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Havana House was excited to host the Windsor Cigar Cruise again after two years without being able to join together for this celebration of cigars. The Havana House Cigar Cruise is an annual tradition for cigar lovers in the UK to meet and enjoy great smokes, drinks, and time with fellow aficionados, and we are thrilled to be able to hold this event again in 2022.
We have held the Havana House Windsor Cigar Cruise for 15 years, and each year hundreds of cigar lovers join us for a cruise down the River Thames for a night of cigar smoking, drink sampling, tasty canapes and live music.
As we entered the boat, guests were provided with a welcome cocktail before heading to the open top deck to enjoy a great smoke with like-minded aficionados. Below the deck, you could find our mobile cigar shop and have the chance to sample drinks from brand ambassadors.
On the cruise we enjoyed some incredible smokes from Rocky Patel – Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Petit Belicoso Cigar, Rocky Patel Disciple Robusto and Sixty by Rocky Patel Toro.
Sad you missed out? Don’t worry! We’re having another cigar cruise on Friday 19th August, so join us if you didn’t make our June cruise or want to go again.
For guests with a Cigar Ticket, the evening will come with two specially selected cigars – one from Cuba and one from the New World – which have a value of over £55, making this a great value occasion for cigar lovers.
Speaking of the cruise, Josh Cotton, our Brand Development Manager, said:
“We were so excited to welcome our wonderful customers back on the Cigar Cruise after 2 years. The Havana House Cigar Cruise is always an outstanding event, and this year was no exception. The weather was perfect, we smoked some fantastic Rocky Patel Cigars, and we can’t wait to see more familiar faces and hopefully some new faces at our next cruise on the 19th of August!”
While relatively new in comparison to some cigar brands, Cohiba is one of the most iconic cigar manufacturers in Cuba and the world.
Cohiba is the flagship brand of Habanos S.A. and is known for producing the finest quality premium cigars using some of the world’s best tobacco. They implement unique maturation techniques to craft their famous Cohiba cigars, which offer complex flavour and medium-full body.
In this instalment of Cigar History, we explore more about the past of this iconic cigar brand.
While most Cuban cigar brands were initially privately owned before being nationalised following the Cuban revolution, Cohiba is fairly unique, as it was created following the revolution as a national company of Cuba.
Cohiba cigars started out as Fidel Castro’s private brand, exclusively supplying Castro with cigars to enjoy or gift to dignitaries.
The story of the first Cohiba Cigars – or how Castro tells it – is that one day in the mid-1960s, one of his bodyguards was smoking a strong aromatic cigar. Castro asked him what he was smoking, to which the man replied that it was not a branded cigar but a gift from a friend who was a local torcedor.
Upon smoking the cigar, Castro made contact with the creator of the cigar and requested they be made for his own personal use. The cigars were produced in the El Laguito Factory for Castro using the unbranded tobacco.
In 1968, the Cuban state tobacco marketing bureau came up with the idea to name these cigars “Cohiba”. The word Cohiba is the name the indigenous people of Cuba gave to the bunches of tobacco leaves they rolled up and smoked. The Cuban people already knew about the uses for tobacco and smoked it before the arrival of the Spanish in 1492.
In 1968, these cigars were launched under the Cohiba branding, still only for Castro’s exclusive use.
The first Cohiba cigars were dispatched from the El Laguito Factory in 1968. The first three cigars were the Lanceros, Corona Especial and Panatellas.
In 1982, Castro relinquished his exclusive hold on Cohiba, and the brand was commercialised, with the cigars released for public sale.
Cohiba was launched as a premium cigar brand into markets outside of the US because of JFK’s embargo. The initial three styles of cigar were launched in conjunction with the World Cup hosted by Spain. This made Cohiba an almost overnight success!
The first cigars to be launched were the Coronas Especiales, Lanceros and Panetelas.
The tobacco used for Cohiba cigars comes from Cuba’s Vegas Finas de Primera (first-class fields). The location of this land was a closely guarded secret for many years, something of a genuine miracle as they managed to hide over 700 acres of tobacco fields in total!
