Cohiba

Any discussion about the quality and prestige of Cuban cigars begins with the Cohiba brand. But why is it considered the 'crown jewel' of Cuban cigars, and what exactly sets it apart from the other brands?

It begins with Cohiba's origins. Unlike other popular Cuban brands, it was never designed to be sold to the general public. The early Cohibas, in fact, were unnamed cigars favoured by one of Fidel Castro's bodyguards. Castro was so enticed by the aroma of these mystery cigars that he sought the roller out to ask about the blend. Before too long Castro had set up space at the El Laguito factory in Havana where he had a group of cigar makers duplicate it.

Shortly thereafter, in 1966, the Cohiba name was born. But, for the time being, Cohiba cigars were rolled exclusively for the personal use of Fidel Castro. No more than a few thousand boxes were produced each year, and all in the slender Lancero size.

But all this would change in 1982. That year, Cuba began selling Cohibas in Spain with three inaugural vitolas: the Lancero, the Panetela and the Corona Especial. Seven years later, they added the Robusto, Exquisito, and Espléndido to their Línea Clásica series. It was also in 1989 that Cohiba was (finally) released to countries all over the world.
But Cohiba's reputation doesn't just have to do with its exclusive history. While other Cuban cigar brands use double-fermented leaves, Cohiba employs a third fermentation process which reduces excess tar and nicotine. This results in a mellower, more aromatic, and more flavourful smoking experience.

Since 1982, Cohiba has added several more series' to its portfolio. In 1992 the Línea 1492 (Siglo) series was released, followed by the Maduro 5 in 2007. The year 2010 saw the release of the most prestigious Cohiba series, the Behike. The Behike was the first time Cuba incorporated the coveted medio tiempo leaf into a cigar blend. 

In the 2020's, supply of Cohiba cigars has been an issue all over the world. In fact, there hasn't been such a huge gap between demand and supply of Cuban cigars since their release globally in the 1980's. The current City Cigar stock is listed below, but please feel free to contact us with any questions or update requests regarding Cohiba cigars.