Era 1: The Indigenous Age (Before the Common Era-1492)

The Tobacco Rituals of the Taíno Indigenous People

Taíno -- the Caribbean Indigenous people of pre-Columbian Cuba -- regarded tobacco as a sacred plant: for religious rituals (shamans smoking to communicate with spirits), healing (believing tobacco smoke could treat illness), and social interaction (the core of tribal councils).

In the Taíno language, Cohiba (or cojiba) = "tobacco roll" -- this is the origin of the modern "Cohiba" brand name.

The Origin of the Word "Tabaco"

There are two schools of thought: one holds that the Taíno word "tabaco" originally referred to the smoking implement used for rolled tobacco leaves (a tube-like object), and that the Spanish mistakenly took it as the name of the plant itself; the other believes it evolved from the place name of the Caribbean island Tobago. There is no absolute consensus.

The Tragedy of Rodrigo de Jerez

The first person to bring tobacco back to Europe -- when he smoked publicly in Spain, he was arrested by the Inquisition on the charge of "summoning demons" and imprisoned for 7 years. By the time he was released, tobacco had already become widespread in Europe.

Era 2: Colonization and Commercialization (1500-1800)

The Tobacco Industry under Spanish Colonial Rule

1500s: Tobacco cultivation spread to Spain and Portugal, and was initially regarded as medicine. Nicolás Monardes (a Spanish physician) published Medical Uses of Tobacco in 1571.

1600s: European demand for tobacco surged, Cuba became a major supplier, and the Spanish Crown monopolized the Cuban tobacco trade.

1717: The Spanish Crown established the Real Factoría de Tabacos (Royal Tobacco Company), monopolizing the buying and selling of Cuban tobacco. This triggered the 1717 / 1720 / 1723 three Vegueros uprisings -- the first wave of anti-colonial armed resistance in Cuban history.

The 1817 Free Trade Decree

March 21, 1817: King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a free trade decree, abolishing the tobacco monopoly (Estanco de Tabaco) -- Cuban cigar exports exploded globally, and Havana became the world's tobacco center. The years 1820-1860 were the golden age of the Cuban cigar industry.

Era 3: The Golden Age and the Birth of Brands (1800-1900)

Cuban cigar brands founded in the mid-to-late 19th century:

Industry consensus: this generation was the "foundational period" of Cuban cigar culture, and the roots of most modern brands lie in the 19th century.

The Shakespearean Origins of Romeo y Julieta

Romeo y Julieta was founded in 1875 and named after Shakespeare's play. Inocencio Álvarez institutionalized the factory workers' tradition of reading aloud -- the Lector (reader) would read novels such as Romeo and Juliet and The Count of Monte Cristo (which later became the source of the Montecristo brand name) aloud to entertain the workers. This Lector tradition still exists today in some Cuban cigar factories.

Era 4: The Spanish-American War and U.S. Involvement (1898-1959)

The 1898 Spanish-American War

April-August 1898: The Spanish-American War broke out, and Cuba broke away from Spanish rule. Its impact on the cigar industry: large numbers of American cigar merchants moved into Cuba, while some Cuban tobacco farmers moved to the United States (Tampa, Florida became a major Cuban-exile cigar stronghold, and Tampa's Ybor City district became the "Havana of America").

The Starting Point of Arturo Fuente

1912: At age 24, Arturo Fuente (born in Güines, Cuba in 1888; immigrated to the United States in 1902) founded Fuente cigars in West Tampa -- the starting point of what later became a century-old family enterprise. In 1922, it reached its peak with 500 employees. In 1924, while Arturo was in Cuba purchasing tobacco leaves, the factory caught fire and production stopped for 22 years.

The Golden 60 Years, 1898-1959

Cuba and the United States had a special economic relationship; Cuban cigars were exported mainly to the United States; Cohiba had not yet appeared; the concept of Habanos had not yet been unified; factories were dispersed and brands operated independently.