This was certainly a necessary measure as the American CIA was aware of the attempt to revolutionise Cuba’s industries and had plans of sabotage.
Only ten selected fields are used to make tobacco for Cohiba cigars. It is estimated that only the output of five fields are utilised by the end of the cigar-making process due to strict quality control measures. The tobacco used as filler is unique to Cohiba cigars owing to a special third fermentation process in wooden barrels. This method is aimed at producing a smoother flavour than other cigars.
After the international success in 1982, with sales figures off the charts and plenty of room for expansion, the managing team at Cohiba decided that it was time to add more cigars to their collection.
The classic branch of cigars was launched in 1989, which included the Espléndido, Robustos and the Cohiba Exquisito, in addition to the Corona Especial, Lancero and Panetela from the initial Cohiba launch.
In 1992, the next addition to Cohiba cigars was introduced – the 1492 line. There were five models in the 1492 collection, named to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of Cuba. These were then rebranded as the Siglo range, featuring the cigars Siglo I, Siglo II, Siglo III, Siglo IV and Siglo V, with a special Siglo VI being added in 2002.
The Maduro 5 series was launched in 2007 with three cigars, the Magicos, Genios and Secretos, each being wrapped in dark Maduro leaves that were aged for five years.
One of the most famous launches from Cohiba was the Cohiba Behike line in 2010. Their most exclusive line since becoming a public brand, the Behike line contains the Behike 52, Behike 54 and Behike 56.
An exclusive luxury range, the Behike cigars are considered some of the greatest Cuban cigars ever made as they use an exquisite blend of top quality Cuban tobacco. The filler tobacco comes from some of the finest tobacco leaves in Cuba, including the rare Medio Tiempo leaves, which bring a complex flavour to the smoke.
These cigars are in high demand, and only a small amount are made, making the Behike range a premium price and highly collectable.
Cohiba also produces machine made cigars and mini cigarillos, such as the Cohiba Clubs.
Non-cigar products have also been branded under Cohiba, such as Cohiba Cigarettes and Cohiba Cognac.
What are your thoughts on the Cohiba brand and its range? If you haven’t tried them yet, then you can check out the full range of Cohiba cigars at Havana House.
One of the best Cubans of the Marevas size, the Por Larranaga Petit Corona provides a great balance between quality and price, offering extremely good value.
Today we’re reviewing this Por Larranga smoke to see if this is the cigar for you.
Owner: Habanos SA
Origin: Cuban
Wrapper: Claro
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Strength: Light – Medium
Size: Petit Corona (5 x 42)
Little hints of caramel and peanuts are present at the beginning, with drops of cream offering a very smooth opening. Throughout the first third, the flavours become well-blended, with a sweet, creamy notes through the nose, with fairly thick smoke.
As you reach the middle of the cigar, there’s a salty, nutty quality to this veiny Petit Corona that remains medium-bodied throughout.
The sweetness moves to the background, with a richness taking over. Through the nose you get a nice sweetness and notes of nutmeg.
Sometimes you get hints of caramel and sweet cream, but much less than in the first half. Instead, we see woody notes develop and last until the very end. The cigar performed very well, an extremely pleasant smoke.
Flawless.
30-40 minute smoke time, and the draw is spot on.
A fantastic showing from this delightful cigar. From the sweetness of the first third, the flavours developed into a smooth vanilla cream. As the cigar gently smoked down, the flavour deepened, bringing a touch of Cedar wood into the final third. A truly excellent cigar from a truly underrated Cuban brand.
Ross Rating: 8/10
Cuban cigars need Cuban rum and the Ron La Progresiva De Vigia 13 Cuban Rum (70cl / 41%) really is perfect for it.
A Dr Pepper Vanilla Float edition gives everything you need.
They come in a cabinet of 50 and I would have no problem with 50 in my humidor. Just a great quality Cuban smoke.
Want to try the Por Larranga Petit Corona for yourself? Shop here at Havana House for this incredible smoke, as well as many other flavourful Cuban Cigars to try!
Plus, you’ll get the inside scoop on information, latest products, our biggest savings and more!
