Learn ›
Learn · WrappersHabano Wrapper
Habano is a family of Cuban-seed wrappers... spicier than Connecticut, comfortable at almost any strength, and grown today mostly in Ecuador and Nicaragua.
Where it comes from
Habano literally points at Havana: it marks tobacco descended from Cuban seed but grown outside Cuba. When those seed lines left the island, two new homes came to matter most. Ecuadorian Habano grows under Ecuador's natural cloud cover and leans smoother. Nicaraguan Habano takes full sun in Nicaragua's volcanic soil and leans fuller and darker. Same family, different upbringing.
One warning about the word: Habano is a style label, not a strain with paperwork. Some Habano wrapper descends from criollo lines, some from hybrids bred after disease chased the older Cuban seeds off the island, and its sibling corojo gets its own page. The band won't tell you which branch you're holding.
What it's like
The middle of the road, in the good sense: more pepper and spice than a Connecticut, more range than a one-note dark leaf. People describe cedar, leather, coffee, and a pepper level that scales with where the leaf grew and which priming it came from. Ecuador-grown tends toward balance; Nicaraguan-grown tends toward power. When a blender wants one wrapper that can cover medium to full, Habano is usually on the shortlist.
Natural vs maduro
Habano ships at nearly every shade. Lighter naturals show off the spice; longer-fermented versions cross into maduro and pick up the dark-sweet notes that come with the process. "Habano Oscuro" on a band means the same leaf pushed to the darkest end of the scale.
You'll see it on
Habano keeps showing up in the reviews here:
- The Crux Guild Toro wears Ecuadorian Habano over Nicaraguan binder and filler... landed a Five-Pack (3/4).
- The Davidoff Winston Churchill The Late Hour Toro also goes Ecuadorian Habano... it landed at Hand-Me-One (2/4).
- The Filthy Viking Toro from American Viking wears a Habano wrapper whose origin the brand doesn't disclose... landed a Five-Pack (3/4).
Keep reading
Reviewed at WSA since this page was written
Diesel Uncaged Toro Review
The Diesel Uncaged Toro is a Five-Pack (3/4) at about $6.89 street... a near-perfect draw, big creamy smoke, and a sweet cream retrohale that kept...
Crowned Heads Mil Días Sublime Review
The Crowned Heads Mil Días Sublime is a Five-Pack (3/4) at about $12 street... a creamy, mild-to-medium smoke that stays sweet cream from the first...
Perez-Carrillo Pledge Prequel Review
The Perez-Carrillo Pledge Prequel is a Hand-Me-One (2/4) at about $13 street... the first third was bitter, tight on the draw and wavy on the burn with...
Crux Epicure Habano Toro Review
The Crux Epicure Habano Toro is a Five-Pack (3/4) at about $14 street... a nutty, creamy, coffee-and-leather cigar that gets noticeably better the more...
Perez-Carrillo La Historia Silk Toro Review
The Perez-Carrillo La Historia Silk Toro is a Hand-Me-One (2/4) at about $16.50 street... there's a cream-leather-coffee cigar in here that kept trying...
My Father La Promesa Corona Gorda Review
The My Father La Promesa Corona Gorda is a Hand-Me-One (2/4) at about $9.20 street... the first two thirds were genuinely good, with leather, coffee...
Foundation 10 Year Aniversario Salomon Review
The Foundation 10 Year Aniversario Salomon is a Box Buy (4/4) at $35 street... a Mexican hot chocolate of a cigar that stays excellent start to finish...
Liga Privada T52 Corona Doble Review
The Liga Privada T52 Corona Doble is a Hand-Me-One (2/4) at about $20 street... a well-made, well-mannered medium-plus smoke with a mild, layered...
Diesel Whiskey Row Toro Review
The Diesel Whiskey Row Toro is a Hand-Me-One (2/4) at about $8 street... a pleasant nutty-bready-coffee smoke through two thirds that never found the...
Tatuaje Tattoo Universo Review
The Tatuaje Tattoo Universo is a Not Even Free (1/4) at about $5.50 street... a well-built cigar aimed at a palate that isn't mine.
Oliva Serie V Toro Review
The Oliva Serie V Toro is a Five-Pack (3/4) at about $13 street... a sweet, nutty, medium cigar that punches way above its price tag, and asks for a...