The best-known marcas
Among the most famous Cuban marcas are Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, Hoyo de Monterrey, Bolivar and Trinidad. Each is a distinct brand with its own range of sizes, blends and packaging, rather than a single product.
Some of these names reach back to the nineteenth century and the golden age of Havana cigar houses, while others are more recent creations. Together they form the core catalogue that Cuba markets internationally, and collectors often develop loyalties to particular marcas.
How the brands differ
Marcas are generally associated with a house style, from milder and elegant to full and powerful, although each brand offers a spread of options. A cigar's character comes from its blend of filler, binder and wrapper leaves and from the particular vitola, or size and shape, chosen.
Because the same tobacco regions supply many brands, the differences between marcas rest heavily on blending decisions and tradition. Learning the brands is really a way of learning the different expressions that Cuban tobacco can take.
Brands under one company
All of these marcas are marketed globally through Habanos S.A., the state company responsible for Cuban cigars, so they share a common quality framework and distribution even though each keeps its own identity.
For visitors, the famous names are also a window into Cuban history and craftsmanship, tied to Havana's old factories and to the countryside of Pinar del Rio where the leaf is grown. Exploring the marcas is a good introduction to why Cuban cigars occupy such a particular place in the island's heritage and in its cities.
Sizes, editions and collecting
Within each marca, cigars come in a range of vitolas, the names given to particular sizes and shapes, from slender panetelas to thick robustos. The same brand can therefore offer very different smoking experiences depending on the format chosen.
Alongside their regular lines, the marcas periodically release limited and special editions that collectors follow closely. These releases keep the brands dynamic and give enthusiasts something new to seek out. For a newcomer, the sensible approach is to treat the famous names as starting points and learn how each one presents itself across its range, rather than expecting a single flavour from a whole brand. The depth behind each marca is a large part of the fascination.