HR by Hirochi Robaina
HR BY HIROCHI ROBAINA (discontinued)
Barbacoa. Their farm is part of the reason the Vuelta Abajo region is so well-respected for its flavorful tobacco. The family has been growing tobacco since 1845 in the Vuelta Abajo region.
In the mid-1900’s Alejandro was named the best tobacco grower in Cuba and the government-owned cigar industry created a brand in his honor, known as Vegas Robaina. That brand is still in production today and translates to “Robaina Tobacco Fields”. Alejandro knew he would leave a huge legacy behind when he passed, so he started training his chosen successor, Hirochi, from a young age to be an excellent farmer.
Alejandro had 12 children and grandchildren from which he could select to run the farm. He chose Hirochi because Alejandro believed he showed the most promise, passion and worked the hardest. Alejandro believed it was important to have an understanding of the entire industry, from seed to box. That’s why he sent Hirochi to the work as a roller at the Partagas factory in 1995. From there Hirochi was sent to the H. Upmann factory, where he rolled the famed Vegas Robaina cigars.
In 2010, Alejandro Robaina passed and Hirochi took over the family farm. In the same year, Hirochi was approached by Omar Gonzalez Aleman, a close friend of his late grandfather. Omar was able to convince Hirochi to create a Nicaraguan cigar. Thus began the journey of HR Cigars. It took over 3 years of developing and taste-testing before a final blend was chosen. In 2014, HR Cigars was finally released at the IPCPR.
Omar and his son Luis produce HR cigars at the La Corona factory, located in Esteli, Nicaragua. Omar was the General Manager of the famed Cuban La Corona factory and named the Nicaraguan factory after the legendary one where he first made his mark. They handcraft cigars using traditional Cuban techniques, just as was done in Cuba. However, instead of Cuban tobacco, they use a blend of Nicaraguan and Ecuadorian premium tobaccos.
Since 2016, White Hats Cigars has been the distributors for HR Cigars. Spencer Drake, owner of White Hats Cigars, and Hirochi have developed a modern approach to the traditions of Cuban cigar making. Alongside the expert father and son team at La Corona, they’ve created a cigar that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
...Read More
In the mid-1900’s Alejandro was named the best tobacco grower in Cuba and the government-owned cigar industry created a brand in his honor, known as Vegas Robaina. That brand is still in production today and translates to “Robaina Tobacco Fields”. Alejandro knew he would leave a huge legacy behind when he passed, so he started training his chosen successor, Hirochi, from a young age to be an excellent farmer.
Alejandro had 12 children and grandchildren from which he could select to run the farm. He chose Hirochi because Alejandro believed he showed the most promise, passion and worked the hardest. Alejandro believed it was important to have an understanding of the entire industry, from seed to box. That’s why he sent Hirochi to the work as a roller at the Partagas factory in 1995. From there Hirochi was sent to the H. Upmann factory, where he rolled the famed Vegas Robaina cigars.
In 2010, Alejandro Robaina passed and Hirochi took over the family farm. In the same year, Hirochi was approached by Omar Gonzalez Aleman, a close friend of his late grandfather. Omar was able to convince Hirochi to create a Nicaraguan cigar. Thus began the journey of HR Cigars. It took over 3 years of developing and taste-testing before a final blend was chosen. In 2014, HR Cigars was finally released at the IPCPR.
Omar and his son Luis produce HR cigars at the La Corona factory, located in Esteli, Nicaragua. Omar was the General Manager of the famed Cuban La Corona factory and named the Nicaraguan factory after the legendary one where he first made his mark. They handcraft cigars using traditional Cuban techniques, just as was done in Cuba. However, instead of Cuban tobacco, they use a blend of Nicaraguan and Ecuadorian premium tobaccos.
Since 2016, White Hats Cigars has been the distributors for HR Cigars. Spencer Drake, owner of White Hats Cigars, and Hirochi have developed a modern approach to the traditions of Cuban cigar making. Alongside the expert father and son team at La Corona, they’ve created a cigar that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
...Read More
