Cohiba Cigars – A Brief History
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The name Fidel Castro will ring a massive bell in the sense of many historians reading this article. The man was a legend in Cuba.
The iconic figure was known to have one cigar type with him, at home or on the road – the Cohiba. The brand has been in existence since 1966 and has become one of the most premium brands of cigars in the whole world today.
One of the reasons the Cohiba cigars were ever associated with Fidel Castro was its style and propensity for being in charge. When you see someone with a Cohiba, you immediately ascribe power and influence to that person. It is hard not to; it is what has been established since the cigars were introduced.
Cohiba Cigars
History/Origins
The Cohiba cigars represent premium quality and luxury. Its origin can be traced to being made from the purest and most delicate tobacco leaves in Cuba’s beautiful regions.
The location of the Cohiba was a secret to laypeople and even cigar enthusiasts for a long time. The only private information they got was the factory name, which was famously called El Laguito Factory. In 1968, the Cohiba brand fully launched after Fidel Castro and other powerful political giants pioneered the movement.
The cigar’s popularity cut across different stores worldwide with a massive clamor for the product. This went on till 1982, when the brand finally launched itself as premium. This did not mean other people could not have the cigar, but it became costlier than regular cigarettes.
The famous Vuelta Abajo region houses the rich blend of the Cohiba tobacco, the plantation the brand uses – Vegas Finas de Primera. This is one reason why the Cohiba cigars are popular and high-grade, as they are made from the best tobacco-growing regions in all of Cuba.
The Cohiba cigars have peculiar ingredients that differentiate them from others. Some of them include the Seco, Medio, Tiempo leaves, and Ligero. These ingredients have gone through different fermentation processes to make the cigar rich in flavors. There were initial cigar sizes of the Cohiba brand when it first launched. But in 1989, it added more sizes like Robustos, Cohiba Esplendidos and later added the Sigio series to the mix. Furthermore, in 2002, the Cohiba added more sizes with the Secretos and Genios.
In 2020, The Cohiba Behike became the most exclusive and highly sought-after cigar in the line and most likely in their history. One of the exciting peculiarities of the Cohiba brand is its ability to engage cigar lovers.
They continually bring out new additions that turn out to be better than the ones on the ground. Some people might frown at this, but if the new ones are not better than the old ones, there is always something distinctive.
Where Are They Made Now?
The El Laguito factory is located in Havana’s leaf section. According to reports, the factory was originally a mansion that belonged to Alberto Casimiro Fowler until it was converted to a cigar factory.
With the increased production of Cohiba and the cigar’s worldwide clamor, more factories have emerged. The brand has two factories for the production of premium cigars; there is one in Habanos S.A while the other, which deals with the U.S. Based cigar company, is produced in the Dominican Republic.
The Cohiba cigar has major markets in Cuba, Austria, the US, Spain, and many other countries.
Their Most Popular Cigar Produced
It is no longer news that the Cohiba brands are some of the world’s most expensive cigars. The Cohiba Robusto sells for about $45, while the Behikes are the most expensive – $100 per cigar is the price range. This range of Cohiba cigars is arguably the most popular regardless of its spruce, showing how great it is.
The popular notion that there are discounted Cohiba cigars that are fake. There are no cheap ones available in the market, and you might have smoked a fake all in the name of discounts. There is no bargain. Perhaps you meet someone selling Cohiba for a lesser price than what is obtainable in the market. Then there is a high chance that the cigar is fake.
The Cohiba designs have evolved from the simple dots to the holograms anti-counterfeit designs that they go by now. The newer brands of Cohiba are harder to replicate than the old ones because of their new unique features. The dots have been transferred to squares with the previous black letters changed to gold.
Bottom Line
Not many cigars match up to the Cohiba standard, which has been the case from inception. Although it can be argued that its popularity happened by mistake, the line of Cuban cigars has evolved. They have now become some of the most sought-after cigars in the world.
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Dan Stevenson
I have been smoking cigars for 30 years and counting, I started at 18 years old with mild Cubans and worked my way up to medium and now bold. I own 4 humidors, that I try to keep stocked at all times.
