brand of Cuban cigars sold the most in the world is Monte Cristo, is the oldest Por Larrañaga, the one that has its factory is the most famous Partagas, the one with the widest range of cigars Romeo & Julieta is, names that sound like pillars of "cigaritude" Cuban. And yet, when you are raised in the streets of Old Havana by dealers to sly, it is none of these brands that will be written on the boxes that come out of their pockets as fast as a mojito from the hands of the bartender Floridita. For the brand that has the greatest attraction, much more recent, but manufactures its name and with a fairly narrow range but is now worldwide symbol of excellence Cuban cigar-maker, the brand, of course, c is Cohiba .
And we must recognize that with Cohiba cigars, one is assured of a good quality, regular and safe, but - throw the stone into the pond - which you rarely give the impression so extraordinary, smoking the best cigars in the world. Certainly there are exceptions like the recent Siglo VI and the very late Pyramids Limited Edition 2001 (picture below), but each of cigars from the rest of the range is easily surpassed by its counterparts from other brands, including including the renowned Robusto.
And we must recognize that with Cohiba cigars, one is assured of a good quality, regular and safe, but - throw the stone into the pond - which you rarely give the impression so extraordinary, smoking the best cigars in the world. Certainly there are exceptions like the recent Siglo VI and the very late Pyramids Limited Edition 2001 (picture below), but each of cigars from the rest of the range is easily surpassed by its counterparts from other brands, including including the renowned Robusto.
So why such a craze. Two main reasons. First is the cigar history of Fidel Castro and then it was very cleverly promoted by the Cubans to maintain the legend.
One day in 1963, attention is drawn to Fidel the smell of cigar, unknown to him but delicious. He realizes that "puro" which emerges is in the hands of his bodyguard Chicho and learn they are rolled him especially by his friend torcedor Eduardo Rivera. As of today Reviera roll the cigars long and thin (future Lanceros) for Fidel. And as it is sharer, he will receive some of his Cuban friends and strangers. So much so that Riviera can no longer keep up all alone and surrounded by eight women who will help him in his task, some of which we'll talk Norma Fernandez.
It was not until 1966 that, at the initiative of Celia Sanchez , female figure known but very influential of the Cuban Revolution, these cigars are brought to the baptismal font by the name of a brand new: Cohiba. Created for the occasion, she inspired the name that gave the Taino Indians to tobacco leaves rolled they smoked 500 years ago.
Then the marketing machine starts up. The range includes
first three cigars: Lanceros, and Coronas Especiales Panatellas. All three of the Linea Classica (Robustos, and Esplendidos Exquisitos) did not appear until 1989, shortly before the actual enlargement of the range, the Linea 1492, the Siglos of I, II, III, IV and V, the Siglo VI dating him, in 2002. With the characteristic of having ligament in his sheets having three instead of two fermentations, the Cohiba will be positioned very high quality, their prices are on average 50% more expensive than others. And it is a global success without being far from it, 50% better than the others. One can not help thinking - second stone in the pond (beware, it begins to be busy) - that the mere fact of being the most expensive that one could produce such success in smokers looking for more in a cigar Tasting a financial symbol ecstatic.
And this trend is not about to stop there because Habanos SA launched in February 2006 making "the most expensive cigar in the world," the " Behike ", named Taino shamans. It is a question of a cigar long (19 cm length Lanceros) and Cepo 52 (diameter of the Siglo VI). Only 100 boxes of 40 Behike will be produced and these 4000 cigars were all rolls El Laguito factory by the same person: Norma Fernandez (photo) which we spoke earlier. The price is 15 000 Euros box which clearly meets the original objective.
To offer these gems the most beautiful setting, Habanos has appealed to the French toymaker Elie Bleu, which is becoming more and more as the best manufacturer of cigars in the world. Made entirely in the workshops Elie Bleu sycamore, ebony, bone and stingray (ray skin), boxes, topped with a logo Cohiba central pearl, are individually numbered, like every other cigarette.
In total, it took two months of work, three hundred skins stripe of Indonesia two hundred and fifty pounds of ebony, more than a hundred shells of abalone China Sea, all for one hundred boxes. "An adventure!", As said the Head of Workshop Elie Bleu.
Finally, each box bears a plaque on behalf of the purchaser. Scoop on the issue, some plates are still virgins, what, when you are raised in the streets of Old Havana by scalpers offering you Behike, can you suggest that this is not fake . It would be the first time.
Pursuant to the Loi Evin 91-32, I remind you that "Smoking causes disease serious "and" Smoking kills ".
