The History of Culebras

Everyone has a pretty good idea of what a cigar looks like – a long, brown tube of expertly rolled tobacco with a tapered end. And you wouldn’t be entirely wrong.

Until you came across the Culebra. Join us as we explore this unconventional type of cigar from how it originated right up to how to smoke it.

What Are Culebra Cigars?

Spanish for ‘snake’, a Culebra cigar isn’t so much one cigar, but three separate cigars plaited and then banded together. These eye-catching cigars are usually 5 – 6 inches in length and tend to come with a 38 ring gauge.

The Origin of Culebra Cigars

There is a bit of speculation as to how this twisted tobacco product came to be.

Perhaps the most commonly told story is that Culebras were made as a way to stop workers in cigar factories from taking more than their allotted three cigars a day.

When they’ve been pulled apart, the Culebra cigars hold their crooked and gnarled shape, so anyone seen smoking or taking a straight cigar could be called a thief. People were also less likely to want to buy a twisted cigar and so the factory workers wouldn’t be able to sell them on for their own profit.

This story is often scrutinized since any cigar roller could have made cigars into Culebras. Plus, the separate task of rolling Culebras specifically for the workers would have taken up a lot of valuable rolling time that the companies would be unlikely to waste.

Another origin story comes from the Philippines during the 19th century.

People believed that weaving together a few thinner cigars would help them to mature quicker. The idea, however, never really caught on in the rest of the world and cigar factories stuck to their own cigar maturing methods.

How Are Culebra Cigars Made?

Culebra cigars tend to be smaller than standard cigars. For example, a Corona, the benchmark cigar size, is a 42-44 ring gauge whereas the Culebras tend to be Panatelas with a 38 ring gauge.

To start, the individual Panatelas are rolled a little under-filled to make them smaller than usual. They’re also over-moistened to ensure the wrapper doesn’t split when the cigars are being braided together.

The three cigars are placed together and tied with a ribbon at the cap end before being braided together and tied with another ribbon at the opposite end.

Over time, the cigars began to mould together as they age and the extra moisture evaporates. The cigars then retain their twisted shape, even when they’re unbraided to be smoked.

How To Smoke A Culebra Cigar

At first glance, you might think Culebras cigars are meant to be smoked altogether as a set of three. While this is theoretically possible, we really don’t recommend it.

Instead, unwrap the ribbons on both ends and separate the cigars. Then, take one of the Panatelas to smoke and keep the other two safe and sound in a humidor (or whatever other method you’ve chosen to store your cigars).

If it’s a special occasion, you could always separate all three and share them with two friends for a great social smoking experience.

Despite its unique look, Culebra cigars are not the most popular choice for most aficionados and are often produced as part of a limited edition or small run that doesn’t stay for long. Culebras are, however, a rather rare novelty cigar that has since been considered a collectable!

If you’re looking for cigars online, why not check out our store where we have a great range of Cuban cigars from top brands like Ashton and Davidoff.