The MokaCigar Library
A reading room for Cuban cigars. Curated reference on the language of the leaf, the marques behind the catalogue, and the practical questions that surround buying, storing, and enjoying a fine cigar.
What the Library is for
The Library exists because a good cigar deserves a good reader. The catalogue tells you what we have in stock; the Library tells you why it is worth your time. Each entry here is researched independently, edited in house, and linked from the relevant product pages so the reading sits a click away from the buying.
There is no paywall on the Library, no sign-in to read it, and no advertising on its pages. It is the slow, written half of the house - the part of the shop that assumes you would rather understand what you are about to smoke than be hurried through the basket.
The shelves
The houses
One reference article per marca - Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagás, Hoyo de Monterrey, Romeo y Julieta and the rest of the houses we carry: origins, lines, signature vitolas, releases, and how to buy each one well. Each links to its live stock.
Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the technical vocabulary of Cuban cigars - vitola, ligero, capa, plume, EMS, and the rest of the terms you will meet on a band, a price list, or a tasting note. Written for the curious newcomer and the seasoned reader alike.
Authenticity
A short cluster of guides on how to verify a box of Cuban cigars before you buy - box codes, warranty seals, bands, and the patterns counterfeiters routinely get wrong. The natural companion to the catalogue.
FAQs
The questions we are asked most often - on authenticity, delivery, age verification, storage, returns, payment, membership, and lounge bookings. Each answer is deep-linkable for sharing.
The houses
Bolívar
A reference guide to Bolívar cigars, detailing the full-strength core range, limited editions, vitola specifications, and verification methods.
Cohiba
A comprehensive reference to Cohiba cigars for collectors, detailing the Línea Clásica, Behike, Siglo families, key vitolas, authenticity, and aging.
Cuaba
A reference guide to Cuaba, the modern Habanos brand dedicated to double-figurado shapes. Learn about its vitolas, core range, and collecting notes.
Diplomáticos: Brand History, Core Range and Regional Releases
A comprehensive guide to the Diplomáticos cigar brand, covering its history, the No. 2 and Cancilleres, ageing potential, and regional editions.
El Rey del Mundo
A reference guide to El Rey del Mundo cigars, covering the house history, regular production vitolas, regional editions, and ageing potential.
Fonseca
A reference guide to Fonseca, the historic Cuban cigar house founded in 1891, known for its light profile and signature tissue-wrapped presentation.
H. Upmann
A reference guide to H. Upmann, a long-running Habanos brand known for its refined, light-to-medium cigars including the Magnum and Connoisseur lines.
Hoyo de Monterrey
A reference guide to Hoyo de Monterrey, a classic Habanos house known for its lighter, aromatic profile, including the Epicure and Le Hoyo lines.
José L. Piedra
Discover José L. Piedra, an accessible handmade Cuban cigar brand known for its Remedios-region tobacco and medium-to-full profile.
Juan López
A reference guide to Juan López, a historic Cuban house known for its highly focused portfolio of medium-to-full Coronas Gordas and Robustos.
La Flor de Cano
A reference guide to La Flor de Cano, a historic Cuban cigar house known for its focused medium-strength production and sought-after regional editions.
La Gloria Cubana
A reference guide to La Gloria Cubana, covering the history, core vitolas, regional editions and collecting details of this historic Cuban cigar house.
Montecristo
A reference guide to Montecristo, a defining Habanos brand known for its medium-to-full profile, detailing its lines, vitolas, and what collectors look for.
Partagás
A reference guide to Partagás, the historic full-strength Habanos house. Explore its lines, key vitolas, and advice on collecting and maturation.
Por Larrañaga
An authoritative guide to Por Larrañaga, the oldest surviving Cuban cigar brand. Explore its core portfolio, vitola specifications, and ageing potential.
Punch
A reference guide to Punch, a historic Cuban cigar house founded in 1840. Details on its medium-bodied profile, classic vitolas, and collecting.
Quai d'Orsay
A reference guide to Quai d'Orsay cigars, covering the core range, modern portfolio, vitolas, and details for serious collectors.
Quintero
An overview of Quintero, a volume Habanos house established in 1924 producing accessible, medium-bodied Cuban cigars.
Rafael González Cigars: A Library Reference
A reference guide to Rafael González cigars, a historic Cuban house known for its lighter blends and classic smaller vitolas.
Ramón Allones
A reference guide to Ramón Allones, detailing its full-flavoured core range, notable vitolas, ageing potential, and popular Regional Editions.
Romeo y Julieta Cigars: House Profile & Vitolas
A reference guide to Romeo y Julieta, the historic Cuban cigar house known for its medium profile, the Churchill line, and extensive vitola portfolio.
Saint Luis Rey
A reference guide to Saint Luis Rey, a Cuban cigar house founded in 1940. Learn about the Core Range, the Regios vitola, and vintage regional releases.
