Description
Lavishly decorated boxes have become a hallmark of Cuban cigars, and the first examples were used to house Ramón Allones cigars way back in the mid-1800s. The colourful lithographs now used to display the logo of, and medals won by, this venerable old Havana brand were a revolution in cigar marketing, and are credited today with pioneering the art form. Today cigar boxes range from the traditional heat-stamped cedar wood all the way up to the gloriously lacquered showpiece units used for Limited Editions and other premium lines; empty boxes retain their beauty and are made into art installations, small guitars and reused in many other creative ways. The first steps down this road of packaging creativity were taken by Ramón Allones.
The Ramón Allones brand is officially credited with having been registered in 1837 in Havana. Galician-born Ramón Allones himself founded the business, and it was Ramón who came up with the idea of decorating his boxes so his cigars stood out from all the rest. His plan worked, and his cigars soon became one of the best-selling ranges in Cuba. Over the next 60 years or so the ownership of Ramón Allones shifted frequently, before being acquired in 1911 by English firm Hunters. This marked the beginning of Ramón Allones’ most successful period, becoming one of the largest brands in the world with (perhaps unsurprisingly) a significant following in the UK. Hunters and Frankau – as the former owners are now known – went on to become the exclusive distributor for all Cuban cigars to the British Isles and retain a particular affection for Ramón Allones, using it regularly for their Regional Editions and even for the astonishing Hunters & Frankau 225th Anniversary Humidor.
Hunters’ ownership of Ramón Allones came to an end in 1927 when they sold the marca to Partagás. This transfer saw production move to the Partagás factory – where it still is today – and the vitolas offered gradually fell in line with those of the sister brand. Nationalisation in 1960 and the streamlining of vitolas in 1972 saw a great number of Ramón Allones cigars discontinued, but those which remain still offer a solid variety of expressions of the full-strength blend smokers have come to love.
As well as being recognised as the originator of the decorations now ubiquitous on Havana cigar boxes, Ramón Allones is also credited with being the first to attach cigar bands to the sticks themselves. Among the many theories for the origin of the anilla which have been put forth over the years is a fantastic tale of a powerful European queen – Catherine the Great of Russia or France’s Marie Antoinette, depending on the storyteller – being the first to adopt the practice, using rings of silk to protect her white gloves from being stained where she held her cigar. While this may bring a certain extra romance to the history of the Habano, it is most likely a myth, and the idea that an enterprising young Spaniard who sought to innovate his chosen industry and bring his own name to the peak of it developed the practice is much more believable.
Whatever the truth of the matter, cigar bands are now an important feature of the industry, and Ramón Allones have been chosen more often than any other brand to wear the second band denoting a Regional Edition cigar. At least 47 different limited production cigars have been produced by Ramón Allones, including some spectacular cigars for the British market in which they found so much success, with the likelihood of many more to come in the future. As well as the Hunters & Frankau 225th Anniversary Humidor, a 230th Anniversary cigar was also rolled in 2020 and released in 2022, both for the UK market. Limited Edition cigars gave also used Ramón Allones, including the 2015, 2019 and 2022 editions.
While it may not have the most regular production cigars, Ramón Allones is clearly popular for special releases. This is mostly down to the esteem in which it is held by smokers, the full-strength and rich flavours often called upon to round off a fine evening with friends. If you are a fan of powerful Havana cigars, this is definitely the brand for you.