Era 5: Revolution and Nationalization (1959-1962)

January 1, 1959

The revolution led by Fidel Castro succeeded, and Cuba's new government was established. Its impact on the cigar industry: from 1959 to 1960, all cigar factories were nationalized, private brands were taken over by the state, and most factory owners and tobacco farmers fled Cuba (later rebuilding brands such as Padrón, Fuente, and Davidoff).

Castro and the Birth of Cohiba

1966: Castro's personal bodyguard Eduardo Ribera Irizarri (written as Eduardo Rivera in some sources) smoked a self-rolled cigar. After Castro tasted it, he liked it greatly. Castro ordered it to be put into production, manufactured exclusively at the El Laguito factory (in the suburbs of Havana, formerly the aristocratic villa Quinta del Pino), and named it Cohiba (meaning "tobacco roll" in Taíno).

1966-1982: Cohiba was reserved exclusively for Castro personally and as diplomatic gifts; it was not sold on the public market. In 1982, Cubatabaco commercialized it publicly.

February 7, 1962 -- The Day That Changed the Cigar World

JFK signed Proclamation 3447: a full embargo against Cuba took effect, Cuban cigars were prohibited from entering the United States, and this has continued for 64+ years to this day.

The story of JFK's 1,200 cigars: On February 6, 1962 (the day before the embargo took effect), JFK sent press secretary Pierre Salinger to purchase 1,200 H. Upmann Petit Coronas. The next morning, Salinger reported, "I got 1,200," and only then did JFK sign the embargo order. Salinger confirmed this in his autobiography -- it is a true story in the industry with historical basis.

Era 6: Division and Reconstruction (1962-1994)

The "Alternative Cuba" in the U.S. Market

After the 1962 embargo, cigar enthusiasts in the United States could no longer buy Cuban cigars, and the market urgently needed alternatives:

• Dominican Republic: Became a major non-Cuban cigar production area (Davidoff, Macanudo, Fuente)
• Nicaragua: Attracted Cuban-exile craftsmen (Padrón in Miami in 1964, moved to Estelí in 1970)
• Honduras: One of the "cigar supply regions of America"

The Embargo Paradox of Cuban Cigars

Two paradoxes: 1) Cuban cigars became a "forbidden fruit," and enthusiasts outside the United States became even more fervent; 2) Cuba lost its largest market, causing long-term economic damage.

The Reconstruction of Cuban-Exile Families

1. The Padrón family: Exiled from Pinar del Río, Cuba in 1961; reached Miami via Spain and New York; relied on $60 per month in relief and $600 in carpentry savings; founded Padrón on 1964/9/8; moved to Estelí in 1970, where it remains today.

2. The Fuente family: After the 1924 fire at the Tampa factory, production stopped for 22 years; returned in 1946; Carlos Fuente Sr. took over in 1958; the Nicaragua factory was burned down in 1979; moved to Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic in 1980 to rebuild; launched the legendary Fuente Fuente OpusX in 1995.

3. The García family (My Father): José "Pepín" García accumulated 30+ years of cigar rolling and tobacco leaf expertise in Cuban cigar factories; went into exile in Miami in 1996; founded My Father in Nicaragua in 2003; represents the last wave of 21st-century Cuban-exile heritage.

Davidoff's "Divorce"

1989: Zino Davidoff made a historic decision in response to declining Cuban Davidoff quality -- publicly destroying Cuban Davidoff inventory worth one million pounds, about 250,000 cigars, in the London flagship store.

1990: Davidoff formally ended its OEM relationship with Cubatabaco.

1991: It rebuilt in partnership with Tabadom in Villa González in the Dominican Republic's Cibao Valley; this was later acquired as a wholly owned subsidiary of Oettinger Davidoff.

Era 7: Habanos S.A. and Modernization (1994-2010)

The Establishment of Habanos S.A.

1994: The Cuban government's Cubatabaco and France's SEITA established Habanos S.A. as a 50/50 joint venture.

• 1999: SEITA and Spain's Tabacalera merged to form Altadis -- Habanos's Spanish partner officially appeared under the Altadis name
• 2008: Britain's Imperial Tobacco (today Imperial Brands) acquired Altadis and indirectly held 50% of Habanos S.A.
• 2020: Imperial Brands sold its 50% Habanos stake to Allied Cigar Corporation -- the contemporary non-Cuban major shareholder of Habanos

Unified management of all Cuban cigar brands, establishment of a global distribution network, and modern brand marketing.

