What’s behind this iconic cigar brand?
According to the story, Castro was introduced to Cohiba cigars through his bodyguard, a man named Eugenio "Eddy" Perez in 1960.
Perez was a cigar aficionado and would often bring cigars from different brands for to try.
One day, Perez brought him a particularly special cigar.
He had obtained the cigar from a secret roller, who worked in the El Laguito factory, a small factory on the outskirts of Havana.
Perez offered it to the leader and he was immediately intrigued by the unique taste and smoothness of the cigar.
The commander was so impressed that he asked Perez to find out more about it.
Perez soon discovered that it was actually made by a small group of skilled rollers, who worked at El Laguito.
It was then decided to have them create a new brand of cigars specifically for the leader, his high-ranking officials and a few selected diplomatic visitors, a brand named Cohiba...
From Fidel Castro's private stock to a global sensation
The name "Cohiba" itself is a Taino word.
The Taino being the indigenous Caribbean people who were present before the arrival of Europeans.
The word "Cohiba" means "smoke" or "tobacco" and was chosen to reflect the brand's connection to the rich tradition of tobacco cultivation in Cuba.
The logo features a stylized image of an Indian chief, the traditional emblem of the Taino people.
This emblem represents the company's roots and its commitment to producing cigars of the highest quality.
Synonymous with luxury and exclusivity, Cohiba was the first Cuban cigars brand to be officially exported to other countries in 1982. Since then, Cohiba's success has only increased. Today, it's considered by most aficionados as "Havana's finest".
