After a long delay, the eleventh release of the Colleción Habanos Book series has arrived in stores. The 9 1/8 x 47 Cuaba Bariay was originally expected late last year, but has only begun now arriving in stores according to Cuban Cigar Website, confirmed by German retailer Tabac Benden GmbH, who lists the item in stock.

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Habanos S.A. is known to have issues releasing cigars with the year attached to their name, but it normally involves a cigar being released in the subsequent year. The Cuaba Bariay is actually listed as the 2012 release for the Colleción Habanos series.

The cigar is limited to 1,000 book-shaped boxes with 20 cigars in each boxes.

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Late last year, Habanos S.A. issued the following press release:

December 23, 2013 — The Habanos Collection, a very special product that since its first edition in 2001 became one of the most anticipated Habanos specialties each year not only by Habano lovers but also by the most demanding collectors and consumers of the best tobacco in the world, has just launched its Volume 11th, with which it starts a second Habanos Collection series, this time around dedicated to Cuaba.

This Habanos brand, with which the history of this unique product began, it is now presented in the new Habanos Collection with 20 Bariay Habanos, which have been made in a very special way by a selected group of experienced Cuban cigar rollers only for this occasion.

Only 1,000 pieces of Habanos Collection 2012 Volume 1, Series II Cuaba Bariay (Dulcinea, ring gauge 47 x 232 mm long /47 ring gauge x 232 mm long) have been produced worldwide for the Casa del Habano franchised store chain. Cuaba is one of the brands of Habanos created after the triumph of the 1959 Revolution and it was named after a term used by ancient Taino indigenous people who inhabited the island when Christopher Columbus arrived.

Cuaba is the name of a Cuban native burning wood used by the Taino indigenous people as torches and to light up theirCohibas. Today,this precious wood is still used by Cubans and especially by woodcrafters in developing their artworks.

“Burning as a Cuaba” became a Cuban popular expression that has passed on from generation to generation, especially among peasants.

Available in the brand in 1996, Cuaba is distinguished within the Habanos’ vitolas by the peculiar way of their Habanos, called “doble figurado”.

This format was very fashionable in the nineteenth century and its production, as many seasoned cigar rollers emphasize, is complex and requires high knowledge and skill.

Not all cigar rollers dominate the art of making doble figurados, so its production is the pinnacle of the cigar rolling art.

At the onset, the Cuaba brand offered only relatively small vitolas. Since 2003, three big-size vitolas jumped on the bandwagon, but always clinging to its recognized mild-to-strongtest and its characteristic scent.

All the Cuaba vitolas are entirely rolled by hand with long filler, with leaves from the Vuelta Abajo tobacco plantations in the Pinar del Rio province. 

The complexity in the making of these Habanos makes puffing on them a spectacular and interesting event. For that reason, Cuaba is for many one of the brands of Habanos created for the delight of the most experienced and knowledgeable smokers.

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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.