In many respects, Cohiba occupies the position of the most prestigious Cigar marque in Cuba, but its beginnings are more humble than you might imagine. During the ‘60s, Fidel Castro was offered a cigar by one of his private bodyguards. The cigar was made by a local... roller named Eduardo Ribera, and Castro liked them so much he commissioned a private supply to be made for him and various high-ranking political officials. The cigars were made in the purpose-built El Laguito house - today one of the world’s most legendary cigar factories, and the security was incredibly tight. This was owed in no small part to the CIA’s on-going attempts to assassinate Fidel and his brother Raul Castro, and Che Guevara, and considering it has since been unveiled that one of the CIA’s more inventive devices was an exploding cigar, you can understand any apprehension. In 1968, the marque was officially launched under the control of Cubatabaco, and it was named Cohiba after the bundles of cured leaves smoked by the Taino Indians when Christopher Columbus arrived at the New World. It wasn’t until 1992, however, that the general public was able to purchase Cohiba cigars. Thanks to this incredibly rich history, Cohiba has an almost cult-like status, though its reputation lies not only with its provenance; the marque produces some of the world’s most exceptional cigars notable for their construction using the country’s finest tobacco leaves, resulting in a typically strong, robust flavour and a perfect draw. The Siglo line in particular, which celebrates the 500 year anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, boasts a selection of absolutely sublime cigars.