Tabacalera 1916 Eiroa

Some family stories are measured in years. Others are measured in generations, in the land that shaped them and in the knowledge passed from one pair of hands to the next. For the Eiroa family, that story began in 1916, in the tobacco-growing region of Pinar del Río, Cuba.

It was there that Generoso Eiroa laid the foundations of a family legacy built on patience, discipline and respect for the land. Working among some of Cuba’s most celebrated tobacco-growing soils, he developed a deep understanding of the craft, which he would pass on to his son, Julio. Raised among the tobacco fields, Julio carried that knowledge forward, but the family’s journey would soon take an unexpected turn.

In 1961, following the Cuban Revolution, the Eiroa family was forced to leave its farms behind. The land was lost, but the experience and knowledge accumulated over generations travelled with them. Their story continued in Honduras, where Julio played an important role in developing the country's tobacco industry and establishing its reputation as a destination for premium tobacco.

The third generation brought a new chapter. Christian Eiroa, founder of CLE Cigar Co., combined the family's agricultural heritage with a modern approach to cigar making. Under his leadership, Camacho became one of the most recognised names in premium cigars before its acquisition by Davidoff in 2008. His work further strengthened the Eiroa family's reputation for quality and innovation.

Today, that legacy finds a new expression through the fourth generation. Santi Eiroa, Christian’s youngest son, has developed 1916 Tabacalera Eiroa, a cigar line that looks back to the family's beginnings while reflecting his own perspective on tobacco.

The blend is entirely Honduran, a deliberate choice that pays tribute to the country that became central to the Eiroa family's story. It features a five-year-aged Habano wrapper and binder, with a filler composed of Corojo and Pinareño tobaccos. Produced at The CLE Factory in Honduras, the blend brings together different varieties of tobacco cultivated in a country the family has helped shape for decades.

One detail makes this blend particularly interesting: the use of Pinareño. Originally from the Cuban region of Pinar del Río, the seed was brought to Honduras by Tino Agurdin in 1960. Known for its distinctive flavour, Pinareño is also a more delicate and demanding tobacco than Corojo. It produces smaller yields and is more susceptible to disease, making its cultivation a particular challenge. In recent years, the Eiroa family's companies, CLE and JRE Tobacco Co., have renewed their focus on this variety, exploring its potential in new blends.

For Santi, the creation of 1916 was also an opportunity to bring the family's different generations together through tobacco. His father, Christian, tends to favour fuller-bodied cigars, while his grandfather, Julio, prefers a milder profile. Santi places himself somewhere in between. As he explained when presenting the blend, it represents a balance between these preferences – a bridge across generations. It is also a way of imagining what his great-grandfather Generoso might have enjoyed.

The name itself is a reminder of where it all began. More than a century after Generoso first planted tobacco in Cuba, 1916 carries the family’s history into a new chapter, with the fourth generation continuing a tradition that has crossed borders without losing its identity.

The collection is available in five vitolas: Robusto, El Gordo, Toro, Belicoso and The Personal. Each offers a different format through which to discover the blend and its all-Honduran character.

With 1916 Tabacalera Eiroa, Santi Eiroa does more than pay tribute to his family’s past. He gives it a place in the present. From Generoso’s first tobacco fields in Cuba to the Eiroa family's work in Honduras today, the story remains rooted in the same values: patience, dedication and an enduring respect for the leaf.

1916 TABACALERA EIROA - Belicoso - Box of 18
Vitola: Belicoso (50 x 165.1 mm)