Cohiba

Cohiba is a Cuban cigar brand sold around the world by Habanos S.A. It was created in 1966 and is made at the El Laguito factory in Havana. For its first years the cigars were not sold. They went to Fidel Castro and were given as gifts to officials and foreign guests.

Very little is known about these earliest Cohibas, and no images of them seem to be known, but the band shown here is believed to be the first, or one of the earliest issued Cohiba cigar bands, from that Castro exclusive Cohiba era.

Cohiba went on sale outside Cuba in 1982. Its leaf comes from the Vuelta Abajo region of Pinar del Río, and today it is arguably the most sought-after Cuban cigar brand and is considered by many to be the best Cuban brand. Because of the U.S. embargo, Cuban Cohibas cannot legally be sold in the United States. A separate U.S.-market Cohiba, made in the Dominican Republic by General Cigar, has its own profile: Cohiba (Dominican). The long U.S. trademark dispute between the two companies is covered in Cohiba vs. Cohiba.

Figure 2. Cohiba bands through the years

Cuban Cohiba bands in date order. The very early band is shown above.