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Major brands of cigars, Hoyo de Monterrey cigar

Second in the series on brands Cuban cigars , we lose ourselves in today Hoyo de Monterrey .

Hoyo de Monterey is primarily the story of a land, in a backwater of Western Cuba. This is true to say since the literal translation of the word "hoyo" is precisely "hole." By extension, it is actually a hole, a valley in the mountainous region of Vuelta Abajo, where produces the best cigar tobacco in the world. But

Hoyo de Monterey is also, as often in the history of Cuban brands, a family saga with multiple episodes, worthy of a TV series. The central character, a English native Taragon in Catalonia, called José Gener y Batet . He arrived in Cuba one morning in 1831 at the age of 13 years to work with his uncle, who operates a tobacco plantation called "the Majagua" with which it produces the same cigarillos name for the local market. Everything is fine for a while but, with age, Jose developed a strong ambition. He wants to tackle the world and not with cigarillos he will succeed.

In 1850, he founded therefore a cigar factory in Havana, then created the brand "The Escepcion " for the U.S. market. From there, the events will be linked together at a breakneck pace. Successful Brand "The Escepcion" allows it to acquire a holding in 1860 in Vuelta Abajo, named " Hoyo de Monterrey "Which one can still see the gate today. But only five years later he created the brand of the same name. Unlike "The Escepcion" cigars "Hoyo de Monterrey are softer and subtle for the English market.

In 1895, after 30 years of enlightened management but almost despotic, the House is one of the most successful of Cuba, with 350 employees. This is the moment chosen by Jose Gener to die during one of his visits to the homeland. His daughter takes over Lutgard Gener but unable to resist pressure from the family that gives priority to sugar plantations. It no surprise that in 1931, 100 years after the arrival of Jose, the two brands are sold Palicio Fernando and Ramon Fernandez, who already operate brands Punch and Belinda .

In the late 1940s, Hoyo is chosen by Zino Davidoff to produce his famous series of castles, he will eventually recover under its own brand in 1969.

Hoyo de Monterrey is today a leading brand of Cuban cigars, with a relatively wide range of 18 cigars, including 3 limited series of very good quality: Particulares 2000 and 2001, Piramides 2003 (below) and Epicure Especial 2004.



The 6 cigars from the series "The Hoyo" (of the Gods Gourmet, the mayor, the King, Prince and Deputy, in French) are quite disappointing and it is not within its that are the flagships from the house: the " Epicure No. 2 , a Robusto thin and light and especially the" Double Corona "classic among classics, which is one of my favorite cigars, particularly with some years of aging. Select

rather than box office from 50 to 25 and you will have the privilege to try one of the most successful Cuban cigar maker's art. True to the spirit of the brand, "Double Co (pictured below) is resolutely finesse more than power, while demonstrating outstanding architecture, carved, impressive accuracy. At ignition, the cigar leaves his beneficiary moved calmly in the tasting, letting himself almost desired. With an escalation level, it begins to distill its vegetal flavors, almost floral at first and then moving in a wooded register before to be further enriched by multiple spicy sensations. The brand inspires a feeling of fullness and balance of a great elegance, which allows to keep the distance without feeling too soon satiated.

Once is not custom, we recommend the accompaniment of an old Cuban rum (usually I have a strong preference for agricultural rums from Martinique). His gentleness and his side a little sweet, which irritate us with vitola who the real sponsor, is what to drink with a Hoyo. Without, of course, drinking as a "hoyo". According

to the Evin Law 91-32, I remind you that "Smoking causes serious diseases" and "Smoking kills"

Russian To English Mw2

Marketing evolving

Now the long version of an article published three months ago in a new magazine gourmet kitchens that I recommend very strongly: Gusto.

His publisher had the good idea to want a cigarette topic with an approach somewhat offset, that's good, I like write.

In Cuba, marketing gold brown

Certainly not when it engages in tasting a Havana that the amateur has the spirit occupied by questions of money. The pleasure is too full, too full to let parasitize by market considerations. One of the major pleasures of cigar is precisely this tendency to forget the concerns so-called major life every day to focus on the joys as simple as the touch of a cape, maternal monitoring of combustion or the perception escalation of aromatic sensations. Futile, apparently? Perhaps, but is not this just the beginning of wisdom?

