Next on our Behind the Brand series, where we explore the fascinating history behind premium Cuban Cigars brands, we take a look at one of the youngest yet much respected brands in the cigar industry. Created as to commemorate one of the most influential and important figures in the cigar world, Vegas Robaina is popular for producing some of the most exceptional smokes, using only the finest tobacco leaves from the Vuelta Abajo territory in Cuba. Without any further ado, today we dive into the short yet interesting history behind Vegas Robaina cigars, exploring every facade of the popular brand. Our latest posts from our Behind the Brand series have covered:
BIRTH – Vegas Robaina is amongst the youngest Cuban cigar brands. In 1997, Habanos S. A. launched Vegas Robaina as a new line of cigars, paying tribute to one of the most important figures in the cigar world, tobacco grower and plantations owner Alejandro Robaina. In particular, the brand honours Alejandro and his contribution to the industry by bearing the name of his famous farmland, Vega Robaina. But who is this emblematic figure and what was his contribution to Cuban Cigars Online that got Habanos S.A. to create an entire brand devoted to him?
Left: San Luis District of the Vuelta Abajo region where the Robaina tobacco farms are located, Right: Alejandro Robaina in his tobacco plantation
“REMAINED INDEPENDENT AFTER CUBAN REVOLUTION”
ALEJANDRO ROBAINA – Widely known as the “Godfather of Cuban Tobacco”, Alejandro Robaina is the most popular Cuban tobacco grower and a pioneer of the cigar industry. Coming from a family of great tobacco growers, Alejandro smoked his first cigar at the age of nine while he became actively involved with his family’s tobacco business only a year later. Under his supervision, the Robaina plantations transformed into a massive tobacco empire. Every year, 80% of Alejandro’s tobacco harvest was deemed fit for use as wrapper leaves by many premium cigar brands, like Romeo y Julieta, Ramon Allones, and Cohiba Cigars. Even after the Cuban Revolution of 1959, with the majority of tobacco plantations been absorbed by large cooperative organisations, the Alejandro Robaina managed to keep his tobacco plantations entirely independent and autonomous.
“RUMOURED THAT BRAND MISHANDLED TOBACCO”
RECEPTION AND CRITIQUE – Despite the tremendous history that inspired the creation of the brand, Vegas Robaina was not instantly adored by the public. In particular, the brand received mixed reviews upon its first launch. Many argued that Vegas Robaina does not deserve a place amongst the Best Cuban Cigars brands, such as Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, and Montecristo Cigars while others have stated that the brand mishandled tobacco leaves and, thus, its production should be discontinued. Nevertheless, these rumours seem to be nothing more than politics, a strategy possibly introduced by other tobacco growers and cigar makers due to their jealousy over the brand’s incredible success.
VEGAS ROBAINA TODAY – A favourite amongst cigar aficionados, the brand continues to manufacture smokes of exceptional quality to this day. All Vegas Robaina Cigars are handmade at the former H. Upmann Cigars factory in Havana Cuba. After Alejandro’s passing, the Robaina tobacco farms continue to triumph under the supervision of Alejandro’s grandson, Hirochi. In a similar way, Vegas Robaina keeps on manufacturing some of the most sought after habanos on the market, representative of the quality tobacco leaves that Robaina plantations have always been producing. Handmade using tobacco leaves from the Robaina plantations in the San Luis District of the Vuelta Abajo region, the Vegas Robaina Unicos Cigar delivers plenty of complex and strong flavours. Coming in a Campanas vitola that measures 140 mm long by a ring gauge of 52, Unicos is characterised by a medium to full flavoured profile, a smoke as good as any from our Vintage Cigars. In order to commemorate Alejandro’s contribution to the cigar industry even more, the Cuban brand introduced the Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro Cigar, carrying the name of the legendary tobacco grower in its entirety. Well-known for its strong yet smooth and creamy flavours, the Don Alejandro cigar comes in 194 mm length by a 49 ring gauge and guarantees over an hour of pure smoking pleasure. Of course, we saved the best for last. There's no doubt that the Vegas Robaina Familiar Cigar should be inside every cigar aficionado’s humidor. These exceptional puros are coming in a Corona Extra vitola and deliver aromas of medium to full strength, providing a memorable smoke to any experienced cigar smoker.
Left: Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro Cigar, Right: Vegas Robaina Familiar Cigar
Although the brand does not count many years in existence, there is a vast history that inspired its creation. As we have discussed above, the Vegas Robaina brand pays homage to the ‘Godfather of Cuban tobacco”, Alejandro Robaina, manufacturing some of the best puros on the market, available for sale in our Cuban Cigar Shop today. Find out more about the amazing world of habanos from our Cuban Cigar Blog.