Bolivar cigars, properly Bolívar, are among the strongest in the Cuban range. The brand began in Havana in 1902 and carries the portrait of Simón Bolívar on its band. This profile covers its history, its best-known sizes, its bold house style and its place in Malaysia.
The Cuban Bolívar and the US version
To start, a note on names. The original Bolívar is Cuban, owned by the state and sold worldwide by Habanos S.A.
After the revolution, the Cifuentes family, who owned the brand, left Cuba. Then, in 1978, Ramón Cifuentes licensed the name to General Cigar. It launched a new Bolívar for the American market, and in 2005 it reworked the blend with Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco. That cigar contains no Cuban leaf. This page covers the Cuban brand.
History of Bolivar cigars
José F. Rocha founded the brand in Havana. Habanos dates it to 1902, although Rocha only registered it formally in 1921, according to Wikipedia. He chose the name of Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan-born leader who freed much of South America from Spanish rule. Habanos calls him one of the great figures of the 19th century.
When Rocha died, Cifuentes y Cía bought the company in 1954. Cifuentes also owned Partagás, so production moved to the Partagás factory in central Havana. As a result, the two brands have been close cousins ever since. In 1960, the government nationalised them both.
How Bolívar is made
All long-filler Bolívars are made totally by hand. Habanos says the blend uses filler and wrapper leaf from the Vuelta Abajo. Its long link with the Partagás factory also helps explain the shared taste for dark, heavy tobacco.
Notable sizes
The range is smaller than Cohiba’s or Montecristo’s but covers the classic shapes. Limited editions add variety, such as the Soberano (2018) and the Regentes (2021). The regular sizes below are the best known.
| Cigar | Length × ring gauge | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Belicosos Finos | 140 mm × 52 | Belicoso |
| Royal Coronas | 124 mm × 50 | Robusto |
| Coronas Gigantes | 178 mm × 47 | Churchill |
| Petit Coronas | 129 mm × 42 | Petit corona |
| Coronas Junior | 110 mm × 42 | Short petit corona |
| Soberano (Edición Limitada 2018) | 140 mm × 54 | Robusto extra |
An Edición Limitada is a one-off annual release, so the Soberano may be hard to find years later. Our cigar sizes guide explains these shapes.
House style and flavour
Broadly, Bolívar is dark, earthy and powerful. Habanos describes the “strong personality of its flavour” and rates it full. Smokers commonly describe earth, leather, cocoa, coffee and black pepper, often with a sweet, almost molasses-like note in older boxes.
In practice, this is a brand for experienced smokers. It pairs with strong coffee or a rich rum rather than a light drink. Even so, strength varies by size; the Petit Coronas can feel especially concentrated.
If you are new to strong tobacco, pace matters more than size. Puffing slowly, about once a minute, keeps the smoke cooler and the strength in check. Our guide on how to smoke a cigar explains the basics, and eating beforehand also helps.
Strengths and criticisms
Fans praise the brand’s clear identity and its value as a cigar for ageing. Many enthusiasts keep Bolívar boxes for years, believing that time rounds off the rough edges.
That said, the main criticism follows from the same point. Young Bolívars can taste harsh, bitter or simply too heavy. Construction complaints, such as tight draws, also appear in smokers’ reports. And for beginners, the nicotine hit can be unpleasant.
Bolívar in Malaysia
Outside the US, Bolivar cigars on the shelf are almost always the Cuban ones. In Malaysia, Habanos cigars are imported through The Pacific Cigar Company, the official distributor for the Asia-Pacific region. Genuine boxes carry the Habanos warranty seal; our guide to counterfeit cigars explains what to check.
If you plan to age cigars here, the climate matters. Malaysia’s heat raises the risk of tobacco beetles, and dry air-conditioning can crack wrappers, so read our guide on how to store cigars. Act 852 bans tobacco advertising and online sales, as our page on Act 852 and cigar law explains. Strong cigars also mean more nicotine, so see our page on cigar health risks.
Where to read more
- Partagás: Bolívar’s sister brand in the same factory
- Cuban cigars: the pillar guide to Habanos
- Cigar strength chart: from mild to full
- Cigar brands: every profile in our directory
Frequently asked questions
How strong are Bolívar cigars?
Habanos rates the brand full strength. It is one of the most powerful Cuban brands, so it is rarely a good first cigar. Our cigar strength chart shows where it sits.
Who founded Bolívar?
José F. Rocha started the brand in Havana in about 1902. After his death, Cifuentes y Cía bought it in 1954 and moved production to the Partagás factory.
Is there a non-Cuban Bolívar?
Yes. In 1978 Ramón Cifuentes licensed the name to General Cigar, which makes a different Bolívar for the US market from Central American tobacco.
Do Bolívar cigars age well?
Many smokers believe so. Full-bodied Cuban cigars are often kept for several years so the strength settles. Steady storage matters, as our guide on how to store cigars explains.
