Sancho Panza
The brand for aficionados in quest of authenticity.
Like other famous Habanos brands, such as Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta, Sancho Panza owes its name to a masterpiece of literature. Indeed, the brand was named in honour of Don Quixote's squire and adventure companion, a novel written by Miguel de Cervantes and published in Madrid in 1605 and 1615. The Sancho Panza brand was created by Emilio Ohmstedt, a German who registered the brand in 1848, along with the El Rey del Mundo.
Following his death in the early 1870s, the company was taken over in 1874 by "Salvador Perito y Cía". At that time, Sancho Panza was mainly known as a local brand. About ten years later, the brand faces some challenges, leading it to suspend its activity in 1898. After that, the brand changed ownership again and finally went bankrupt in 1920.
From then on, various buyers succeeded one another until the arrival, in the 1930s, of the Rey del Mundo Cigar Company, which already owned the Rafaël González, El Rey del Mundo and Don Cándido brands.
It was then that two legendary cigars were launched: the Sanchos, a Gran Corona (47 x 235 mm) and the Molinos, a Cervantes (42 x 165 mm). The takeover by Rey del Mundo Cigar Company definitely was the right move for Sancho Panza, which benefited from a sound know-how and superb reputation of the brand, which at the time was producing the most expensive cigar in the world.
After launching worldwide, Sancho Panza achieved a lot of success, especially in Spain in the 1950s. This popularity allowed the brand to remain in business during the Cuban Revolution.
In terms of its vitolario, the brand offers, with the abandonment of the Non Plus in 2019, only one cigar in regular production: the Belicosos, the cigar that we introduce you today. However, this was not always the case. In fact, despite the brand's attractiveness, production volumes have always remained low. Nevertheless, its regular catalogue offered twelve different vitolas: the Bachilleres, a Franciscanos (40 x 116 mm); the Cabinet Petit Royals, whose vitola is unnamed and measures 46 x 118 mm; the Coronas (42 x 142 mm); the Coronas Gigantes, a Julieta No.2 (47 x 178 mm); the Dorados, a Cervantes (42 x 165 mm); the Dulcineas, a Manolin (47 x 232 mm), and a Giant Perfecto exclusive to the brand; the Molinos, a Cervantes (42 x 165 mm); the Non Plus, a Marevas (42 x 129 mm); the Panetela Larga, a Panetelas Largas (28 x 175 mm); the Quixotes, a Perfectos-mano (44 x 127 mm); the Tronquitos, a Coronas (42 x 142 mm) and finally the legendary Sanchos.
Majestic measurements, the Sancho Panza Sanchos is a Gran Corona. It has a 47 cepo and is 235 mm long. An imposing vitola that ranks among one of the largest cigars rolled in Cuba. Most of the Habanos brands that offered it in regular production stopped producing it at the end of the 20th century. The Sanchos, on the other hand continued until 2006. To this day, the Gran Corona is offered only by one brand, Montecristo, with the very famous Montecristo A, which is the largest vitola still in production by Habanos.
Sancho Panza cigars have always had a distinctive herbaceous taste identity with a unique hint of saltiness. This distinction has earned the brand an excellent reputation among seasoned aficionados, leading importers to select the brand for regional editions.
The first international regions to benefit from this singular gustatory gem, were Spain and Germany, in 2011, with the release of Sancho Panza Quijote Edición Regional España, a (Prominentes - 49 x 194 mm) and Sancho Panza Escuderos Edición Regional Alemania (Dobles - 50 x 155 mm). Then it was Serbia's turn to welcoming the mythical Eslavo, a magnificent 109 released in 2015 at only 1'000 cabinets of 50 cigars. The latest release is for the Belux Region in 2017. We are talking about the Gran Quixote, a sumptuous Romeo (52 x 162 mm). In the same year, Switzerland also benefited from the distinguish character of these cigars in 2012 with the Sancho Panza Valientes, a Montesco (55 x 130 mm), with a limited number of 6,000 boxes produced, each filled with 10 cigars.
Since 1848, when the brand was initially registered, its excellent reputation among discerning aficionados has never been undermined. Despite its popularity, the brand has always remained an authentic, discreet and confidential brand. This is nicely demonstrated by the bands adorning the brand's cigars, whose evolution throughout the years is practically imperceptible, or the decoration of its boxes, of a rare sleekness, worthy of the name it bears.
To learn more about Sancho Panza cigars, we would be delighted to welcoming you to our walk-in humidor, where you will find exclusive pieces representing so beautifully the brand’s history, special productions, but also cigars from regular production.
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