Flor de Tabacos de Partagás
The history of the oldest factory in Cuba still in operation today.
The Partagás brand, whose full name is Flor de Tabacos de Partagás, was founded by a Spaniard, Don Jaime Partagás Ravelo, who moved to Cuba in the early 19th century to work in the tobacco industry. In 1845 he undertook a construction of the factory "Real Fábrica de Tabaco Partagás", in the heart of Havana behind The Capitolio. This factory, undoubtedly one of the best known, is the oldest one among active Cuban factories. It was later renamed as "Partagás Royal Tobacco Factory", following customer acquisition coming from high society of Europe and the Middle East.
The brand gained an immediate success. It can be explained by the fact that Don Jaime Partagás Ravelo owned many plantations in the Vuelta Abajo, from which he selected the best leaves for the production of his cigars. He was also recognized as the first to experiment with tobacco fermentation and aging methods.
In the early 1860s he was still innovative in being the first to use a lector. This person was in charge of reading aloud to Torcedores in order to make their work less boring and also to promote education.
Sadly, in 1864, while at the top of his career, Don Jaime Partagás Ravelo was murdered on one of his plantations. His son took over the business before it was sold to a wealthy banker, José A. Bance in the end of the 19th century. The factory changed several owners and was even renamed several times. In 1954 Partagás acquired brands Bolívar and La Gloria Cubana. At the time of the revolution, Partagás was the second largest exporter after H.Upmann.
Due to its antiquity, we owe Partagás some iconic pieces belonging to the history of the Cuban cigar. Among them are the Sevilla Humijar. Handcrafted in the 1920s by the artisans of La Cartuja, they have now become real museum pieces. Located in Seville, La Cartuja is an earthenware factory, founded in 1841 and at the time one of the most famous in Europe. It was also designated Official Supplier of the Royal House of Spain.
Their popularity among aficionados and collectors led Habanos to introduce the "Serie Sevilla", a limited edition, exclusively for the Spanish market, of carefully aged Habanos cigars presented in porcelain jars, replicas of the Sevilla Humijar from the 1920s.
For the last forty years the brand has remained one of the most popular alongside Montecristo, H.Upmann and Romeo y Julieta. The catalog of Partagás offers a wide range of different vitolas. Some of them also have a strong reputation, such as Lusitania and 8-9-8, a cigar that takes its name from the way it is stored in the box. Still the best known of all is, undoubtedly, Serie D No.4, a Robusto that is a part of the legendary alphabetical series introduced in the 1930s. All cigars of the brand are traditionally rolled "Totalmente a Mano con Tripa Larga" made of tobacco leaves from the region of Vuelta Abajo.
To learn more about Partagás cigars and the history of the brand, we would be delighted to invite you to our Art and Culture area, where you will find exclusive pieces - the original Partagás Sevilla Humijar, old display cabinets, printing plates and vintage vistas. You will also discover the bofetón and the original documents of the creation of the brand.
(Pieces from our private collection)
For more information, contact us on +41 22 552 2799