La Caoba Extra
LA CAOBA EXTRA
and ... cigar boxes!
Toward the end of the 18th century and later some of the most famous Cuban cigar makers packed their fine cigars in this elegant wood which not only contributed to the excellent flavor of the tobacco but also protected the delicate cigars during shipping. Francisco Cabañas launched his eponymous brand, packed in vintage mahogany boxes, in 1797 despite the Spanish crown’s prohibition of commercial cigar production at the time. It is acknowledged to be the first registered brand of Havana cigars. In 1848, the Cabañas and Carbajal families reregistered the brand as Hija de Cabañas y Carbajal y Cia. The Caoba-made box of these elegant cigars was presented to the King of Spain and were soon acclaimed among the finest for their excellent quality and captivating aromas.
The Caoba mahogany became the preferred wood for crafting the choicest cigar cabinets, many of them holding hundreds of cigars. Unfortunately it was so sought after that forests were cleared, and the Caoba mahogany was harvested to the point of extinction. Spanish cedar soon replaced it as the preferred wood for packaging and shipping cigars. There is no exact date when this transition occurred, but there was no doubt about the essential role that the Cuban La Caoba played in the history of the Cuban cigar. Ramon and Antonio Allones are credited with introducing the 25-count cigar box and decorating it with the vibrant colors and design that are commonplace today. Their Ramon Allones 1845 became one of the elite Cuban cigar brands that was further enhanced by the fine artwork and adornment found on its box. They are considered to be the last of the Cuban cigars to be boxed in La Caoba wood.
La Caoba Extra — commemorating the exquisite mahogany once so plentiful in Cuba —was introduced by cigar maker Bernardo Alluerne whose factory was located in Calle del Rayo No. 58 in Havana. These cigars were quickly recognized as one of the best among the Cuban brands. They were painstakingly crafted from the finest tobacco leaf found in the Vuelta Abajo region of Pinar del Rio, Cuba’s most fertile tobacco-growing area, whose soil produced the most aromatic tobaccos. Though production was very limited, the La Caoba brand achieved great recognition in the large markets of Spain and England at that time.
Today, Mike’s Cigars is re-introducing the once famous La Caoba brand to honor the history of this long-forgotten Cuban brand and offer modern cigar aficionados an opportunity to enjoy what were once Cuba’s finest cigars. Like the great wines of France and other countries, the enduring quality of the La Caoba Extra cigar is realized through the careful blending of tobacco leaf and the precise, handmade creation of the final product. To achieve this, only the finest tobaccos from Esteli in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic have been selected, fermented and carefully aged in rum barrels to replicate the unique aromas of the past.
The La Caoba Extra cigars come in 20-count boxes where they have been aging for 22 months. Each cigar is wrapped in breathable cellophane to assure it will continue to mature and capture the sweet aromas of its Spanish cedar box. The La Caoba Extra is judged to be medium in flavor, while in order to capture the original craftsmanship of the once famous brand, the leaf and filler have been carefully arranged to produce a smooth balance of flavors like ginger, vanilla, cedar wood and chocolate, an easy draw, and a long creamy finish.
...Read More
Toward the end of the 18th century and later some of the most famous Cuban cigar makers packed their fine cigars in this elegant wood which not only contributed to the excellent flavor of the tobacco but also protected the delicate cigars during shipping. Francisco Cabañas launched his eponymous brand, packed in vintage mahogany boxes, in 1797 despite the Spanish crown’s prohibition of commercial cigar production at the time. It is acknowledged to be the first registered brand of Havana cigars. In 1848, the Cabañas and Carbajal families reregistered the brand as Hija de Cabañas y Carbajal y Cia. The Caoba-made box of these elegant cigars was presented to the King of Spain and were soon acclaimed among the finest for their excellent quality and captivating aromas.
The Caoba mahogany became the preferred wood for crafting the choicest cigar cabinets, many of them holding hundreds of cigars. Unfortunately it was so sought after that forests were cleared, and the Caoba mahogany was harvested to the point of extinction. Spanish cedar soon replaced it as the preferred wood for packaging and shipping cigars. There is no exact date when this transition occurred, but there was no doubt about the essential role that the Cuban La Caoba played in the history of the Cuban cigar. Ramon and Antonio Allones are credited with introducing the 25-count cigar box and decorating it with the vibrant colors and design that are commonplace today. Their Ramon Allones 1845 became one of the elite Cuban cigar brands that was further enhanced by the fine artwork and adornment found on its box. They are considered to be the last of the Cuban cigars to be boxed in La Caoba wood.
La Caoba Extra — commemorating the exquisite mahogany once so plentiful in Cuba —was introduced by cigar maker Bernardo Alluerne whose factory was located in Calle del Rayo No. 58 in Havana. These cigars were quickly recognized as one of the best among the Cuban brands. They were painstakingly crafted from the finest tobacco leaf found in the Vuelta Abajo region of Pinar del Rio, Cuba’s most fertile tobacco-growing area, whose soil produced the most aromatic tobaccos. Though production was very limited, the La Caoba brand achieved great recognition in the large markets of Spain and England at that time.
Today, Mike’s Cigars is re-introducing the once famous La Caoba brand to honor the history of this long-forgotten Cuban brand and offer modern cigar aficionados an opportunity to enjoy what were once Cuba’s finest cigars. Like the great wines of France and other countries, the enduring quality of the La Caoba Extra cigar is realized through the careful blending of tobacco leaf and the precise, handmade creation of the final product. To achieve this, only the finest tobaccos from Esteli in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic have been selected, fermented and carefully aged in rum barrels to replicate the unique aromas of the past.
The La Caoba Extra cigars come in 20-count boxes where they have been aging for 22 months. Each cigar is wrapped in breathable cellophane to assure it will continue to mature and capture the sweet aromas of its Spanish cedar box. The La Caoba Extra is judged to be medium in flavor, while in order to capture the original craftsmanship of the once famous brand, the leaf and filler have been carefully arranged to produce a smooth balance of flavors like ginger, vanilla, cedar wood and chocolate, an easy draw, and a long creamy finish.
...Read More
