Cohiba cigars were originally made at just one factory - El Laguito, but later the production expanded to a number of other factories. The history of the cigar becoming an attribute of Cuban high-ranking officials is quite interesting. The cigar's way to popularity started with Fidel Castro's bodyguard smoking cigars that a friend of his was rolling at a factory and giving him as a gift. Castro liked the aroma of the cigar and it was later discovered the bodyguard's friend was a cigar roller named Eduardo Rivera and he worked for the La Corona factory in Havana. Fidel Castro, willing to have cigars made for him personally, approached the cigar roller and later organized a small manufacture of cigars in a former diplomatic mansion in Havana's suburb. The cigars produced were reserved for Castro and certain other high-ranking officials, as well as given as a gift to diplomats. It is thought that tight security at the little factory set up by Castro had to do with the fact el comandante was afraid of being poisoned by the CIA. Castro decided to release the cigars as a premium brand for commercial use in 1982 and came in three sizes, with three more sizes added seven years later. The six original sizes are currently referred to as the Linea Clasica (the Classic Line).

 

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