千里達

Cuba's Greatest Secret

If Cohiba is the cigar of the Revolution and H. Upmann is Kennedy's cigar, Trinidad is the true "secret cigar" - born in 1969, discovered by the world only in 1992, and available to acquire only in 1998. Its story is closer to a spy novel than that of any other cigar brand.

The story begins in 1969 at the El Laguito factory. At the time, Cohiba had been founded for only 3 years and was Castro's diplomatic gift cigar. But the Cuban government wanted a second diplomatic cigar - a rarer, more distinctive option. Trinidad was born in this context.

The brand name comes from the 16th-century historic Cuban city La Santísima Trinidad (the City of the Holy Trinity), located in Sancti Spíritus Province in central Cuba.

28 Years of "Secret Production"

From 1969 to 1997, for a full 28 years, Trinidad was truly the "Diplomatic Trinidad" -

• Extremely small production: El Laguito produced only about 2,000 cigars per month (20 boxes)
• Not in shops: It was never publicly sold anywhere
• Plain packaging: Unvarnished cedar boxes, 100 cigars per box
• No markings of any kind: No official logo on the box, no certification, and no evidence showing that this was a state brand
• Single vitola: Only one size, Laguito No.1 (7.6" × 38, 192mm), exactly the same as the Cohiba Lancero
• Perilla at the head: The head of the cigar featured a "pigtail twist", a trait that later became Trinidad's identifying mark

The man who made this secret cigar was Avelino Lara - the manager of the El Laguito factory, the chief maker of Cohiba, and the creator of Trinidad. He was one of the most mysterious and legendary figures in the Cuban cigar industry. He passed away on October 27, 2009.

1992: The Secret Is Exposed

In 1992, Avelino Lara accepted an interview with Cigar Aficionado and publicly revealed the existence of the Trinidad brand for the first time. His words drove cigar connoisseurs around the world wild:

"Trinidad is a diplomatic cigar that only Castro himself could authorize for release, and its quality is higher than Cohiba. This is the selection of the selection of the selection - the finest of the finest of the finest."

The title of the Cigar Aficionado article was "Trinidad: Cuba's Best-Kept Secret".

But Lara's statement was later disputed. Castro claimed in his autobiography My Life: A Spoken Autobiography that he "knew almost nothing about the Trinidad brand" - he had only ever used Cohiba as diplomatic gifts. Former Habanos S.A. executive Adriano Martínez noted in Min Ron Nee's authoritative work Illustrated Encyclopedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars that Trinidad was in fact a "secondary diplomatic gift", with a blend similar to Cohiba but without the third barrel fermentation (a key process for Cohiba).

What is the truth? Most likely: Trinidad was indeed a diplomatic gift used by the government, but it was not "more premium than Cohiba"; it was "another option" - Lara's pride in his own creation led him to exaggerate somewhat.

In any case, Trinidad truly is one of the most mysterious and rarest brands in the cigar industry - this fact cannot be denied.

1994 Paris Dinner: First Public Appearance

In October 1994, Cigar Aficionado editor Marvin R. Shanken hosted the "Dinner of the Century" in Paris - one of the grandest charity dinners in the history of the cigar industry. Trinidad appeared outside diplomatic circles for the first time at this event.

The first people outside the diplomatic circle to appreciate Trinidad did so at this dinner. From then on, the world began pursuing Trinidad.

1997: The USD $456 Per Cigar Auction Record

In May 1997, a box of 25 Diplomatic Trinidad cigars sold at Christie's Geneva for 16,100 Swiss francs (about USD $11,400) - an average of USD $456 per cigar, far exceeding the estimate of 5,500-7,500 Swiss francs.

When Hunters & Frankau marketing director Simon Chase heard the news, he said only one thing: "Bloody hell."

This price was a cigar auction record in 1997. Today, genuine Diplomatic Trinidad cigars aged 30+ years can reach USD $500-1,500 per cigar on the auction market, making them one of the holy grails of cigar collecting.

February 1998: Finally Enters the Commercial Market

The 29-year secret finally came to an end. In February 1998, the Trinidad brand was formally launched at the Habana Libre Hotel in Havana.

