The Cuban Tobacco´s History

Some data on the Cuban Tobacco´s History

The Cuban tobacco is known worldwide due to its characteristics and that recognition has placed it as the aim of all good smoker.

The Cuban Tobacco´s History goes back to 1827. At that time, there were only two types of tobaccos, the ones called of “bonus” – with a higher quality and price – and those “of common thousand” that were inferior and cheap.

As a result of the industry reorganization the producers paid bigger attention to the “bonus” tobaccos.

The first brands were registered to save the product and the cigars dedicated to the exportation began to be special and took much more attention.

From the very first start up to 1845 there was only the even tobacco with the twisted goatee in a form of pig line. It was called “pig tail”.

It was substituted by the goatee called “partridge eye”; round and firstly glued with starch, then with flour paste and finally with “tragacanto” rubber.

The competition between the brands and the smokers’ whims propitiated the emergence of different vitolas types. These were divided in Even and Figured.

The first ones have cylindrical shape and the others, also denominated “ahuevadas” (egg shape), adopted certain lumps in the center or in the ends.

Common Vitolas in the XIX century were the Federal, the Novelties, the Imperial, the Liliputanas, the Early Figs, the London, the Queen María. Another was denominated Victoria.

In 1900 the entity called HavanaCommercial Co began its activities, formed by North American and British managers, and popularly known as The Trust.

The Cuban Land&LeafTobacco Co. began to move also in the capital of the Island.

The first one sought to acquire the monopoly of the tobacco making, and the other one pursued same purpose with the cultivations.

Those intentions were frustrated with the negative of the vegueros (peasants dedicated to grow Cuban tobacco) to sell their lands and of the industrial ones to give their factories.

The tobacco brands of that time were grouped in two decrees: those that belonged to the Trust and those that continued in their proprietors’ hands.

The export of the product was divided approximately in two halves.

As the habit of the tobacco use was extending into the world, the preferences established diverse modalities for its consumption.

The snuff and the pipe prevailed in the first times. Later, the bent tobacco and then it was very much in vogue the habit of chewing the leaves in their natural state or in form of rolls or tablets called “andullo” that was nothing but tobacco leaves pressed with some other substance. The cigarette is the last form that the tobacco assumed.

Particularities of the Cuban Tobacco History

The peculiarities of each market and the smokers´ pleasure made possible that the cigar began to be classified by the area where it had been harvested.

The history of the Cuban tobacco recognizes that, several cultivation areas exist in the island.

The one of Vuelta Abajo in most western region of Pinar del Rio province.

It is an imaginary line that is traced from north to south, from Consolation to Rio Hondo going by Herradura and it is formed by Consolacion del Norte, Mantua, Pinar del Rio, Viñales, Guane, San Juan y Martínez, San Luis and Consolacion del Sur.

This territory is subdivided in five subfields: Costa Norte, Lomas, Llano, Remates-Guane and Costa Sur.

The terms of San Juan and Martínez y San Luis correspond to the plain and there are the most famous tobacco vegas of the world.

The Semi Vuelta area of is also located in Pinar del Rio Province from Herradura until Las Martinas.

On the other hand, the Partido area is located in Havana and part of it are the territories of Alquízar, Bejucal, Caimito del Guayabal, Güines, Güira de Melena, La Salud, Madruga, San Antonio de los Baños, Santiago de las Vegas, Guanajay and Artemisa.

The most extensive tobacco area is the one of Vuelta Arriba or Remedios. It goes from regions of the three central provinces until Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey.

To the Eastern area correspond the areas of Alto Songo, Bayamo, Jiguaní, Mayarí and Sagua de Tánamo. In Vuelta Abajo the finest layers are obtained for the high quality cigars. The Semi Vuelta produces good capes.