Brand Trivia

Revolutionary forces took control of Cuba on January 2, 1959. The Cuban cigar price list effective as of January 1 showed 140 brands in production for export, offering 999 in-production shapes and another 186 shapes not in production, but available for sale (1,185 total).

In 1960, the Cuban cigar industry was nationalized and in 1962, "Empresa Cubana del Tabaco" known as CUBATABACO was formed and the number of marques declined to less than 40.

Between 1959 and 1973, a total of three new brands were introduced (Diplomaticos, Davidoff and Quai d'Orsay). None were introduced from 1974-81, then Cohiba and Dunhill started in 1982.

There was little additional activity until 1989 when three machine-made brands were introduced for sale in Eastern Europe: Belinda, Cabañas and La Corona.

Fourteen years after the introduction of Cohiba, however, a series of new brands began introduction in 1996. Cuaba started that year and Jose L. Piedra was revived as an export brand. Vegas Robaina and Vegueros followed a year later, then Trinidad in 1998 and San Cristobal de la Habana in 1999. The Edicion Limitada was started in 2001, the Coleccion Reserva in 2003, and a new machine-made brand, Guantanamera, introduced in 2002.

A new firm to control the distribution of Havana tobacco products worldwide (except in the United States, where the import of Cuban products is prohibited), HABANOS, S.A., was created in 1994 and has aggressively expanded the availability of Havana cigars from the ancient tobacco shops of London to the remote islands of the Pacific Rim.

Altadis, S.A., a combination of the Spanish (Tabacalera) and French (SEITA) tobacco monopolies, purchased a 50% interest in Habanos in 2000.

Prior to nationalization of the tobacco industry, there were reported to be as many as 960 brands (i.e., active trademarks) in existence. Since nationalization, the number of brands has shrunk considerably and only the most famous have stayed in production.

However, some new brands have been introduced for export and the following timetable demonstrates the flow:

YEAR CIGAR CHANGES 1958 There were 960 active Trademarks with over 140 brands in production. 1960's Brands were reduced as Nationalization took over Production. 1965 The La Gloria Cubana brand was revived, for exportation. 1966 The Diplomaticos brand began production. 1970 The Davidoff brand was introduced and ceased production in 1992. 1973 The Qaui d'Orsay was produced at the request of SEITA. 1982 The Cohiba and Dunhill brands were introduced (Dunhill ceased in 1991). 1980's San Luis Rey produced for Villager & Sohne (ended 2000). 1988 Siboney produced for Austria Tabak (ended 1996). 1989 Belinda, Cabañas and La Corona (ended 1999) re-introduced (machine-made) 1996 Cuaba began production; Jose L. Piedra revived for export. 1997 Vegas Robaina and Vegueros begin production. 1998 The Trinidad, produced some time prior, for private use, is 'introduced'. 1999 San Cristobal de la Hababa begins production. 2000 The first "Edicion Limitada" is produced, in four brands. 2002 The Guantanamera, a machine-made cigar, begins production. 2003 The first "Coleccion Reserva" is produced, by Cohiba

Several brands continued production after nationalization, but were discontinued later. These include Canaria de Oro (ended about 1985), Caney (1997), Cifuentes (about 1985), Maria Guerrero (about 1985) and La Escepcion (1989).

Prior to the introduction of the Dunhill brand in 1982, three different brands were made exclusively for Dunhill: Don Alfredo (begun in the 1960s), Don Candido (1960s) and Flor del Punto (1970s); all ceased production when the Dunhill brand started production.

To add to the 'mystique' surrounding box and factory codes, starting in 2002 Cubatabaco added an additional factor to the equation, the "Casa Matriz, or the "Parent Company". In effect, they have begun to reorganize factory production, i.e., which factories will produce particular brands. The need for quality control was the underlying reason for this change, and several factories have already changed brand production. It will be several years before all the wrinkles are worked out, and then we will, one again, break the codes.