But there were key differences between the commercial version and the diplomatic version:

• The vitola changed: The commercial Fundadores (7½ × 40) was slightly thicker than the Diplomatic Laguito No.1 (7.6" × 38), with a ring gauge of 40 rather than 38
• Blend accounts vary: Habanos officially stated that "the blend did not change", but the industry generally believes that Diplomatic Trinidad was personally directed by Lara, while the commercial version was industrialized production - with a difference in refinement
• Diplomatic discontinued: From 1997 onward, Diplomatic Trinidad was officially discontinued, and the standard Fundadores was later used as the diplomatic gift cigar

Fundadores received 90 points in a blind review by Cigar Insider in April 1998 - a good beginning, but without the mythic aura of the Diplomatic.

2003: Trinidad Finally Becomes More Than a Long Panetela

From 1969 to 2003, for a full 34 years, Trinidad had only one basic form: the "long Panetela". This limited the brand's expansion.

In November 2003, UK distributor Hunters & Frankau held a black tie dinner at the Hilton Park Lane in London and introduced three new Trinidad sizes:

• Reyes (4⅓ × 40, Petit Corona) - 30-minute experience
• Coloniales (5¼ × 44, Corona) - 45-60 minutes
• Robusto Extra (6⅛ × 50) - the representative thick-bodied format

From then on, Trinidad finally had a complete product line.

At the end of 2004, because Trinidad demand exceeded the production capacity of the El Laguito factory, production was moved to Pinar del Río Province - the tobacco-growing region itself. Many experts consider this area the best tobacco-growing region in the world.

Subsequent developments:

• Robusto T (4⅞ × 50, 2009)
• Vigía (4 × 54, 2014) - a short, thick-bodied format
• Topes EL 2016 (4⅞ × 56) - ring gauge 56, 92 points from Cigar Aficionado
• Media Luna EL 2017 (moon-shaped)
• 50 Aniversario Humidor 2019 (50th anniversary)
• La Trova EL 2021 (a tribute to Cuban Trova music)
• Vintage 10 Edición 2024 (aged 10-14 years, with humidor made by S.T. Dupont; the first 55 include an exclusive design by French designer Charaf Tajer)

Flavor: The "Clean Version" of Cohiba

Trinidad's flavor positioning is very clear - it is the "clean version" of Cohiba:

• Strength: Medium (slightly lighter than Cohiba, slightly heavier than Romeo y Julieta)
• Flavor: Creamy coffee, cedar, nuts, faint floral notes, light pepper
• Positioning: A representative of "elegant strength", occupying the sweet spot between Cohiba and Hoyo de Monterrey

Trinidad tobacco comes from the finest farms in the Vuelta Abajo region. In essence, it shares the same origin as Cohiba - both came from the El Laguito factory. But Trinidad does not have Cohiba's third barrel fermentation, so its flavor is "cleaner", with less vinous aroma and a purer cedar character.

If you like Cohiba but find it "too complex and too dense", Trinidad is the perfect choice.

All Cuban Trinidad cigars are "totalmente a mano con tripa larga" (fully handmade, long filler). The perilla at the head (pigtail twist) is Trinidad's visual trademark - very few other brands use this technique.

Flagship Products: 5 You Should Know

Fundadores (7½ × 40, Laguito Especial) - the soul and origin of the brand. A long Panetela format, a 2-hour experience, and a true "ceremonial cigar". If you can have only one Trinidad, this is the one.

Reyes (4⅓ × 40, Petit Corona) - Trinidad's shortest and most approachable size, a 30-minute experience. Highly favored by connoisseurs with limited time who still want to experience the brand's flavor.

Coloniales (5¼ × 44, Corona) - a medium-format Trinidad, 45-60 minutes, and the brand's most recommended choice for "daily appreciation".

Vigía (4 × 54) - a short, thick-bodied format, representing Trinidad's entry into the "modern cigar trend".

Vintage 10 Edición 2024 - the debut release of Habanos' new "Vintage Programme", a Trinidad aged 10-14 years. It is currently the brand's most precious limited release, with each humidor limited to 1,000 units.

What the Chinese-Speaking World Should Know About Trinidad

For Chinese connoisseurs in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, several key facts matter:

1. Trinidad is known in Chinese collecting circles as "El Laguito's second brand": After you have gone through the full Cohiba range and need a new challenge, Trinidad is the most natural next step. The same factory, the same craftsmanship, but a different flavor experience.

