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As an apprentice, my role is extremely varied within the business here at C.Gars Ltd. Today I have been learning about the brand Cohiba. |
Cohiba is the flagship brand of Habanos and the name comes from the Taino Indian word for Tobacco.
Created in 1966 for the president Fidel Castro, Cohiba was originally made at a “secret“ location; but as I’m sure you all know, people like to talk, and this information got leaked pretty quickly. Castro initially only wanted these cigars to be owned and smoked by high-profile people, such as those within the government, but some soon found ways of sharing them around, which is the reason why Cohiba cigars were valued highly amongst everyone and given an almost “cult-like” like status. Finally, in 1982, Cohiba cigars were released for the public.
As Castro himself recalled the tale in 1994:
"I used to see the man smoking a very aromatic, very nice cigar, and I asked him what brand he was smoking. He told me that it was a special blend, but that it came from a friend who makes cigars and he gave them to him. I said, let's find this man. I tried the cigar, and I found it so good that we got in touch with him and asked him how he made it. Then we set up the house (the El Laguito factory), and he explained the blend of tobacco he used. He told which leaves he used from which tobacco plantations. He also told us about the wrappers he used and other things. We found a group of cigar makers. We gave them the material and that is how the factory was founded.”
In 1992, Habanos SA launched the first sizes in what it calls the ‘Línea 1492’, honouring Christopher Columbus and his voyage to the Americas, with each size named for a century since Columbus' discovery. The initial launch included the Siglo I, Siglo II, Siglo III, Siglo IV, and Siglo V, with a Siglo VI added in 2002. The Siglo VI has been the best-selling of these cigars.
The leaves used in Cohiba cigars come from the Vuelta Abajo region in Cuba, and are fermented for at least 3-5 years, hence why these cigars can be so expensive.
Cohiba are known to use the finest of tobacco in all of Cuba, and this is because just 10 fields with a total size of 700 acres were picked to grow their widely-admired tobacco.
Let’s have a look at some cigars from different lines:
| Brand, Line and Vitola | Size | Tasting notes |
|
La Línea Clásica Series - Cohiba Exquisitos |
5" length 33 Ring Gauge |
Smooth and full of flavour. This cigar has a nice even draw from start to finish. Recommended to everyone looking for a good quality cigar. |
|
La Línea 1492 Series - Cohiba Siglo II
|
5" length |
An earthy smoke that eventually develops delicious notes of almond paste and a sweet finish. Perfect for those who tend to find Cohiba cigars too strong. |
|
Maduro 5 Series - Magicos
|
4 1/2" length 52 Ring Gauge |
Bold at first, this dark robusto burns and draws well, showing a heavy smoke dense with coffee bean and leather, though the finish is quite floral and perfumey. |
|
The Behike Series - BHK 54
|
5 5/8" length 54 Ring Gauge |
A bold, leathery smoke with hints of coffee beans. |
If I were to describe the taste notes of Cohiba cigars in general I would definitely say they tend to be bold, cedary, nutty and leathery.
Summary
So, what have we learnt today?
Today I learnt about the intriguing start-up of Cohiba, and how it became a massive brand known world-wide – even though they weren’t initially for public release! If you ask anyone if they know any brand of cigar from Cuba, they will most likely say Cohiba – that’s how well-renowned they are.
I hope you enjoyed today’s blog of Learn with Lewis, and I hope you learnt something new! Until next time, take care and happy smoking!
Lewis
