Cuaba (cigar brand)

Cuaba is the name of a Cuban cigar brand produced in Cuba for Habanos SA, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company.

History

Cuaba was officially launched by Habanos president Francisco Linares on November 19th, 1996 at Claridge's Hotel in London, Great Britain, as an all-perfecto line of cigars. The brand was launched in an attempt to revive figurados, which had initially been very popular in the early 20th century but had declined since about the 1950's. For the release party, the creator of the line, Carlos Izquierdo González, and fourteen other highly-skilled "torcedores" (cigar rollers) demonstrated making figurado cigars. The original Cuabas were of slightly differing sizes within the same box, due to a cigar mold not being used to press them into shape. When molds were finally made for Cuaba around a year later, these original non-molded cigars became great collectors' items.

González claims he styled the Cuaba blend after Montecristo, but most cigar connoisseurs believe the blend used is more similar in taste to Romeo y Julieta. Coincidentally enough, most Cuaba cigars are manufactured in the Briones Montoto (Romeo y Julieta) factory.

In 1998, Cuaba had the distinction of being one of the cigar brands chosen to be released with a special vitola (the Distinguidos) in a Millennium Reserve ceramic jar humidor and is often a brand chosen for special releases and humidors.

"Vitolas" in the Cuban Cuaba Line

The following list of "vitolas" (sizes) within the Cuaba line lists their measurements in English and metric and their "vitolas de galera" (factory name).

"Hand-Made Vitolas"
*Divinos - 4" x 43 (101 x 17,07mm) Petit Bouquet, a perfecto
*Tradicionales - 4 3/4" x 42 (120 x 16.67mm) Favoritos, a perfecto
*Generosos - 5 1/4" x 42 (132mm 16.67mm) Generosos, a perfecto
*Exclusivos - 5 3/4" x 46 (145 x 18.26mm) Exquisitos, a perfecto
*Distinguidos - 6 3/8" x 52 (162 x 20.64mm) Romeos, a perfecto
*Salomónes - 6 7/8 x 57 (174 x 22.62mm) Salomones 1, a large perfecto or salomon
*Diademas - 9 1/8" x 55 (233 x 21.82mm) Diademas, a large perfecto or salomon

References

* Nee, Min Ron - "An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars" (2003, Reprinted: 2005), ISBN 3-9809308-2-3

See also

* Cigar brands

External links

* [http://www.habanos.com Official website of Habanos S.A.]
* [http://www.cigars-review.org/cigars/Cuaba.htm Reviews of Cuaba Cigars]
* [http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com Cuban Cigar Website]