2. Trinidad Patricios 2026 is an exclusive project for the Chinese market: It commemorates the Chinese Lunar Year of the Horse, limited to 8,888 cigars (an auspicious number in Chinese culture), with the standard B band plus a special Year of the Horse foot band, 18 cigars per box. It is the brand's latest project for the Chinese market and a must-have for collectors.

3. Diplomatic Trinidad (1969-1997) is the true holy grail: If you can find Diplomatic Trinidad from before the 1990s, at USD $500-1,500 per cigar, it is one of the ultimate goals of cigar collecting. Key identification points: unvarnished cedar box, no official markings of any kind, Laguito No.1 format (38 ring gauge rather than 40).

4. Fundadores is not a substitute for Cohiba Lancero: Many beginners think Trinidad Fundadores is the "cheaper version of Cohiba Lancero" - this is wrong. It is another flavor experience - cleaner, more direct, with purer cedar and cream, without Cohiba's barrel aroma.

5. The 2024 Vintage 10 Edición is a collecting focus: Aging for 10-14 years is extremely rare in the cigar industry, and with the S.T. Dupont limited humidor, its future collectible value is promising. Current acquisition remains within a reasonable price range, making it a long-term investment option.

Why Trinidad Is "The Next Stop After Cohiba"

What makes Trinidad special is that it carries the craftsmanship soul of El Laguito, yet has taken its own path.

For beginners, Reyes is an entry point into the world of top Cuban cigars in 30 minutes - less expensive than Cohiba's entry-level options, yet likewise produced by the El Laguito factory.

For seasoned connoisseurs, Fundadores is a "ceremonial cigar" - a 2-hour long Panetela experience, and a perfect choice alongside aged rum and deep conversation. Vintage 10 is a model of modern Cuban cigar aging.

For connoisseurs at the level of Cuban factory directors, Trinidad also has two unique values:

• It is the cigar industry's most perfect case of a "secret exposed" - a real 28-year secret, more compelling than any marketing story
• It proves that "not being Cohiba can still be El Laguito" - the same factory can produce cigars with entirely different flavors, which is the deepest mastery of cigar craftsmanship

That plain cedar box was once something only Castro could open. Today it is in your hands - that is the romance of Trinidad.

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Appreciating Trinidad at W Cigar Bar

Trinidad is one of the Cuban cigars that W Cigar Bar (located in Da'an District, Taipei City) continually recommends to connoisseurs. The Trinidad series appreciation experience personally planned by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai - from entry-level regular productions to rare Edición Regional and Limitada releases - allows Taipei cigar lounge connoisseurs to fully understand the brand's context in a cigar dining bar-level appreciation space.

W Cigar Bar advances through four official channels for Cuban cigars: PCC authorized dealer (Pacific Cigar Company), official Cuban state-run stores, Swiss sole agent, and Spanish sole agent - diversified official sourcing and multiple chains of authenticity certification, which are the most crucial lineage for Taiwan cigar connoisseurs when identifying authenticity. W Cigar Bar also provides multi-year aged versions for appreciation and collecting, making it one of the few cigar dining bars in Da'an District with both orthodox Habanos lineage and aging depth. For Trinidad connoisseurs:

• Beginners: Experiencing Trinidad Reyes at W Cigar Bar is the simplest entry point for experiencing the flavor of Trinidad's mysterious diplomatic cigar
• Advanced connoisseurs: W Cigar Bar's VIP cigar cellar service can store Trinidad Vintage 10 and limited Edición Limitada formats
• Collectors: W Cigar Bar regularly introduces limited Edición Regional and Edición Limitada Trinidad series

W Cigar Bible (bible.wcigarbar.com) is W Cigar Bar's cigar culture knowledge base, created with dedication by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai, organizing the complete history, craftsmanship, products, and cultural stories of 60+ Cuban and non-Cuban brands.

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© W Cigar Bar｜This article was written and planned by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai｜Located in Da'an District, Taipei City

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W Cigar Bible bible.wcigarbar.com｜This article is purely for educational purposes regarding cigar culture, history, and craftsmanship, and does not involve product sales promotion