Cuban cigar brands: Welcome to the historical brand archive of Origin Of Cigar

Origin Of Cigar / If you love Habanos, you want to be able to say more than just „tastes good“ at some point. Origin Of Cigar gives you the context for this: Brand biographies, historical sources, images from factories - and a clear categorisation of the most important developments since the 19th century.

Claudia Puszkar and Vasilij Ratej, the publishing duo behind Origin Of Cigar, combine passion, knowledge and a subtle sense of humour. Together, they have created an online magazine that offers real added value to connoisseurs and the curious alike - in-depth insights, rare background stories and the fascination of the Cuban cigar in all its facets.

Why I do Origin Of Cigar

I do Origin Of Cigar because Cuban cigar brands are more than just names on a belly band. Behind every brand there are people, factories, eras, upheavals - and often stories that you can only understand if you categorise them properly.

But the most important thing is that it is a project close to Claudia Puszkar's heart - For years, she travelled the streets of Havana by the sweat of her brow. She collected and analysed every source she could find. She talked to people who knew something or had experienced it themselves. To find out as much as she could about Habanos manufacturers and brands. Collecting knowledge as a passion! „Origin of Cigar“ is therefore a kind of archive in which this knowledge is compiled. But the search goes on and on, one piece of the puzzle after another is added to the overall picture.

That is precisely our goal: not only to show you the history of a brand, but to make you understand its importance in the overall structure of the Cuban tobacco industry. From the great pioneers such as Partagás up to rare, lost brands of the early 20th century.

And yes: we take the topic seriously - but never ponderously. Claudia Puszkar and me form the publishing duo. We combine passion, knowledge and subtle humour to turn „history“ into genuine fascination rather than „dust“.

What you can expect from Origin Of Cigar

Origin Of Cigar is available as historical brand archive as a comprehensive point of contact for in-depth knowledge about Cuban cigar brands. This is what you can expect:

• Carefully researched brand biographies
• Verified data, primary sources and the combined expertise of our editorial duo
• Image material from manufactories and visual categorisation via historical archives
• Clear orientation: the most important developments since the 19th century, clearly categorised
• An archive that alive remains: We are constantly expanding, correcting and supplementing

The complete directory of Cuban cigar brands

• The complete directory of Cuban cigar brands
• You can find the history of Cuban cigar brands here.
• You can find the history from Columbus to the present day here.

Cuban cigar brands of the 19th century - the birth of Habanos

In the 19th century, the cigar brands that are now regarded as the cornerstones of Habanos culture were created. They shaped Cuba's image as a premium origin and established production standards that are still valid today.

These historic brands include

Partagás - History

Founded in 1845, aromatic and powerful, with a factory on Calle Industria that became the centre of the cigar world. The Partagas story

Hoyo de Monterrey - History

Since 1865: mild to medium-bodied flavours from one of the most famous plantations in the Vuelta Abajo. The Le Hoyo de Monterrey story

Romeo y Julieta - History

Founded in 1875, it is famous for its elegant blends and the largest variety of formats in the Habanos portfolio. The Romeo y Julieta story

H. Upmann - History

Founded in 1844: A track record of success, foresight, discipline - and then world politics shows how relentless it can be. The H.Upmann story

La Corona - History

A brand with British roots, once one of the most popular export products - today valued for its balanced strength. The La Corona story

Montecristo - History

Younger than many classics - and yet the epitome of elegance, knowledge and perfect craftsmanship. The Montecristo story

Fonseca - History

A fusion of style, luxury and tradition: Francisco E. Fonseca came to Cuba at the end of the 19th century and created a legend. The Fonseca story

Brands of the 20th century - the cigars of the modern age

The 20th century produced brands that heralded a new era in terms of flavour, politics and culture: some as diplomatic gifts, others as modern additions to the portfolio.

Cohiba - History

Cuba's national brand since 1966: triple fermentation, strictly selected tobaccos, iconic Behike line. The Cohiba story

Trinidad - History

Originally produced exclusively for diplomatic purposes, only available to the public from the 1990s onwards.

Vegas Robaina - History

Founded in honour of the legendary tobacco farmer Alejandro Robaina - as a tribute to the Vuelta Abajo.

Quai d'Orsay - History

French inspired, created in collaboration with SEITA, known for softer, elegant blends. Quai d'Orsay history

Diplomáticos - History

Brand of the 1970s, closely related to Montecristo, but milder and with a smaller portfolio.

Vegueros - History

Homage to the Cuban tobacco farmers: modern, accessible, authentic.

These brands reflect developments in Cuba in the 20th century: state control, export modernisation, international cooperation.

Historical pioneers and past brands

Not every brand survives the decades - but many leave their mark: in methods, designs or early quality standards.

Cabañas - History

One of the oldest known brands, pioneer of the industrial cigar trade.

Henry Clay - History

Strongly export-orientated, exceptionally popular in the USA in the 19th century.

Factories, regions and terroir - the foundation of every Habano

Brand identity is inextricably linked to origin: Soil, climate and place of production shape the character.

Important regions and places:

• Vuelta Abajo - the heart of the best tobacco in the world
• Pinar del Río - Centre for tobacco planting and processing
• Partagás factory / Calle Industria - historic cathedral of the cigar world
• El Laguito - the legendary Cohiba manufactory
• San Juan y Martínez - Home to many famous plantations

Glossary of Cuban cigars - everything you need to know

For a deeper understanding, there is our comprehensive glossary with over 150 technical terms - from vitola de galera until medio tiempo - precise, historically correct and easy to understand.

To the glossary: Open glossary of Cuban cigars

Picture galleries and historical archives

Our image archives document the stories of the cigar brands. They visually complement the brand reports and show the development of Cuban cigar art in detail.

View picture galleries and read articles

Your journey through Cuban cigar history begins here

This brand archive is alive: We are constantly expanding, correcting and adding to it. If you are missing a stamp history or have a question about a specific era, we look forward to hearing from you.

More smoke. With me.💨🤗

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