The World’s Oldest Cigar Brands Revealed

One of the most important aspects of the cigar life is history and heritage. Cigars and cigarmaking are one of the few traditional Old World crafts that remains unsullied by the passage of time. If anything, cigars are enjoying a renaissance period where quality and selection are better than they’ve ever been before. But due respect is always paid to the time-honored traditions, so what better way to pay homage than to take a look at the world’s oldest cigar brands?

 

A Cigar History Snapshot

Most historians agree that cigars originated in the Caribbean and Central America. Some say it was the Mayans wrapping cured tobacco in plantain leaves more than 1,000 years ago. But the first known exposure the Old World had with cigars came with Columbus’ landing in Hispaniola (Cuba) in 1492. The indigenous Taino people of the island introduced Columbus and his men to the predecessor to the Cuban cigar, which were rolled in tender palm leaves. It’s believed that Rodrigo de Jerez, one of the crew of the Santa Maria, was the first European to actually smoke tobacco and he helped introduce it to the Old World.

For many years tobacco was exported to Spain and cigars and tobacco products were made there. About 200 years after Columbus’ first voyage a man named Israel Putnam would bring the first cigars to what would become the United States shortly before the Declaration of Independence. He would also begin the first cigar production in the United States and brought tobacco cultivation to the Connecticut River Valley. From there the story gets complicated and heads in lots of different directions. But that’s part of what makes the cigar world what it is, rich and diverse, right?

The Oldest Cigar Brands Ever

With our cigar history primer in place, here is our list of the oldest cigar brands on the planet. Some you’ll know quite well. Others may be unfamiliar. The way we see it, at minimum you will probably pick up some cool trivia tidbits for your next get together with your cigar pals. At best, you just might get some ideas on what to fill that empty spot in your humidor. So, let’s get into it!

Cabañas Cigars – Established 1797

The very first independent cigar brand ever to exist was Cabañas, which was founded by Francisco Cabañas in Cuba in 1797. Before that, all legal tobacco destined for the Old World went through the Spanish Monarchy which dominated the tobacco trade out of Cuba and the production of cigars.

Cabañas managed to survive a lot, but it effectively ceased to exist as we knew it when Castro nationalized the Cuban cigar industry. The Cabañas cigar brand has since been resurrected, but the name is the only ties it holds to the original at this point.

Por Larrañaga Cigars – Established 1834

Por Larrañaga can take the crown as the oldest cigar brand on earth that’s still here. They are the oldest Cuban cigar in continuous production. Founded in Cuba by Ignacio Larrañaga in 1834. Like many, if not most of the oldest Cuban cigar brands, the Por Larrañaga brand effectively split into Cuban and new non-Cuban entities following the revolution. These splits happened for a number of reasons, but The U.S. embargo on Cuban products is likely one of the biggest causes.

The original Cuban branch went through some hard times with a serious decline in quality in the 1980s when they became machine-made for a time, but it has since returned to it’s roots and the Cuban Por Larrañaga’s today are considered very desirable. Altadis U.S.A. owns the rights to the Por Larrañaga name in the U.S.

Punch Cigars – Established 1840

Coming right up on Por Larrañaga’s heels, we have the oddly named Punch, which was founded in Cuba in 1840 by a German businessman we know only by his surname, Stockmann. This storied brand took its name from the medieval Punch and Judy puppet shows (like we said, odd). Unlike some of brands which split from their original Cuban connections, the non-Cuban Punch cigars out of Honduras are widely considered equal to, if not superior at times, to the Cuban original.

Punch was one of the very first of the classic Cuban brands to reestablish itself in Honduras after the revolution and we’re so glad they did. Most aficionados we know have a place in their hearts (if not their humidors) for Punch cigars. If you’re looking for a place to begin, check out the Punch Classico varietals.

H Upmann Cigars – Established 1844

The Upmann brothers, August and Hermann started their cigar brand way back in 1844. They were known as pioneers and innovators in the cigar industry with many firsts. They have one of the more interesting backstories and histories among the oldest cigar brands in the world. For example, they were the first to introduce the cedar box as a preferred cigar storage medium. Hermann was a banker by trade, and gifted his bank customers with cedar boxes of his new cigars as a means to promote the bank, at first.

The H. Upmann Demi Tasse was also President John F. Kennedy’s favorite cigar. Legend holds that the night before he signed the Cuban Embargo, he had Pierre Salinger clean out the supplies of all 1,200 examples of the The H. Upmann Demi Tasse to stock up his stash. While the Demi Tasse has long been off the menu, we suggest sampling the delicious H. Upmann Herman’s Batch if you’d like to partake.

Partagás Cigars – Established 1845

No coverage of the oldest cigar brands in the world would be complete without mentioning Partagás. Another of the Cuban brands split in two by the revolution, Partagás’ fields and factories were seized by Castro’s forces in 1960 along with many others. Partagás cigars remained a strong seller for the Cuban government, second only to Montecristo in sales among the home team cigar brands.

The Cifuentes family’s patriarch, Ramón Cifuentes Toriello, however, had no appetite for Castro’s shenanigans so he fled to the U.S. He established the non-Cuban Partagás, out of The Dominican Republic that we know and love today. We recommend the Partagas Robusto with its tasty Cameroon wrapper for your next herf.

Romeo y Julieta – Established 1875

Last, but certainly not least, we have Romeo y Julieta. Easily one of (if not the) most recognized names among the world’s oldest cigar brands. Even people who’ve never smoked a cigar know Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo. The brand was founded towards the end of the 19^th century by Inocencio Alvarez and Manin García. But it was Jose ‘Pepin’ Rodriguez-Fernandez, former head of the  Cabañas factory in Havana who brought the company to higher heights and gave them their name.

The name unsurprisingly, comes from Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy. In fact, Rodriguez-Fernandez was so obsessed with the story of Romeo and Juliet that he even tried to buy the Palazzo Capuleti in Verona, Italy, Juliet’s ancestral home to turn it into a cigar lounge. The local government weren’t fans of the idea so it never materialized, too bad. His consolation prize was building an exacting replica of the Palazzo Capuleti in Havana. If you appreciate a hearty and flavorful Churchill, the Romeo y Julieta Reserve Churchill will not disappoint you.

 

Smoke Inn is Your Cigar Shop

We trust you enjoyed our look at the world’s oldest cigar brands. History has always been a key component of cigar culture. It’s an important part of what makes cigar culture so unique in the modern world. It refuses change for change’s sake. If we can’t make something better, then it remains as it has always been. There’s a certain comfort in that, especially in a modern world where the pace of change can be dizzying. That said, there’s lots to look forward to for 2023! Stay tuned for another interview with a cigar industry insider soon to be revealed. Also, here’s your obligatory reminder that The Great Smoke 2023 on March 16^th-19^th to have a great time while helping us raise funds for The Kids Cancer Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. As always, if you’re local or happen to be visiting South Florida, be sure to reward yourself with a visit to one of the country’s best cigar shops in person. We’d love to see you.

 

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