Vegas Robaina

Vegas Robaina bears the name of Alejandro Robaina, a Vuelta Abajo grower, and comes, says habanos.com, from a tribute to Cuban tobacco growers through his figure. Habanos writes that his family has grown tobacco since 1845 at Cuchillas de Barbacoa, in the San Luis district; the trade press speaks in 2010 of a family farm since the mid-1800s, of about 40 acres, almost entirely devoted to wrapper.

Wikipedia writes that, each year, 80% of his harvest was judged fit to serve as wrapper, against about 35% on other plantations. At his death, the trade press described him as an unofficial worldwide ambassador for the Cuban cigar. His grandson Hiroshi, 33, had taken over the farm about three years before his grandfather's death (trade press, 2010).

Habanos says the brand was created in 1997; Wikipedia adds that Habanos S.A. was then launching a line named after his lands. According to the trade press, Alejandro Robaina said that the brand created in his honour did not contain his tobacco. He died on 17 April 2010, aged 91, at home in San Luis, after a long-standing cancer (trade press).

Habanos writes that the leaves come from the Vuelta Abajo, that every cigar is rolled entirely by hand in long filler, in medium to full-bodied strength, and that the brand has five vitolas. Wikipedia gives their sizes: Único (pirámide, 6 1/8 inches on cepo 52), Famoso (Hermoso No. 4, 5 on 48), Familiar (corona, 5 5/8 on 42), Don Alejandro (prominente, 7 5/8 on 49) and Clásico (cervantes, 6 1/2 on 42, discontinued). In July 2003, habanos.com presented a set of 100 Habanos in the Don Alejandro, Clásicos, Famosos and Únicos sizes, plus 20 Gordito (141 mm, cepo 50), sold through the La Casa del Habano network. The brand page on habanos.com gives neither the names nor the dimensions of the five vitolas.

Where is it rolled? In Cuba the question has a two-storey answer. Since 2002 each Habanos brand has had a mother factory, responsible for leaf selection and blend, and its cigars may be rolled in any of the island's few dozen factories under the mother's supervision; Habanos does not publish that map, the trade press reconstructs it. Habanos names no mother factory for Vegas Robaina; the trade press, which describes the Francisco Donatién factory of Pinar del Río (about 90% of Trinidad, a little Romeo y Julieta), does not mention Vegas Robaina. In October 2026, habanos.com places it among its 27 brands, in the group of thirteen “other” brands, outside the six global ones, the five value ones and the three volume ones. The official page traces the family vega at Cuchillas de Barbacoa, in the San Luis district, to 1845, and the brand to 1997, in homage to Alejandro Robaina and, through him, to all growers; five vitolas in long filler, in medium to full-bodied strength. Wikipedia, for its part, writes that the cigars are rolled in Havana, in the former H. Upmann factory.

Range Depth

• Don Alejandro

  According to Wikipedia, a prominente (double corona) of 7 5/8 inches on cepo 49. Habanos lists it in 2003 in a set of 100 Habanos from La Casa del Habano.

• Únicos

  According to Wikipedia, a pirámide of 6 1/8 inches on cepo 52, listed by habanos.com in the 2003 set.

• Familiar

  According to Wikipedia, a corona of 5 5/8 inches on cepo 42.

• Famoso

  According to Wikipedia, a Hermoso No. 4 (corona extra) of 5 inches on cepo 48, listed by habanos.com in the 2003 set.

🥃 Pairings

• Aged Cuban rum

  Spirits

  Suggestion: an amber Cuban rum, to stay within the island register.

• Cuban coffee without sugar

  Coffee

  Suggestion: a strong unsweetened coffee, which does not mask the smoke.

👤 Associated figures

• Alejandro Robaina

  Grower at Cuchillas de Barbacoa, in San Luis (Vuelta Abajo), who died on 17 April 2010 aged 91. Wikipedia writes that 80% of his annual harvest was judged fit to serve as wrapper; the trade press reports that he said the brand created in his honour did not contain his tobacco.

• Hiroshi Robaina

  Alejandro's grandson, he was 33 in 2010 and had taken over the farm about three years before his grandfather's death (trade press).