Cohiba is the premier brand amongst Habanos. It was created in 1966 specifically for the Máximo Líder, Fidel Castro. For a long time, its place of origin was a closely guarded secret, as no one was meant to know where it came from. Essentially, Cohiba was for a long time the unofficial house brand of the country’s leadership and was virtually impossible to get hold of outside this inner circle. With one major exception: as a gift reserved exclusively for high-ranking state guests.
It was not until 1982 that the decision was taken to release a limited allocation onto the open market. By this point at the latest, the place of origin had become widely known amongst aficionados around the world: the El Laguito factory in Havana. The former villa of a sugar baron is the birthplace of this first post-revolutionary brand. It is situated a good distance outside the city in the Cubanacán district, which is why its location was able to remain a secret for so long. It is here that the cream of the crop is selected to become a Cohiba – the very best of the Habanos.
Among the classics of the Cohiba range are the Cohiba Robusto, Cohiba Siglo I and the Cohiba Behike 56. Incidentally, Fidel Castro’s favourite cigar was the Cohiba Lanceros.