San Cristóbal de la Habana
A definitive reference for San Cristóbal de la Habana, covering core vitolas, limited editions, and collecting advice for this modern Cuban cigar house.
Sancho Panza
A reference guide to Sancho Panza cigars, a historic Habanos brand founded in 1848, detailing its core range, the Belicosos, and collector provenance.
Trinidad Cigars
A reference guide to Trinidad, the medium-bodied Cuban cigar house originally reserved for diplomatic gifts. Learn about vitolas, box codes and ageing.
Vegas Robaina
A reference guide to Vegas Robaina, the medium-to-full Habanos brand named for Cuba's most renowned tobacco grower, Alejandro Robaina.
Vegueros
A comprehensive guide to Vegueros, the medium-to-full Cuban cigar brand created in 1996 as a tribute to the tobacco farmers of the Vuelta Abajo.
Terroir
Cultivation
Production
Anatomy of a Habano: capa, capote and tripa
Understand the construction of a Cuban cigar, from the wrapper leaf to the filler blend. A guide to the anatomy of a Habano for serious collectors.
Inside a Havana Cigar Factory
Explore the production process inside a Havana cigar factory, from the curing barns to the rolling floor, the lector, quality control, and the cedar escaparate.
Vitolas
Belvederes
A reference guide to the Belvederes vitola, a 39 ring gauge by 125 mm short panetela used for Habanos such as the Partagás Habaneros.
Brevas JLP
A reference guide to the Brevas JLP vitola de galera, a Corona format measuring 133 mm by 42 ring gauge, used by José L. Piedra and Quintero.
Cadetes
A complete reference guide to the Cadetes vitola de galera, commonly known as a short panetela, including dimensions, smoking characteristics, and notable Habanos.
Campanas
A reference guide to the Campanas vitola, a 52 x 140 mm figurado commonly known as a pyramid, defining cigars like the Bolívar Belicosos Finos.
Cazadores
A reference guide to the Cazadores factory size commonly known as the Lonsdale covering dimensions smoking profile and the houses that roll it.
Centro Fino
A comprehensive reference guide to the Centro Fino vitola, a 50 ring gauge by 130 mm parejo shape commonly known as a Robusto in the Habanos portfolio.
Conchas No.2
An authoritative guide to the Conchas No.2 vitola de galera, commonly known as a Petit Robusto. Discover its dimensions, smoking time, and matching brands.
Coronas
The Coronas is a classic Cuban vitola de galera measuring 142 mm by a 42 ring gauge. Explore its smoking characteristics, history, and notable examples.
Coronas Gordas
A reference guide to the Coronas Gordas vitola de galera, commonly known as the Grand Corona, detailing its dimensions, smoking profile, and history.
Coronas Grandes
A reference guide to the Coronas Grandes (Long Corona) Cuban cigar vitola, detailing its dimensions, smoking profile, and notable Habanos examples.
Coronitas
A reference guide to the Coronitas vitola de galera, commonly known as the Petit Corona. Discover its dimensions, smoking profile, and notable examples.
Cremas
A reference guide to the Cremas vitola de galera, a classic 40 x 140 mm Cuban cigar format commonly known as a Corona.
D No.5
A reference guide to the D No.5 (Petit Robusto) Cuban cigar vitola, covering its dimensions and defining examples like the Partagás Serie D No.5.
Dalias
A complete reference guide to the Dalias vitola, commonly known as a Lonsdale. Learn about its dimensions, smoking profile, and ageing potential.
Dobles
A reference guide to the Dobles vitola de galera, commonly known as the Robusto Extra, including specifications, brands, and ageing advice.
Eminentes
A reference guide to the Eminentes vitola de galera commonly known as a Corona. Explore dimensions notable Cuban cigars and ageing recommendations.
Entreactos
A definitive guide to the Entreactos vitola de galera, or Small Panetela, covering dimensions, notable Habanos, ageing potential, and specifications.
Geniales
The Geniales, commonly known as a Robusto Extra, is a heavy 54 ring gauge parejo measuring 150 mm. Known for complex blends and a cool draw.
Gordito
A reference guide to the Gordito vitola de galera, known as a Robusto Extra, including its dimensions, smoking characteristics, and notable examples.
Half Corona
A reference guide to the Half Corona vitola de galera, an active Habanos size measuring 90 mm by 44 ring gauge, favored for short smoking times.
Hermosos No.4
A reference guide to the Hermosos No.4 (Corona Extra) vitola, covering its dimensions, smoking characteristics, and the Habanos houses that produce it.
Julieta No.2
A precise reference guide to the Julieta No.2 vitola de galera, commonly known as the Churchill. Examine its dimensions, specifications, and notable cigars.