Across the Atlantic, Cuba is a different story. Since June 23, 1817, when the abolition of the English royal monopoly allows Cuba to produce and export cigars, the Havana is certainly a pleasure, but above all a product. History of brands and factories is a real capitalist saga where one finds all the ingredients of a novel in the Sulitzer: soared young innovative entrepreneurs, family dynasties turbulent, bankruptcies, attempted takeover by foreign trusts, ... In short, more picturesque, the game's traditional liberalism, but unbridled fertility, leading to the Havana sit atop the hierarchy of the produce of land and labor of men is the cigar.

All this ends abruptly in 1959, the date of the seizure of power by the Castro regime, which nationalized all economic activities of the island, including cigarette maker. A period of stagnation during which Fidel Castro, even if its Lanceros still smokes, is especially busy finding a place in the galaxy to the red star which, it is key demand of essential commodities like sugar.
The fall of the Communist empire is a disaster for Cuba, which is deprived of its main source of foreign currency, while still under U.S. embargo since 1962. In the mid-1990s, Fidel, while paradoxically himself stopped smoking, is launching an ambitious plan to develop the production of cigars that happen in 5 years from 50 to nearly 150 million Havana, to arrive to be between 5 and 10% of foreign exchange earnings of the country. With the obvious consequences of such rapid growth under a regime of this kind: lower quality, disorganization, lack of listening to the wishes of the consumer and therefore strategic vision.

There was only one choice, brave as far from the Marxist ideals: to get help from foreign experts with knowledge of international market and therefore able to adapt in order to optimize economic results . If Tabacuba, the company responsible for production remains 100% Cuban Habanos, Habanos SA responsible for marketing renter did in 1999 at 50% the company Altadis , merged the same year the French Seita and from English Tabacalera.

Spurred on by new blood, Habanos SA will fundamentally transform the sector around key ideas in the purest classical marketing. Step 1: Dust and rationalizing existing product lines (almost 600 different cigars), Step 2: revitalization by upgrading the image and creating new products tailored to market demands. And at no charge!

Since 2002, the number of references is divided by two is the abandonment of 300 cigars, some classics like the Prince of Wales Romeo y Julieta. All with a true sense of the range around a the Pyramid of Marks (cons graphic below), created by the Cubans in 1988 to establish a hierarchy of quality, but reinstated, or rather rigorously.

Conversely, we are witnessing the introduction, very rare, however, new cigars, the design is the direct result of actual studies to meet the demands of a changing market more and more. Thus, to the growing success of large diameter cigars robusto type were launched from the Montecristo Edmundo (Robusto long, "said" cañonazo ") and the small Robusto from Hoyo de Monterrey.

In parallel, the year 2000 saw the emergence of "Edicion Limitada cigars that are not found in the ranges that are produced on time and with aged tobacco leaves, a beautiful dark color" maduro " . With the notable exception of 2002, each year has seen since its share of limited editions, some of which are already stars like the Partagas Piramides Cohiba Sublime 2000 or 2004. The first "Edicion Limitada" (2000 and 2001) are now unavailable for sale and has begun to fuel the market for collectors. Curiously in 2006 rééeditions of EL are success of 2000 (Montecristo Robusto) and 2001 (Piramides Cohiba and Partagas Serie DN ° 3). See cons below.


Today, although we are sometimes frustrated by occasional irregularities, it is clear that the Cuban cigar recovered in running order, determined to be ready for the day, not necessarily too long ago when the U.S. embargo is lifted. That day, thousands of new users, deprived of Cuban cigars for years, will probably want to catch up and it will be another revolution.

Meanwhile, after this little interlude historico-economic let's get back to really important things: a dear friend offered me a Gold Medal of Bolivar and since I have it in hand I can not let go. I can tell you that this product type with one hand has not been easy and rewarding for me, I will not turn on this.


According to the Evin Law 91-32, I remind you that "Smoking causes serious diseases" and "Smoking kills".