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Flor de Cano (not available in UK)
Flavour: Light to medium-bodied
Founded as J. Cano in by Jose and Tomas Cano in 1884, who remained a small
and independent company until the Cuban revolution. The brothers' name lives
on in these light to medium-bodied Havanas.
Gispert (not available in UK)
Flavour: Mild
Another old Cuban brand, originally produced in Pinar del Rio. Noted for its
mildness, at first taste, which improves while you smoke it. Now completely
machine-made.
La Escepcion (not available in UK)
Flavour: Very full-bodied
Once popular brand initiated by Jose Gener (whose name adorns the Hoyo de
Monterrey).
La Flor de Cano (not available in UK)
Flavour: Mild
Rare Cuban brand, produced by a small factory in Havana. Founded by the brothers
Jose and Tomas Cano in 1884. Superior quality, easy smoke. Some of the range
are machine-made.
La Gloria Cubana (not available in UK)
Flavour: Medium to full-bodied
Famous old Cuban brand, resurrected in the 1970s. Pleasant, superior-quality
Havana, unlike the original fuller-bodied version. Produced in the Partagas
factory in Havana. Easily recognisable by the pretty lady on its distinctive
yellow, Art Deco band. Spicy, peppery, aromatic.
Por Larranaga (not available in UK)
Flavour: Medium to full-bodied
Once, one of the most celebrated Havanas, first established in 1834, but now
difficult to find. Said to be the oldest Havana brand still in production.
Rudyard Kipling's favourite Havana. Some people think he was referring to
it when he 
wrote.
"A woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a Smoke." In fact, Kipling did
mention it in his poem, 'The Betrothed', "There's peace in a Larranga, there's
calm in a Henry Clay."
Most of the smaller sizes are now machine-made, and come in burglar-proof boxes, whose lids are secured by three seals! The wrappers are oily, dark reddish-brown, with a nicely contrasted gold embossed ring. Perfect after-dinner smoke, rich and full of flavour, although not quite as strong as Partagas.
Quai D'Orsay (not available in UK)
Flavour: Very full-bodied
Usually only available in France, which is probably why this is the only Havana
brand with a French name - which translates as "the bridge of D'Orsay", after
a Parisian smoker-friendly street. Created in 1970 by SEITA, the French tobacco
monopoly. Very well constructed cigar that shares the rare distinction, along
with Cohiba, Diplomaticos and Montecristo, of being one of the few Havana
brands where every single shape is handmade.
Quintero y Hermanos
Flavour: Mild
Created by Augustin Quintero and his four brothers, who opened a small factory
in Cienfuegos, near the Remedios tobacco-growing region in the heart of Cuba,
in the 1920s. The success of his cigars led Augustin to found his 
company,
with his eldest brother, in 1940. One of the most popular Havanas sold in
Germany. Delicate, good entry-level cigars, some of which are machine-made.
Troya (not available in UK)
Flavour: Mild
Famous Cuban cigar brand, whose name was inspired by Helen of Troy.
JJ Fox & Robert Lewis, 19 St James's Street,
London, SW1A 1ES
Tel:+44 (0)20 7930 3787 Fax:+44 (0)20 7495 0097