The Cohiba cigar is the flagship of Cuba’s cigar industry and the name most people know first. It began in the 1960s as a private brand for Cuba’s leaders and their official gifts. Today it sits at the top of the Habanos S.A. range. This profile covers its history, factory, main lines and house style, plus its place in Malaysia.
Two Cohibas: Cuba and the US
First, a point that confuses many smokers. There are two unrelated brands called Cohiba.
The original is the Cuban one, owned by the Cuban state and sold worldwide through Habanos S.A. However, General Cigar applied for the Cohiba name in the US in 1978. Since then it has sold a Dominican-made Cohiba to American smokers, because the US embargo keeps Cuban cigars out.
The two sides have fought over the trademark since 1997. In 2022 a US trademark board cancelled General Cigar’s registration, and a federal judge upheld that decision in May 2025, according to Cigar Aficionado. Still, General Cigar said it would appeal. This page is about the Cuban brand, the one you will normally meet outside the US.
History of the Cohiba cigar
The story starts with a single cigar. In the early 1960s, one of Fidel Castro’s bodyguards shared cigars rolled by a local craftsman, Eduardo Rivera. Castro liked them, so the state set up a small, guarded workshop to make them. According to Habanos, the Cohiba cigar as a brand dates from 1966.
For years, Cohibas were not for sale. Instead, they went to Castro and served as gifts to visiting leaders and diplomats. Then, in 1982, Cohiba appeared in shops abroad for the first time, in small quantities.
The name comes from the Taíno, Cuba’s original people. Habanos says they used “cohiba” for the rolled tobacco leaves that Columbus saw on his arrival in 1492.
El Laguito and how Cohiba is made
Cohiba’s home is El Laguito, a former mansion in Havana’s Cubanacán district. It opened as a rolling school in 1961 and became the brand’s factory. Production has since spread to other Havana factories as demand grew.
The tobacco comes from the Vuelta Abajo in Pinar del Río, mostly from San Juan y Martínez and San Luis. In particular, Habanos says two of the three filler leaf types, seco and ligero, get an extra round of fermentation. That step is the brand’s best-known technical claim. It aims to soften harshness and round out the flavour.
Main lines and well-known sizes
Cohiba’s range has grown in stages. First came the Línea Clásica, the original sizes made between 1966 and 1989. Next, the Línea 1492 (the “Siglo” cigars) arrived in 1992 to mark 500 years since Columbus. The Maduro 5 line, with darker wrappers, followed in 2007. Finally, the Behike line launched in 2010, using a rare top leaf that Habanos calls medio tiempo.
| Cigar | Line | Length × ring gauge | Shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lanceros | Línea Clásica | 192 mm × 38 | Lancero |
| Robustos | Línea Clásica | 124 mm × 50 | Robusto |
| Espléndidos | Línea Clásica | 178 mm × 47 | Churchill |
| Siglo II | Línea 1492 | 129 mm × 42 | Petit corona |
| Siglo VI | Línea 1492 | 150 mm × 52 | Toro |
| Genios | Maduro 5 | 140 mm × 52 | Robusto extra |
| Behike 52 | Behike | 119 mm × 52 | Short robusto |
| Behike 56 | Behike | 166 mm × 56 | Gordo |
The ring gauge is the diameter in 64ths of an inch. Our cigar sizes guide explains how these shapes compare. For a closer look at one of them, see our Cohiba Robusto review.
House style and flavour
In general terms, Cuban Cohiba leans smooth, rich and polished rather than rustic. Smokers commonly describe grassy and honeyed notes, cedar, cream and a light spice. Habanos rates the Línea 1492 medium, while it rates the Línea Clásica and Maduro 5 medium to full. By contrast, the Behike and Siglo VI sit at the full end.
Of course, every box varies. Age and storage change a cigar a lot, so treat these notes as a starting point rather than a promise.
Strengths and criticisms
On the plus side, Cohiba has a consistent reputation for careful leaf selection and good construction. Its range also covers almost every size and strength. As a result, the Cohiba cigar is the Cuban benchmark that smokers use to judge other brands.
That said, the criticisms are real. Many smokers feel the name carries more weight than the cigar in the hand. Production has grown far beyond El Laguito, and some say consistency suffers. Fame also makes Cohiba the most counterfeited cigar in the world.
Cohiba in Malaysia
Malaysians search for the Cohiba cigar more than for any other cigar name. As with every Cuban brand, genuine Cohibas arrive through the official Habanos network. The exclusive Habanos distributor for the region is The Pacific Cigar Company, according to Habanos. Kuala Lumpur also has a Cohiba Atmosphere lounge, a Habanos-licensed concept whose opening Habanos announced in 2019; our Kuala Lumpur cigar guide has the details. Genuine boxes carry the green-and-white Habanos warranty seal, so it pays to know the signs in our counterfeit cigars guide.
Also keep in mind that Malaysia’s Act 852 restricts tobacco advertising and online sales; our page on Act 852 and cigar law explains the basics. In addition, the local heat and humidity can spoil any cigar quickly. Our guide on how to store cigars covers that. Cigars are not a safe choice, either, so read our page on cigar health risks.
Where to read more
- Cuban cigars: the full guide to Habanos and the Vuelta Abajo
- Cuban cigar history: how the industry was nationalised
- Trinidad: Cohiba’s sister brand, also born at El Laguito
- Cigar brands: every profile in our directory
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Cohiba cigars?
Cuban Cohibas are made in Cuba, mainly at the El Laguito factory in Havana. Habanos S.A. markets and distributes them worldwide. A different Cohiba, made in the Dominican Republic by General Cigar, is sold only in the US market.
Is Cohiba a strong cigar?
Habanos rates most Cohiba lines medium to full. The Línea 1492 (Siglo) is rated medium, while the Behike and Siglo VI sit at the full end. Check our cigar strength chart to see where that falls.
What does Cohiba mean?
It is an old Taíno word. Habanos says the island’s first inhabitants used it for the rolled tobacco leaves Columbus saw them smoking in 1492.
Why are Cohibas so often faked?
Because it is the best-known Cuban name, Cohiba is a favourite target for counterfeiters. Our guide to counterfeit cigars covers the Habanos warranty seal and other checks.
