Cohiba Cigars and Castro – A Love Story
As arguably the world’s most famous communist, it may surprise you that Fidel Castro once
engaged in that most capitalist of activities – hoarding a popular product for himself and his
party members. This was once the case with Cohiba cigars, though – now one of the world’s
most famous and popular cigar brands.
Cohiba cigars from Cuba are filled with tobacco grown exclusively in the Vuelta Abajo region,
which enjoys additional fermentation. The origin story of Cohiba cigars dates to the mid-1960s,
when they were individually rolled by one man – Eduardo Riviera.
When one of Castro’s bodyguards provided the leader with a Cohiba cigar, he loved it so much
that he ordered a special production run. These cigars were to be unbranded and made
available only to the top brass of the Cuban government.
Before long, Cohiba cigars were considered as much a part of the Cuban revolution as the
clothing and facial hear that Castro made famous. By 1968, the brand was officially named but
still only produced cigars for a select few. Cohiba cigars were also presented to overseas
diplomats as gifts by Cuban officials.
It would not be until 1982, while Castro was still in power, that Cohiba cigars were made
available for general sale. This year also saw the FIFA World Cup unfold in Spain, and Cohiba
cigars underwent a significant marketing push in line with the tournament. This was also when
Cohiba cigars gained their now-famous black and yellow branding.
Today, Cohiba cigars are widely recognised as among the finest tobacco products to emanate
from Cuba. They may not be the bestselling – that honour still belongs to Montecristo – but
many experts and pundits declare Cohiba cigars a superior smoke. To this end, Cohiba cigars
are still considered a mark of genuine quality, regardless of the six traditional shapes you may
choose to smoke.
Of course, like all Cuban cigar brands, Cohiba cigars are also available in limited editions that
celebrate historical events and anniversaries. Do not be fooled into picking up a box of Cohiba
cigars from the Dominican Republic, though. These cigars use the brand name only and contain
no Cuban tobacco. The branding is simply an exercise in circumventing the import ban on
Cuban cigars to the United States by exploiting the popularity of Cohibas. It seems that no
matter what approach is taken, there is no escaping an eventual capitalist approach to the glory
of Cohiba cigars.
Source - https://www.selfposts.com/cohiba-cigars-and-castro-a-love-story/