Vegueros is a cigar totally made in Vuelta Abajo, the land of the best tobacco of the world. The solid building where this high-quality trade mark is manufactured was built in 1868.
At the beginning this building had the function of a hospital of the Spanish colony, since 1870 as a prison and later in 1959 the School of Arts was established there. In 1961 it became into the Cigarettes Factory "Francisco Donatien". Today, history and a good taste offer a new jewel to the most demanding and experts persons. Vegueros, from the very Pinar del Rio.

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Vegas Robaina is the second of two new lines introduced by Habanos S.A. in the 90's. This line was officially launched in Spain, in the spring of 1997, and will be made available to the world market in the fall. The brand features five, hand rolled sizes, classified as: Don Alejandro (Double Corona) Famosos (Robusto), Classicos (Lonsdale), Unicos (Piramide), and Familiares (Corona). Vegas Robaina is named after D. Alejandro Robaina, who is famed for growing the finest wrapper in the Vuelta Abajo, (Pinar del Rio), region of Cuba for more than fifty years. The cigars are made from the best tobacco in Cuba, and feature wrapper grown on Sr. Robaina's farms. They are described as a medium-strong blend, characterized by an excellent aroma, wonderful presentation, and a fine burn.

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This is an old brand which today displays the origins of its name in the lithography on its boxes, picturing an idealized warrior from the Trojan Wars as described by Homer in the Iliad. Originally produced by Martinez y Cia., the cigar is considered full-flavoured and is now offered only as a machine-bunched/hand-finished or all-machine-made brand.

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Since 1980, the Trinidad Fundadores has been produced exclusively for Fidel Castro. The only boxes that left Cuba were gifts to foreign diplomats. On February of 1998, the brand was officially launched as an export in Trinidad, Cuba. The cigars were first made available in Canada and Mexico in April 1998, and later became available to the world market. This line features one size, the Fundadore, which means Founder. It is similar in size to the Cohiba Lancero, measuring at a ring guage of 40 and a length of 7 and 3/4 inches or 195 mm.
Named after one of Cuba's most beautiful cities, the Trinidad is produced only in the El Laguito factory, and packaged in an 'unusual' quantity of 24 cigars as well as in cabinets of 50.

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America had the purpose of buying tobacco factories in Cuba and "El Soboney" was one of the 12 factories acquired between 1898 and 1902. This brand had a very small production and one anecdote is interesting about it. It was thought that, after the Revolution, Fidel Castro decided to eliminate all the cigar brands to found just one dedicated to exportations. The world did not like this new brand named Siboney and Castro was forced to reinstate all the popular brands as soon as possible. This never happened and has just been a popular rumour. Its taste is said to be similar to Montecristo Especial No.2 or even a bit stronger

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Named for the rustic squire to Don Quixote in Miguel de Cervantes' famous 1605 novel of the same name, this very old brand was originated by Emilio Ahmsted in 1852. It is much admired for the larger sizes in its range, including the enormous Sanchos and the shaped-head Belicosos. Sancho Panza cigars are medium-bodied and are all handmade

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The latest and probably the last of the new series of Havana brands launced since 1996 has been given the original name of the city of Havana when it was founded by settlers back in 1519 - San Crist�bal (St. Christopher) de La Habana. The brand boasts four sizes, each of which is named after one of the fronts that defended the city in its heyday, as the hub of the Spanish empire in Latin America. Two of the sizes, La Fuerza and El Morro, are entirely new and are unique to the San Crist�bal brand.

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Does the name of the brand refer to the San Luis region in the Vuelta Abajo, where some of the world's finest cigar tobacco is grown, hence the name as the "King of San Luis"? Or is it based on a reference to the popular 1927 novel by American author Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey? In either case, the brand was created in 1938 and leans toward the lighter side in strength.

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Developed in 1875 by Inocencio Alvarez and Mannin Garcia, this brand immediately showed its quality by winning gold medals in four universal expositions between 1885 and 1900. But it really took off after its acquisition in 1903 by Jose Rodriguez Fernandez, known as "Pepin." Named for the lovers in William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name (written circa 1596), the brand also is traditionally credited with the introduction of the "Churchill" shape in honour of the British statesman Winston Churchill (note the name of the factory shape for this size: the "Julieta 2."). Fernandez promoted his brand with endless energy and at one time, his Rodriguez, Arguelles y Cia. factory produced upward of 2,000 different cigar bands, personalized for their very best customers. Fernandez died at age 88 in 1954, but his efforts survive him as his full-flavoured Romeo y Julieta brand is one of the most widely known and appreciated in the world today.

