It all began in 2000 when Habanos S.A. introduced the line Ediciónes Limitadas that represented one of the very first ideas for special, limited-production cigars. For the first five years, Limited Editions were only found in five brands: Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás and Hoyo de Monterrey. By now, until 2014, there have been forty-eight Limited Editions in total.
H. Upmann Factory: Two Giants under a Roof
The building is enormous, but, because the street is narrow and densely built-up, at first glance it appears humbler than it really is. The factory, located at Calle Amistad No. 407 and 409, between Calle Dragones and Calle Barcelona, is rather nondescript and can be hard to find.
El Panteón: The former La Corona Factory
El pantéon – hall of fame or cemetery – depending on the translation – was what the torcedores called the La Corona factory. Built by the American Tobacco Company, later under the name of Tabacalera Cubana, the factory operated a total of 91 brands.
Nothing or Everything: Cigars Worth Collecting
It seems that, today, every cigar-maker is trying to create cigars worth collecting. But is any of this stuff going to be worth remembering? As with game-playing, when collecting it’s also about luck.
A forgotten Anniversary: 125 Years of Cuban Warranty Seal
There is one anniversary taking place this year that seems to have escaped notice in Cuba. True, it doesn’t relate to a brand, but nevertheless it goes right to the heart of what has given Habanos the global success they have enjoyed for well over a century: quality and authenticity.
Lectores de Tabaquerías – Cigar Factory Readers
The tradition of reading aloud at cigar factories can be traced back to the year 1865. Not least because of the high rate of illiteracy and the monotony of the work, the readings garnered so much interest that the practice spread in Cuba and far beyond.
Once Upon a Time … A Warehouse at Calle San Carlos No. 816
It’s hard to believe that the famous tobacco exporter Mark A. Pollack built this splendid structure located behind the Briones Montoto factory just to store his excellent tobacco. Fully renovated in recent years, the gorgeous building is housing a Partagás worksite while its walls shine a gleaming white.
A Building of Many Names – The Antonio Briones Montoto Factory
Of all the cigar factories in Havana, this one has the most names, by far. No wonder, when you consider its colorful past.
Visiting the Museo del Tabaco in Havana, Cuba
When you think about it, the whole of Cuba is actually a living museum and Havanas are, generally speaking, still produced the way they were a hundred years ago. However the knowledge must be cultivated so that it isn’t forgotten over time. This is a task that the Museo del Tabaco.
Don Quijote de la Mancha: A Cigar Box on Time Travel
After 100 years and two Atlantic crossings, a box of Cuban cigars, manufactured in the Juan Cueto y Hermano factory, managed to return to its origins in Havana.
Birthplace of the Montecristo
If these walls could only talk, what stories they would tell! Over the years, the legendary Empresa de Tabaco Torcido José Martí manufacture produced many beloved cigar labels such as Byron, Particulares and Montecristo.
Why Spend $2,000 on a Cigar?
Why would anyone be prepared to spend this much money on a cigar, particularly when it is over 50 years old? Is there any way that such extravagance could be justified? The venue was the outdoor cigar terrace at Boisdale’s Restaurant in London’s Belgravia district. The event was the third auction of aged and vintage cigars organised by C.Gars Ltd.
