Cuaba
The brand that resurrected the Figurado.
Officially registered in 1996, Cuaba is one of the most recently created brands in the Habanos catalog. Cuaba, like Cohiba, is of Native American origin and used by the Tainos at the time of Columbus' arrival in Cuba in 1492. It was mainly used to describe a highly flammable wooden stick that the Taino carried in their hands to light their Cojiba (Cohiba).
The brand specializes in creating double Figurado cigars: a cigar that has a "non-standard" shape, as opposed to the Parejo, a standard-shaped cigar with a uniform body, straight sides, rounded top and flat bottom. In other words, all cigars that are not Parejos are Figurados. There are no restrictions on the shape a Figurado can have.
The advantage of this module for the smoker is that he decides where he cuts the top of the cigar. The foot of the cigar, in pear shape, notably facilitates the lighting.
The double Figurado, by the complexity of its construction, is at the top of the art of any highly skilled Torcedor.
Figurados were very popular before the Cuban revolution in the 1950s. However, this type of cigar lost its popularity and almost disappeared in the 1970s. Habanos decided to revive it by creating the Cuaba brand on November 19, 1996 and integrated its production in the Romeo y Julieta factory.
At first, Cuaba only offered relatively small vitolas: Cuaba Divinos, a Small Bouquet (43 x 101 mm); Cuaba Exclusivos, an Exquisitos (46 x 145 mm); Cuaba Generosos (42 x 132 mm) and Cuaba Tradicionales, a Favoritos (42 x 120 mm).
It was not until 2003 that the brand began to incorporate larger vitolas: the Cuaba Distinguidos, a Romeo (52 x 162 mm); the Salomón, a Salomon (57 x 184 mm) and the imposing Cuaba Diadema, a Diademas (55 x 233 mm) dressed in aluminium foil. The latter was finally discontinued in 2013, along with Generosos. Pending the arrival of the Britanicas Extras, the current regular catalogue of the brand offers five different vitolas.
If the Cuaba brand seemed, until last year with the arrival of the APAC in Edición Regional Asia Pacifico, a Tacos (47 x 158 mm), not to be eligible for the regional editions program, the brand has nevertheless given birth to some special productions.
The first, which is none other than the one and only jar ever produced by the brand to date is the Cuaba Distinguidos Reserva del Milenio Jar. As its name indicates, this porcelain jar, produced in only 4,000 pieces, was released to commemorate the new millennium. Inside, there are 25 Distinguidos (52 x 162 mm), dressed with a special white band, bearing the inscription: "Reserva del Milenio - 2000 - Millennium Reserve".
Among other special releases, the brand had been selected to introduce the very prestigious Colección Habanos in 2001 with the Cuaba Salomónes Colección Habanos Book, produced in only 300 pieces, each containing 10 Salomones (57 x 184 mm). In addition to being a natural part of the Obras Completas from 2011, the brand was once again selected in 2012, where it launched the Cuaba Bariay Colección Habanos, produced in 1,000 pieces each containing 20 Dulcineas (47 x 232 mm), half dressed in an aluminium foil.
In the meantime, the brand has produced what is perhaps the smallest commemorative humidor in the history of Habanos, the Cuaba LCDH Humidor. Released in 2002 for a limited edition of 600 pieces, it includes 5 Distinguidos and 5 Salomónes being among the most vintage that can be found, as they were not yet in regular production that year.
2008 was also an important year for the brand that integrated the prestigious program of Edición Limitada with the release of Cuaba Piramides, (52 x 156 mm).
And finally, in 2016 the brand celebrated its 20th anniversary with a commemorative humidor, the Cuaba 20 Aniversario Humidor. Additionally to celebrating the 20th anniversary of the brand, it also commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Casa del Habano boutique network. Entirely handcrafted by Cuban artisans from fine wood species of Cuban origin, its design incorporates a nod to the discovery of tobacco and the origin of the Cuaba brand.
Inside each of the 450 individually numbered pieces, there are 50 Joffres Grandes (56 x 170 mm), a Figurado whose construction seems perfect, specially selected by Habanos S.A. for the occasion. They are dressed with a specific band which reads "20 Aniversario". The choice of the Cuaba brand for a production as symbolic as this one, testifies of the importance for the brand to Habanos and is a true recognition of its uniqueness.
To find out more about the Cuaga cigar brand and its history, we would be delighted to welcome you to our walk-in humidor, where you will find exclusive pieces, special productions, but also cigars from more regular production.
Login to your online account to reserve your item
or contact us at +41 22 552 2799