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There actually was a Ramon Allones, who developed this brand way back in 1837. Originally from Spain, Allones (owner of the La Eminencia factory) was reportedly the first to employ bright, lithographed labels on his boxes, to help set his brand apart. Prior to nationalization, this lighter-bodied brand was owned by Cifuentes, Pego y Cia., also the owners of Partagas

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Here is a success story from the roaring 20's. Dating from approximately 1928, this brand was initially developed as La Flor de Marquez, with trademark registration in 1936 by the Sociedad El Rey del Mundo. Trademark records show that the current name dates from 1945. Considered medium in body, this brand is also reputed to have introduced the Lonsdale size, named in honour of Hugh Cecil Lowther, the Fifth Earl of Lonsdale.

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Augustin Quintero and his brothers got their start in tobacco in their hometown of Cienfuegos in the Las Villas province of Cuba in the 1920's. In 1940, they created this full-flavoured brand which continues today, primarily in machine-bunched/hand-finished and all machine-made sizes.

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Named for the famous bridge in Paris, this brand is one of two (the other is Siboney) which are devoted to the interests of a specific national tobacco governing body, in this case, the national tobacco monopoly of France, the SEITA (La Societe Nationale d'Exploitation Industriel de Tabac et Allumettes). Created in 1970, this is a lighter-bodied cigar and the range is all handmade

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Created in 1840 by Manuel Lopez, this line takes its name from the popular character of Punch so widely seen in English puppetry in the 19th century. Today's lithographed boxes still show the comically-dressed Punch enjoying a cigar while his faithful pet stands by, questioning why he is wearing a rainbow-coloured collar. The cigars are quite popular, with the Punch Punch model the object of affection by many devoted followers. This full flavoured brand was made by Corujo y Cia. after 1859 and prior to nationalization, was owned by F. Palicio y Cia.

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"These's peace in a Larranaga, there's calm in Henry Clay" reads the first half of the fifth couplet in The Betrothed, an 1890 poem by the celebrated English writer Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). From this high point, the brand has shrunk to just one handmade model and a few machine-assisted styles. It was created in 1834 by Ignacio Larranaga, likely making it the oldest continuously-produced Havana brand still in existence.

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This brand is named for it's founder, Don Jaime Partagas, who began manufacturing cigars in 1827, but put his own name on his line of cigars in 1845. After his death, the brand passed to Ramon Cifuentes in 1889 and was owned by Cifuentes y Cia. prior to nationalization, earning a mention by name in English novelist Evelyn Waugh's 1945 work, Brideshead Revisited. Partagas cigars also won gold medals in at least three international expositions between 1867 and 1884. There is no doubt about the strong, intense flavour of this line and it is still produced in the Partagas factory, renamed Fernando Perez after nationalization. The range is immense and it would be hard for a smoker not to find a Partagas which fits his or her interest in size or shape. Buyer beware: the 8-9-8 selections vary greatly in size and strength; identification is made by whether the box is varnished or not.

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The most famous of the many famous Havana brands started only in 1935 as a new brand from Menendez, Garcia y Cia., then the owners of the H. Upmann brand. The name is reported to have been inspired by Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel Le Comte de Montecristo. With a strong marketing effort from Alfred Dunhill of London, this brand became the most popular of all Havana exports. There are no machine-made shapes in this range and the strength is medium; in fact, it has become the standard by which all other Havanas are now judged.

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The brand was created by Jose Rodriguez Fernandez in honour of the famous Spanish singer Maria Guerrero and the brand was always linked to Romeo y Julieta. The Revolution did not affect the production of Maria Guerrero and 25 models were listed. When the brand was officially discontinued in 1985, the only model left was a new hand-made model introduced in the late 1970's decade, the Grandes de Espana.

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Los Statos de Luxe was created by Martinez y Cia. and offers a full-flavoured cigars in a machine-made or machine-bunched/hand-finished range only.

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A very old brand that dates from 1885, "the Glory of Cuba" presents a wide variety of cigars sizes in a small, but beautifully made range. The strength is medium; note that this is one of the few brands which is only handmade. 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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La Flor del Caney first appeared in the 70's decade by the hand of the Briones Montoto Factory also known for Romeo y Julieta. It had a different name, Caney on its own. It was in 1977 when the production of Caney stopped, that a different cigar band appeared with the logo La Flor del Caney, whose production discontinued in the 80's decade. It seems quite difficult to find a real specimen of these cigars nowadays. Finally, as a reference to its commercial production, if we check the official Cubatabaco cigar lists, we can just find seven models, all of the machine-made.