Laguito No.1
A reference guide to the Laguito No.1 vitola, an elegant 38 ring gauge by 192 mm long panetela used for the Cohiba Lanceros and Montecristo Especial.
Laguito No.2
A complete reference guide to the Laguito No.2 vitola de galera, the classic 152 mm by 38 ring gauge Panetela used for Cohiba and Montecristo.
Laguito No.3
A reference guide to the Laguito No.3 factory vitola, commonly known as the Small Panetela. Learn about its dimensions, smoking profile, and production.
Marevas
A reference guide to the Marevas vitola, commonly known as the Petit Corona, covering its dimensions, smoking profile, and prominent examples.
Minutos
A reference guide to the Minutos vitola, a 42 ring gauge by 110 mm Havana commonly known as a Petit Corona.
Originales
A reference to the Originales vitola de galera, a 54 ring gauge by 125mm format rolled for the Montecristo Wide Edmundo and Hoyo Epicure No.3.
Perlas
A definitive reference for the Perlas vitola de galera, a 40 ring gauge by 102 mm Cuban cigar format. Learn about the Montecristo No.5 and Cohiba Siglo I.
Petit Cazadores
A reference guide to the Petit Cazadores vitola, a short parejo format measuring 105 mm by 43 ring gauge, used by José L. Piedra and Quintero.
Petit Cetros
A reference guide to the Petit Cetros vitola de galera, commonly known as a Petit Corona, covering dimensions, notable cigars, and ageing recommendations.
Petit Edmundo
The Petit Edmundo is a 52 ring gauge by 110 mm parejo, commonly known as a Petit Robusto. Discover its dimensions, smoking profile, and history.
Petit Robustos
A complete guide to the Petit Robustos vitola, a short, thick Habanos format offering a cool draw and intense flavour in a 40-minute smoke.
Piramides
A reference guide to the Piramides vitola, a 52 x 156 mm figurado. Learn its specifications, history, how it smokes, and the Cuban brands that use it.
Prominentes
A reference guide to the Prominentes vitola de galera, commonly known as the Double Corona, including dimensions, characteristics, and notable releases.
Robustos
A comprehensive reference guide to the Robustos vitola de galera, covering its precise dimensions, parejo shape, and notable Habanos releases.
Secretos
A reference guide to the Secretos vitola de galera, a 110 mm by 40 ring gauge Havana cigar format used for the Cohiba Maduro 5 and Trinidad Reyes.
Sobresalientes
An authoritative reference on the Sobresalientes Cuban cigar vitola, known as the Robusto Extra, including specifications, brands, and ageing advice.
Standard
A reference guide to the Standard vitola de galera, commonly known as the Petit Corona, detailing its dimensions, smoking characteristics, and notable examples.
Trabucos
A complete reference guide to the Trabucos (Short Panetela) Cuban cigar vitola, including dimensions, smoking characteristics, and famous examples.
Releases
Packaging
Guides
Ageing Cuban cigars: what changes and how long to wait
A practical guide to the chemistry of resting Habanos, ideal storage conditions for long-term maturation, and knowing when a cigar is ready to smoke.
Buying vintage and rare Habanos: a collector's checklist
A practical guide to acquiring vintage and rare Cuban cigars, covering provenance, box codes, warranty seals, and red flags for collectors.
Cigar etiquette in lounges and at the table
A practical guide to the conventions of smoking Habanos in company, covering lounge rules, ash management, and choosing the right cigar for the occasion.
How to Cut a Cigar
A practical guide to cutting a premium cigar. Learn about the anatomy of the cap, the correct tools to use, and how to choose the right cut for your vitola.
How to Light a Cigar Properly
A precise guide to lighting premium cigars, including toasting the foot, choosing the right flame, pacing your draws, and the retronasal technique.
How to store cigars: humidity, temperature and humidors
A practical guide to cigar storage, humidor preparation, and achieving the optimal temperature and humidity for Habanos.
Keeping a cigar ledger: the Digital Humidor and Smoke Log
A practical guide to cataloguing your Cuban cigar collection, tracking provenance, planning the ageing process, and recording smoking notes.
Reading a Habanos box: seals, bands and codes
A practical guide to the marks on a Habanos box, from factory date stamps and the green Cuban warranty seal to the UK EMS stamp and band verification.
History
How the Library is curated
Entries are written by the house, reviewed against primary sources where primary sources exist, and revised when the facts change. We favour clarity over jargon and we credit our sources - Habanos S.A. publications, the factory record, the catalogues of the marques themselves, and the working experience of cigar professionals we trust. Where the record is contested (early box codes, discontinued vitolas, regional editions), we say so rather than smooth it over.
The Library is intentionally small. We would rather carry fifty entries that are right than five hundred that are nearly right. If you spot something we have got wrong, write to us through the contact page - corrections are welcomed and credited.