The Global Distribution System

Habanos S.A. distributes through regional general agents and distributors: PCC (Pacific Cigar Company) in Asia-Pacific, 5thAvenue / Phoenicia in Europe, the official Cuban retail global chain Casa del Habano, and multiple channels including Spain and Switzerland. Taiwan's "four formal channels for Cuban cigars" are an extension of this system: PCC authorized + Cuban official state-owned store + Swiss general agent + Spanish general agent.

Cohiba Behike -- The Modern Pinnacle of Cuban Cigars

February 2010 XII Habano Festival: Habanos launched the Cohiba Behike series (BHK 52 / 54 / 56). Containing the rare top leaves Medio Tiempo (the rarest 1-2 leaves at the very top of the tobacco plant), with a global quota system, it became the king of modern Cuban cigars. In 2024, the launch of the limited-edition BHK 58 further elevated its flagship status.

Era 8: The Present and the Future (2010-Present)

Contemporary Issues in the Cigar World

The political back-and-forth of the U.S. embargo:

• 2014-2017 Obama thaw (relaxed personal importation)
• 2017-2021 Trump tightened again (NSPM-5, SSOT)
• 2021-2024 Biden partially loosened restrictions
• 2025/1/14 Biden removed Cuba from SSOT, 1/20 Trump revoked it (it never took effect)
• 2026/5/1 Trump EO 14404 -- the strictest single executive order in history, including secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions

Cuba's economic difficulties: Tobacco leaf output for cigars has been affected, some batches have drawn quality controversy, and demand in emerging markets (Asia) has grown.

The rise of the Asian market: High-end cigar consumption in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia has grown rapidly, and professional spaces such as W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar Lounge have appeared.

Capadura -- The Birth of an Asian Chinese Cigar Brand

2023: Cigar Prince Wilson Tsai founded Capadura in Taiwan -- the first premium cigar brand in Asia created by a person of Chinese heritage. Its significance: top Dominican / Nicaraguan craftsmanship + an Asian Chinese cultural positioning, a voice for Asian Chinese people in the global cigar world, and a historic breakthrough "from consumer to producer."

The Core Lessons of 534 Years

Lesson 1 -- Cigars are a mirror of civilization: From Taíno religious rituals -> Spanish colonial commodity -> Cuba's golden age -> the U.S. embargo -> the global Habanos system -- cigars reflect 5 centuries of political, economic, and cultural change.

Lesson 2 -- Top quality never goes out of date: Brands founded in the 19th century (Partagás, H. Upmann, Romeo y Julieta, Hoyo de Monterrey, Punch, Bolívar) remain at the top today -- true craftsmanship transcends eras.

Lesson 3 -- The reconstruction of exile families proves craftsmanship is greater than geography: Padrón, Fuente, and García rebuilt cigar dynasties in foreign lands -- craft wisdom has no borders.

Lesson 4 -- Markets are always changing: From Spanish royal monopoly -> free trade -> the U.S. embargo -> global distribution -> 2026 EO 14404 -- every era has different dominant forces.

Conclusion

534 years of cigar civilization -- from Columbus's scouts to Wilson Tsai's Capadura -- this is humanity's most enduring luxury-goods culture. Understand this history, and when you smoke a cigar, you are not merely smoking tobacco leaves; you are participating in a civilizational inheritance spanning 5 centuries.

W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar Lounge・Da'an District, Taipei・Cuban cigars from four formal channels (PCC authorized dealer・Cuban official state-owned store・Swiss general agent・Spanish general agent)・General agent for LUBINSKI Italian accessories・Cigar bistro・Da'an flagship store with 33 VIP cigar lockers (24-hour aging) maintained by dedicated staff・Founding store of the Capadura cigar brand -- Asia's first Chinese cigar brand.

Reservation: Da'an Flagship Store. Accessories reference: cigarclub.tw.

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