The world of Cuban Cigars is a world filled with aromas, finesse, and, of course, top-notch craftsmanship. From tobacco cultivation all the way to the process of manufacturing cigar humidors, the habano industry never ceases to amaze us with its remarkable history, long-lasting legacy, and exceptional craftsmanship. Humidores Habana, a representative of the industry’s excellence in manufacturing, creates some of the most luxurious cigar humidors on the market. On our latest trip to Cuba, we had the opportunity to visit the Humidores Habana factory and experience first-hand everything that goes behind the creation of our favourite Cigar Humidors factory.
Inside Humidores Habana, the world's best humidors factory based in Cuba.
“FIRST LAUNCHED AS A METALWORKING OPERATION”
ARRIVAL – Humidores Habana operates under the supervision of the talented craftsman José Ernesto Aguilera, since 1994. The factory is based in the outskirts of Cuba, in the Arroyo Naranjo neighbourhood, a calm yet colourful region. As soon as we reached the entrance we were filled with excitement and anticipation, ready to find out more about the process of manufacturing humidors. Upon our arrival, we were wholeheartedly greeted by Ana, the wife of Ernesto who showed us around the factory, where the magic happens.
THE VISION – Despite its relatively young age, the factory has left its mark in the history of Cuban Cigars Online. The founding father of Humidores Habana, José Ernesto Aguilera, first launched his business as a metalworking operation during the early 1990s, with the dream of starting his own jewellery factory. Nonetheless, after discovering the market’s need for humidors, he increasingly started working with wood. Soon after that, Aguilera begun manufacturing humidors for famous cigar brands, like Vegas Robaina and Punch Cigars, and noteworthy cigar events, such the annual Festival del Habano, where he showcases his work every year since 2005. Today, Ernesto is a craftsman, designer, and self-thought goldsmith whose reputation exceeds the borders of Cuba as his work is part of several private collections in the USA, Russia, Italy, France, the UK and many more countries around the world.
Manufacturing humidors at Humidores Habana is a time-consuming yet highly creative process.
“HUMIDORES HABANA USES CENTURIES-OLD WOOD”
CRAFTSMEN – Humidores Habana has built a strong reputation for crafting quality humidors that keep safe and moist great cigars, like the Cohiba Behike 52 Cigar, for over twenty-five years. A large part of the factory’s success derives from its hardworking manufacturing team. Today, the factory occupies 30 employees, all of which share the same passion and excitement for crafting humidors. After spending a few minutes examining the way they work, we reached to the conclusion that the manufacturers in the Humidores Habana factory are true craftsmen. The amount of handwork that goes behind the creation of each item reflects the knowledge, expertise, and respect that the manufacturers in Humidores Habana have for their art.
Nevertheless, the work of the factory goes beyond just the creation of great humidors. Humidores Habana runs a social program that favours the employment of young people from Barrio, the local neighbourhood, giving them a chance to acquire new skills and find a purpose in their lives. “There is nothing more satisfying than helping young people figure out their purpose in life, introducing them to the world of fine craftsmanship” Aguilera shared with us.
MATERIALS – However, there is more to a great humidor than just good craftsmanship. What truly distinguishes Humidores Habana from other manufacturers is the materials used to create their humidors. During our visit, we had the chance to learn more about the wood that Humidores Habana uses when crafting their cigar humidors. The first humidors produced by the factory was in 1994 and they were a combination of ironwork and wood. Today, most of their humidors are created using centuries-old wood from the dilapidated houses of Havana. This wood is not just ideal for creating very stable and firm humidors but, also, carries a distinct scent that gracefully enriches the gentle ageing of great cigars, like the Montecristo Edmundo Cigar.
Having spent a day at Humidores Habana, we realised that craftsmanship describes not only our Cuban Cigars for Sale Online but artisan humidors too. From sourcing quality materials to building each humidor by hand, Humidores Habana produces Cuba’s most lucrative humidors. Visit our Cuban Cigar Shop now and fill up your cigar humidor with some of the best smokes on the market. Read more from our Cuban Cigar Blog and stay up-to-date with everything that happens in the cigar world.