Why Need to Understand Box Codes?

When buying Cuban cigars pay attention to the stamp on the bottom of the box, it contains very important information. If you can "read" this code you can secure yourself from buying lower quality cigars. How's that? Let's see.

Twins

We've got a box of Montecristo Especial cigars marked CLE AGO00. We know that AGO00 is the date of cigars' production (August 2000) and CLE is a designation of El Laguito factory. Now there's a reasonable question: how could Montecristo be made in a factory where only Cohiba and Trinidad are produced? Fake? We're checking the box, but there's no other sign of counterfeit. We recall that Monte Especial has a brother in the Cohiba line - Lancero. Speaking of format, these are absolutely identical "havanas" with pigtail caps.

Most probably our cigars were produced in the El Laguito factory indeed. But for some reason they didn't pass quality control and were considered unworthy of the Cohiba band. Then they were given different bands, put into different boxes and sold under different name.

Cigars produced by El Laguito factory are up to the knocker, even if their quality is not good enough for the most elite Cohiba brand. It was proved by those Monte Especial (though Montecristo fans noticed the difference).

And just imagine that you get Partagas Lusitania made in San Andreas factory in Holguin, eastern province!

All in order

In fact all Cuban factories have rating, but de jure it looks like all factories have identical standards and make production of the same quality. Let's make a brief review of the factories of different Cuban regions. Cracking their codes will help you to avoid being trapped.

The best factories are located in Havana. The matter is that before the revolution of 1959 cigar factories were situated only in the capital (except for a factory in Cienfuegos). The best traditions were kept there; there was a succession of generations. The workers had a great experience of rolling and understanding of the technology and many other nuances.

The most eminent cigar brands are produced in Havana. That's why capital factories are supplied with the best tobaccos. However there is a hierarchy among them too. Factory number one - El Laguito, then follow Partagas, H.Upmann, Romeo y Julieta. The last place in this rating belongs to the Heroes de Moncada factory. Therefore if you are able to read the codes you wouldn't buy Montecristo No. 4, for example, made in Heroes de Moncada and would be looking for the same cigars produced by Partagas factory.

The factories of Pinar del Rio, the western province, go next in this rating. This is due to the fact that the best tobacco is grown here. Many plantations in the west have not only a size, but also a history; experience and traditions are maintained here. The best factory is named after Francisco Donatien, the Cuban national hero. Nowadays Vegueros, Trinidad and Vegas Robaina are produced there.

The Havana province factories are in the third place. Historically their workers are well qualified (it is due to the capital being close), therefore the quality of cigars is good.

After the revolution of 1959 the government decided that each province and each district should have a cigar factory. Regardless of workers qualification, experience, tobaccos...

Tobacco is grown in the central part of Cuba also, but its quality is not good enough for premium cigars. The deficiency of transport and fuel can cause delays with the delivery of tobaccos from the western region. But every factory has a plan, and if the plan is not fulfilled, director is liable to a penalty. Therefore the local tobaccos may be used to meet the plan.

It's worse if cigars are made in east part of Cuba. There are more chances to run into a poor-quality product because weather conditions and ground characteristics on the local plantations permit to grow excellent tobacco... for cigarettes. Can you imagine what will be a cigar made of this tobacco?

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And finally, if you understand Cuban codes and know when and which inscriptions appeared on boxes, you can secure yourself from fakes. Very few fakers observe all the rules and many of them simply do not know the nuances.

So, before the revolution of 1959 all stamps were in English: Made in Cuba or Made in Habana-Cuba. Since 1960 - in Spanish: Hecho en Cuba. Till 1994 all boxes were stamped as Cubatabaco, after that - Habanos S.A. In 1989 Totalmente a mano inscription has appeared (old inscription was Hecho a mano), and in 2004 - Tripa corta (or TP), informing about short filler.

To learn more about the Cuban codes read our article "Cuban Box Codes Evolution"