Partagas

If there is one particularly famous cigar factory in Havana, it is Partagas. You can find it at No. 520 Industria Street, just behind the Capitol building, in the heart of the city. The factory was opened in 1845 by Don Jaime Partagas and it has been making the cigars that bear his name ever since. A Partagas is immediately recognizable by its deep, earthy flavor. The character of its blend springs from a selection of tobaccos from the Vuelta Abajo region chosen for their unmistakable richness of flavor and aroma. Partagas come in a wide array of shapes and sizes. The best known are the Serie D No. 4, the Lusitania and the 8-9-8, a cigar that is named after the way it is arranged in its box. All sizes are 'totalmente a mano, tripa larga', totally hand made, long filler, except two, which are 'mecanizado' or made by machines.