of choice for enthusiasts, who like strong flavours.
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Cohiba
Uniquely amongst Habanos up to three of Cohiba’s filler leaves, the seco, ligero and the rare medio tiempo, undergo an additional fermentation in barrels. This unique process produces a special aroma and flavour you will only find in Cohiba.
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Cuaba
Every Cuaba is made in the distinctive shape known as double figurado, the style that at the end of the 19th Century was all the rage for Habanos. A century later, in 1996, this rich tradition was revived at the Romeo y Julieta factory.
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Diplomáticos
Diplomáticos is a comparatively recent brand dating from the 1960’s. It bears a marked resemblance to Montecristo, using numbers not names to describe its sizes.
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El Rey del Mundo
In 1882 the Antonio Allones factory, which had been making Habanos for over 30 years, decided to launch a new brand of premium quality and price. With great confidence but little modesty it was named El Rey del Mundo – The King of the World. It proved a winner.
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Fonseca
Don Francisco Fonseca founded his brand in the 1890’s.
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H. Upmann
Herman Upmann was a banker from Germany who so loved Cuban cigars that he moved to
Havana in 1844 and set up as both banker and cigar maker. His bank closed in the early 1920’s but his cigars live on as a fine example of an elegant, light to medium flavoured Habano. -
Hoyo de Monterrey
Hoyo de Monterrey owes its origin to the town of San Juan y Martínez , which lies at the heart of the Vuelta Abajo tobacco zone. Here the Hoyo de Monterrey plantation, one of the great Vegas de Primera , can be reached through a gate on the town’s main square inscribed ‘Hoyo de Monterrey. José Gener. 1860’.
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Juan López
A Spanish businessman named Juan López Díaz founded his brand in the 1870’s.
Although little known around the world today, Juan López has always attracted a following amongst aficionados of Habanos particularly for the Selección No.1 and, most notably, for the Selección No.2 sizes. -
La Flor de Cano
At a medium price level, Flor de Cano cigars offer a good balance between flavour and aroma.
Today all Flor de Cano are Tripa Corta, Totalmente a Mano – short filler, totally hand made – Habanos composed of Vuelta Abajo and Semi Vuelta leaf. -
La Gloria Cubana
La Gloria Cubana is a little known jewel amongst Habano brands.
Nevertheless it enjoys a long history. Founded in 1885, its name alone clearly defines its origin. For over a century it has attracted a small but loyal following amongst the most knowledgeable smokers.
The brand is characterized by its elegant presentation, especially in the Medaille d’Or Series.
All the vitolas are Tripa Larga, Totalmente a Mano – long filler, totally hand made. -
Montecristo
Montecristo is the best known and probably the most appreciated brand of Habanos throughout the world. It forms the benchmark for many Habanos smokers against which other brands are judged.
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Partagas
If there is one particularly famous cigar factory in Havana, it is Partagas. You can find it at No. 520 Industria Street, just behind the Capitol building, in the heart of the city. The factory was opened in 1845 by Don Jaime Partagas and it has been making the cigars that bear his name ever since.
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Por Larrañaga
Por Larrañaga is a brand with a long history. Founded in 1834 it enjoys a well-earned reputation for its consistency and good presentation.
All the filler and binder tobaccos in Por Larrañaga come from the Vuelta Abajo zone. The range includes cigars made using both the Tripa Larga, Totalmente a Mano – long filler, totally hand made – technique, and the Tripa Corta,Totalmente a Mano – short filler, totally hand made – method. The short filler size also incorporates tobacco leaves from the Semi Vuelta zone. -
Punch
Punch is one of the very oldest Habano brands. Don Manuel López of Juan Valle & Co founded it in the mid 19th Century with an eye to the booming British market where a humorous magazine of the same name was much in vogue.
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Quai d’Orsay
This brand owes its origin to the refined taste of the French market. Created in the 1970’s, the name is taken from a well-known street in Paris beside the River Seine.
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Rafael González
Rafael González was created in the 1930’s.
It was in this brand that the 61⁄2 inch (165mm) by 42 gauge cigar, which has the factory name of Cervantes, was first called a Lonsdale after Lord Lonsdale, the famous English sporting Earl and cigar aficionado of that period. Now many other brands use the name as well. -
Ramón Allones
Ramón Allones is one of the big names in the history of Habanos.
Founded in 1837, it is also one of the oldest brands still in production. -
Romeo y Julieta
Named after William Shakespeare’s tragic lovers, the origins of Romeo y Julieta as a Habano date back to 1875.
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San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal de la Habana was the original name of Havana, Cuba’s capital city, when it was founded in 1519; San Cristóbal (St Christoper) in honour of the Saint of the day where the city was founded, and La Habana after an Indian name for the site.
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Sancho Panza
Like other great Habano brands such as Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta, Sancho Panza takes it name from a masterpiece of world literature.
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Trinidad
Trinidad is named after the beautiful 16th Century city of La Santísima Trinidad (The Holy Trinity), listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, which is situated on Cuba’s south coast.
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Vegas Robaina
Since 1845 the Robaina family has farmed tobacco continuously on its precious vegas (fields) at Cuchillas de Barbacoa situated in the San Luis district of the Vuelta Abajo tobacco zone.
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Vegueros
It is a tradition in the Vuelta Abajo zone for the Vegueros (farmers) to make their own cigars. Visitors to this part of Pinar del Rio province often want to try such cigars made in the land where the best tobacco in the world is grown.