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Created in 1884 by Tomas and Jose Cano, this brand is often hard to find due to the small production quantities, but it offers a medium-strength cigars and excellent workmanship in the handmade sizes.

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First of all, we may remark a very funny anecdote. The name of these cigars is La Escepcion, but had to be La Excepcion (meaning exception in English). So this misspelling became one of the most famous in the history of Havana cigars. This brand has always been linked to Hoyo de Monterrey and after being sold several times, it finally remains in the hands of the firm F. Palacio y Cia. Production was not at all affected by the Revolution and eight models were listed in Cubatabaco official catalogue. It was in the 80's decade when a drop in production can be appreciated, perhaps because the most remarkable characteristic of these cigars, their extreme strength, is no longer liked by the customers. The brand was discontinued in 1989.

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Coming from the biggest cigar factory in Cuba at the end of the 19th century, the firm kept on moving from hand to hand until it finally settled in the "Iron House" known with this name because of being the first building in Cuba with a framework in steel. The production was discontinued in the 70's decade, but La Corona was reintroduced in 1989 with cheap machine-made cigar models. These new La Corona cigars are mild in flavor with earthy and peppery connotations. 2/5 strength.

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Here is one of the few Havana brands which is offered only in handmade styles, started in 1876 by Juan Lopez Diaz. The range of sizes is limited, but the workmanship is first-rate and the flavour is considered to be medium to strong, with light and almost aromatic overtones. A sampling of this cigar may develop into a long term love for it.

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Jose L. Piedra is a popular brand for domestic consumption in Cuba. Apart from the original six smaller Jose L. Piedra cigars which are machine-made, this Jose L. Piedra brand started producing a new full range of hand-made sizes (which have recently become unavailable). Made in the regional factory in Santa Clara, Cuba, this Jose L. Piedra brand continues to have very competitive pricing. Jose L. Piedra brand cigars are considered to have a mild-to-medium body with strong flavours.

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Established by Jose Gener in 1865, the name roughly means "valley of Monterrey," a particularly fertile site in the Vuelta Abajo, which had been farmed by Gener since at least 1860. The brand offers a lighter flavour and a wide range of sizes, the largest of which are much celebrated. The Le Hoyo series cigars was introduced about 1970 and presents a stronger flavour

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As famous a brand as there is in the world of cigars, the H. Upmann brand dates back to 1844, when Herman Upmann, a German banker, began using specially imprinted boxes of cigars as promotional items for his banking firm. The combination proved successful, so the H. Upmann brand was born and continues to this day. The success of this brand was buoyed by the award of seven gold medals in seven international exhibitions between 1862 and 1893; these awards still adorn the lithographed interior of the box today. The brand was sold to the British firm of J. Frankau in 1922 and finally in 1935 to Menendez, Garcia & Cia. prior to nationalization, continues today in the H. Upmann factory, now known as Jose Marti. The famous request of President John F. Kennedy to his press secretary, Pierre Salinger, to obtain cigars on the evening prior to the declaration of the American trade embargo in 1961, was for Petit Upmanns. Available in a stunning range of handmade and machine-made sizes, the brand offers a mild to medium strength.

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This recently announced product from Cuba has now been released. Guantanamera's are very mild cigars originating from the Vuelta Arriba region, and are very competitively priced. This is the ultimate Cuban cigar for a beginner or for any cigar smoker who likes a very mild and light bodied cigar

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The production of this brand did not stop with the Revolution. It started with eleven models, as 1972 Cubatabaco official catalogue shows and became quite famous, but the production of these cigars decreased when instead of the initial eleven models, the manufacturers decided to make just three models (the machine-made Habaneros No.2 and the two hand-made Coronas and Petit Coronas Deluxe). From these three models we only have nowadays the machine-made Habaneros No.2 as the two hand-made cigars were discontinued in 1993. The brand comprised 0.1% of the total exportations of Habanos S.A. and it is catalogued to have mild flavours with no special characteristics.

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This brand whose name means "The King of the World" was developed in 1848 and under the direction of Antonio Allones, it was celebrated as one of the great Havana brands. Well known for it's dark and oily wrappers, it was one of the most expensive Havanas available in the middle of the 20th century. The El Rey del Mundo factory still produces this brand and numerous others cigars under the name Lazaro Pena today in a wide variety of models that are considered to be light in strength.

