Rafael González
A brand that embodies elegance and discretion.
Like the Juan López brand, Rafael González was named after its founder.
Dating back to before the Cuban Revolution, "La Flor de Márquez", from its original name, was founded in 1928 by a Spanish aristocrat, Márquez Rafaël González, who wanted to conquer the English market.
The brand was distributed by two British men, George Samuel and Frank Warwick, and is said to be the origin of the "Lonsdale" vitola. Otherwise known as the "Cervantes" (42 x 165 mm), this vitola is a tribute to Lord Lonsdale, a British sportsman and nobleman, who was a great cigar lover at the time. Today, many other brands also use this vitola format.
In 1936, the brand was registered under the name "La Flor de González" and became the property of Rey del Mundo Cigar Company, which already owned the Sancho Panza and Don Cándido brands. It was not until 1940 that Rafael González was listed as a manufacturer-exporter. In 1954 the name was changed for the last time to "Flor de Rafael Gonzáles Márquez".
During the 1960s and 1970s, Rafael González cigars were considered to be top-of-the-range, like El Rey del Mundo, which at the time produced the most expensive cigar in the world. Zino Davidoff praised them in his book 'The Cigar Connoisseur's Book' (1967), stating that these two cigar brands should be included in a collection worthy of the name. The brand thus acquired a solid reputation as a brand for discerning aficionados. This image continues to this day.
The cigars of these two brands share a common characteristic: they age remarkably well. Indeed, time offers Rafaël González cigars the ability to develop their blend of subtle and complex flavours, which predominate over the taste of sweet tobacco.
A suave, woody, herbaceous and floral aromatic bouquet, softened by notes of honey. Flavours that help explain the attraction of the brand for informed aficionados.
Although appreciated by connoisseurs, Rafael González remains a cigar brand that is not very well known by the general public due to its vitolario, which has been constantly shrinking since the 1970s.
Indeed, while the regular catalogue now offers only three cigars in regular production: the Perlas (40 x 102 mm) introduced in 2012, the Panetelas Extra, a Vegueritos (37 x 127 mm), the Petit Coronas, a Marevas (42 x 129 mm) and the Coronas de Lonsdales, a Hermoso No. 4 (48 x 127 mm); at that time it offered eleven different vitolas in addition to the last two previously mentioned. This brings the regular catalogue of the brand to 13 cigars, all introduced before the Cuban Revolution: the Cigarritos, a Laguito No.3 (26 x 115 mm); the Coronas Extra, a Coronas Gordas (46 x 143 mm), which we are presenting to you today; the Lonsdales, a Cervantes (42 x 165 mm); the Panetelas (34 x 117 mm); the Slenderellas, a Panetelas Largas (28 x 175 mm); the Très Petit Lonsdales, a Franciscanos (40 x 116 mm); the Demi Tasse, an Entreactos (30 x 100 mm); the Petit Lonsdales, a Marevas (42 x 129 mm); the Conicales, a Piramides (52 x 156 mm); the Coronas Chicas, a Marevas (42 x 129 mm) and the Coronas Lonsdales, a Perfectos-mano (44 x 127 mm).
In order to give the brand more visibility, Habanos decided to integrate it into its regional edition programme and thus promote it in certain regions of the world.
The first region to benefit from the brand's taste was Germany with the Rafael González Petit Piramides (50 x 127 mm) released in 2013. Then came the Rafael González 88 in Edición Regional Asia Pacifico, a Britanicas Extra (48 x 137 mm) released in 2016 and finally, more recently the North Star Edición Regional Nordico-Baltico, a Petit Robustos (50 x 102 mm), released in 2017.
Rafael González cigars are now produced alongside Romeo y Julieta and Saint Luis Rey cigars at the Briones Montoto factory in Havana. The latter are rolled "Totalmente a Mano con Tripa Larga" with a long filler made of tobacco leaves from the Vuelta Abajo region (with the sole exception of the Panetelas Extra, which has a Tripa Corta and is made of leaves from the Semi Vuelta).
Each of these vitolas has a very sober and elegant band, reminiscent of the one used on Sancho Panza cigars. Slightly modernised over the years, it has changed very little since its introduction in the 1970s.
To learn more about Rafael González cigars and the history of the brand, we would be delighted to welcome you to our walk-in humidor, where you will find exclusive pieces from the history of the brand, special productions, but also cigars in regular production.
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