The different fabrics in Cuba are not producing cigars of the same quality, mainly because of the skill of the rollers. Even if we never can be sure, the fabrics of La Habana generally produce better quality.

The date is very important. Cuban cigars are usually admitted to be smoked either freshly rolled (less than 3 months), it will then provides surprising aromas that it will never have again, either aged. Then, because of the re-humidification of the tobacco leaves to be able to roll them, a new slow fermentation occurs. The taste will slowly be modified to get better and better with the age. This also generate a sick period where the cigar is not to be smoke. It may taste lot like urine due to the ammonia generated  by the fermentation. The cigar must rest at least 6 months before to get its quality back. Remember the date on the box is the date of boxing, so you never know the date of rolling and cant tell if the cigar has been rolled less than 3 months before been  boxed. So a box with a recent date on it should always rest at least 6 months before smoking.

Since around 2002 the Habanos production has been reorganized in depth : changes in the catalogue and changes in where they are rolled. Unlike before all cigars are not rolled in all fabrics nowadays. Cubatabaco  started the idea of "Casa Matriz" (mother home). This tells for each brand in which origin fabric the brand is attached. Some provincial factories still roll several brands. At this date we don't know to which "Casa Matriz" these factories are affiliated. Casa Matriz are like follows:

	La Nueva Corona: San Cristobal de la Habana, Hoyo de Monterey, Punch, La Flor de Cano,Por Larranaga,Belinda, Cabanas.
	Partagas: Partagas, Bolivar, La Gloria Cubana, Ramon Allones
	Romeo y Julieta: Romeo y Julieta, Cuaba, Saint Luis Rey, Quai, d'Orsay, El Rey del Mundo.
	H. Upmann: Montecristo, H. Upman, Diplomaticos.
	El Laguto: Cohiba, Trinidad
	La Habana: Fonseca, Sancho Panza, Juan Lopez.
	El Rey del Mundo: Los Statos de Luxe, Troya, Gispert.
	ICT: Gantanamera.
	Pinar del Rio: Vegas Robaina, Vegueros
	Holguin: José L. Piedra
	Cienfuegos: Quinteros

English

Spanish

Code

January

Enero

ENE

February

Febrero

FEB

March

Marzo

MAR

April

Abril

ABR

May

Mayo

MAY

June

Junio

JUN

July

Julio

JUL

August

Agosto

AGO

September

Setiembre

SET

October

Octubre

OCT

November

Noviembre

NOV

December

Diciembre

DIC

El Laguito (Cohiba)                                  LOME, CLE                     MKO

José Marti (H. Upmann)                           ECA                                  LLN

Fransisco Perez German (Partagas)       OSU                                   GKI

Briones Montoto (Romeo y Jullieta)      PEL                                   KMM

Miguel Fernandez Roig (La Corona)     EOG, EAR                       FRH

J. Cano :                                                      ARA

Carlos Balino(Rey Del Mundo)              LOC

May 1999

EPOO

June 1999

ESOO

July 1999

EUOO

August 1999

EAOO

September 1999

EOOO

October 1999

LEOO

November 1999

LLOO

December 1999

LROO

 1999

before 1999 

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1

 N

 1

E

 2 

 I

 2

 T 

 3

 V 

 3

A

4

 E

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G

 5

 L

 5

 I

 6

 A

 6

D

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 C

 7

O

 8

 U

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C

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 S

 9

U

 0

 O

 0