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The image of Francisco Fonseca, who developed this brand in 1906, still adorns the box today. Only in limited distribution, the Fonseca brand is considered to exhibit a rich but mild flavour.

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When Dunhill first settled as a serious brand, it had the purpose of competing with Davidoff, something that came to the beginning of the end because of strong disagreements between the British Company and Cubatabaco (they had previously signed a manufacturing contract in 1982). As a result of this disagreement, this contract was finished in 1991 and the brand Dunhill was discontinued. Dunhill lived from 1984 to 1991. The most popular cigars produced by Dunhill could be Cabinetta, with medium strength and mixed balanced flavours such as fruits, honey and nuts, or Estupendos, similar to Cabinetta but richer in taste.

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This brand was introduced in 1966 as essentially a second value line of the Montecristo brand, primarily aimed at the French market. One of the few Havana brands which is exclusively devoted to handmade cigars, the sizes and names essentially mirror the Montecristo nomenclature and the Diplimaticos line is produced at the Jose Marti factory, as is most of the Montecristo range. They are generally considered to be medium to full bodied.

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Zino Davidoff, the creator of this brand, is originally from Kiev, Russia. The empire started with a very small shop, but the Second World War brought the opportunity to enter in a much wider market located in Switzerland, that was a neutral country and the unofficial store for the wealthy customers. Taking this as the origin of Davidoff well-known cigars brand, the 70's decade saw how the initial small shop became into a worldwide chain. One can appreciate in Davidoff cigars those complex subtle flavours. If you are looking for a strong cigar, this is not the one, as we can describe them as medium or even mild but, in any case, good quality if we take a look to the way they age.

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First introduced in London in 1996, the Cuaba brand was the first new Cuban cigar brand to be introduced into commercial production since 1968. Historicaly, Cuaba is the Taino Indian word for the special cuban bush used to light the �Cohiba� or �Tobacco� on the Island.
All four of the Cuaba vitoles are in the figurado (perfecto) shape: the Exclusivos, the Generosos, the Tradicionales and the Divinos. This shape was popular until the beginning of the 20th century. Habanos S.A. decided to revive the British tradition of smoking figurados; hence the fitting unveiling of the brand in London, England. Habanos, S.A. has since reintroduced other historic brands and shapes

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A new brand which was introduced only in 1968, Cohiba quickly became the flagship brand of the Cuban cigar industry. Developed initially as a medium bodied protocol cigar for presentation only by officials of the Cuban government, Cohiba was marketed widely beginning in 1982. The initial sizes were the Lancero, the Corona Especiale and the Panetela, with the Esplendido, Robusto and Exquisito added in 1989. In 1992, in salute to the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the Caribbean, the Siglo series was introduced. The Cohiba series was initially made in the El Laguito factory in Havana, but production is now also in the Fernando Perez German factory.

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The creator of this brand was Ramon Cifuentes, owner of the Partagas factory before the Revolution. When the Revolution takes place, we can observe that the production of Cifuentes is not interrupted. But what the Revolution was unable to do, is going to be done by years of litigation between the members of the Cifuentes family about the ownership of the Cuban brand. The production of Cifuentes is discontinued in the 90's decade, after the workers of the Partagas factory made an extremely small amount of cigars in those last 15 years, what makes it really difficult to find someone who has ever smoked one of these cigars or even seen a box.

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It is the Spaniard Francisco Caba�as who should take the credit of history for having registered in Cuba one of the oldest Habano marks heard of, and also when the Tobacco Monopoly was still in force. Thus, he registered in 1810 the Caba�as brand, and in 1895 he joined others manufacturers to develop a new trademark: Hija de Caba�as y Carbajal y C�a.
In today's version, marked for trade to Eastern Europe, this brand exhibits full flavored in all-machine-made or machine-bunched with a hand-finished style

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Introduced in 1901, the powerful flavour of the Bolivar range is almost as widely know as it's namesake, Simon Bolivar (1783-1830), the celebrated Venezuelan warrior who liberated all or part of what is today Venezuela, Columbia, Peru and Bolivia. The cigar brand was developed by the Jose Rocha Company and manufactured at the El Crepusculo factory, but was later acquired by Menendez, Garcia y Cia.

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Although it has history as a much-appreciated Cuban brand started in 1882, the full-flavored Belinda was re-introduced by Cubatabaco as a machine-made cuban cigar in 1987, aimed primarily at the Eastern European market, with whom Cuba had strong trade relations at the time. This explains the small size of the range, which are totally machine-made, or machine-bunched with a hand-rolled wrapper.

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