In 2026, Cohiba celebrates sixty years as the most prestigious Habanos brand in the world of Premium Tobacco. An enduring cultural icon, Cohiba embodies the highest expression of Cuban tobacco heritage for connoisseurs and aficionados worldwide. A brand whose history begins before it even bears a name.

In the early 1960s, Bienvenido Pérez, head of Fidel Castro’s security detail, gifted him a Habano crafted by his friend, cigar roller Eduardo Rivera. The Commander immediately fell in love with it. What started as an exclusive gift for high-ranking foreign dignitaries would later become the world’s leading premium cigar brand.

In the mid-1960s, the “Escuela de Torcedoras” was established: a handpicked group of women, trained as cigar rollers and entrusted with crafting these Habanos exclusively. The school first operated across several houses in the upscale Havana neighborhood called “Laguito,” and it was later moved into a grand, eclectic-style mansion, known as “El Laguito”, where the craftsmanship and consistency that have defined Cohiba ever since were established.

Given the Diplomatic Role that these Habanos took on from their birth, Celia Sánchez, a key figure in the Cuban Revolution, identifies the need to give them a name. Drawing on the Taíno word used to describe the tobacco leaves observed by Columbus in 1492, she names them Cohiba, anchoring the brand firmly in the origins of Cuba’s tobacco culture.

Sixty years later, the Cohiba myth endures, sustained by the use of the finest tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo* region, “Totally Handmade with long filler”, rolled with leaves undergoing an additional fermentation process, unique within the Habanos universe, which defines the brand’s aromatic richness, balance, and complexity, establishing Cohiba as the pinnacle of tobacco craftsmanship.

After six decades of unparalleled success, Cohiba continues to lead through a portfolio that honours tradition and pioneers in innovation. It was the first Habanos brand to introduce both Reserva and Gran Reserva editions, setting new standards for ageing, selection, and excellence.

the mid-1960s, the “Escuela de Torcedoras” was established: a handpicked group of women, trained as cigar rollers and entrusted with crafting these Habanos exclusively. The school first operated across several houses in the upscale Havana neighborhood called “Laguito,” and it was later moved into a grand, eclectic-style mansion, known as “El Laguito”, where the craftsmanship and consistency that have defined Cohiba ever since were established.

Given the Diplomatic Role that these Habanos took on from their birth, Celia Sánchez, a key figure in the Cuban Revolution, identifies the need to give them a name. Drawing on the Taíno word used to describe the tobacco leaves observed by Columbus in 1492, she names them Cohiba, anchoring the brand firmly in the origins of Cuba’s tobacco culture.

Sixty years later, the Cohiba myth endures, sustained by the use of the finest tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo* region, “Totally Handmade with long filler”, rolled with leaves undergoing an additional fermentation process, unique within the Habanos universe, which defines the brand’s aromatic richness, balance, and complexity, establishing Cohiba as the pinnacle of tobacco craftsmanship.