Heads turned when General Cigar purchased the well-known Gradiaz Annis & Co. and its famed Gold Label cigar brand in 1969. Not many, however, noticed another transaction by General in which it acquired the Temple Hall factory in Jamaica and with it a little-known trademark for Macanudo. Mostly known previously as an inexpensive size within the Punch range, made in Havana, Macanudo was specially blended to be “the best of the best” and debuted in its modern-day form in 1971. Using Connecticut Shade wrappers from General’s own farms, its consistency, quality, mild taste and a heavy promotional campaign have made it the nation’s leading handmade cigar brand for nearly 30 years. 

Although developed and made for many years in Jamaica, all Macanudo production finally shifted to the Dominican Republic in October 2000. But the brand in the light-green box was only the beginning of the Macanudo story: A special version, with extra-aged leaves, the Vintage Cabinet Selection, was introduced in the 1980s. These cigars are each more than four years in the making and include filler leaves from the Dominican Republic and Mexico and have a richer flavor than the standard line.

Vintage Cabinet cigars have been offered only in the following years: 1979, 1984, 1988, 1993 and 1997 (introduced 2002). The 2000 edition debuted in 2006 featuring year-2000 tobaccos, notably a Connecticut Shade wrapper and a medium body.

The Macanudo Robust line debuted to gasps at the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America show in 1998: a “robust” Macanudo? But it became a hit and as tastes moved to even stronger cigars, the blend was re-made for 2003, with a full-bodied flavor thanks to a dark Connecticut Shade wrapper and Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

Given the success of the Robust line, it was no surprise when the Macanudo Maduro blend was introduced in 1999. Although Macanudo had certain shapes with maduro wrappers previously, this specially blended line that was introduced offered a full-bodied, smooth taste in the most popular shapes.

Despite the move to heavier cigars, Edgar Cullman had an idea: how about a mild blend that was even lighter than the standard Macanudo line? Introduced in late 2002, the Gold Label is a limited-edition winner that uses Connecticut-grown wrapper leaves from the first and second primings to provide a lighter and sweeter taste than on the standard Macanudo “Café” line. So now the Macanudo family numbers five: Café – the original – followed by Vintage, Robust, Maduro and Gold Label. And it should be noted that although the Café line is easy to recognize by its light brown wrapper, there are a few shapes which are produced in the green Candela wrapper so well known in the U.S. in the 1960s. If you can find them, they’re known – in Macanudo parlance – as “Jade” wrappers.

Today, Macanudo remains the standard, mild taste by which all other U.S.-marketed premium cigars are measured. And considering their long reign at the top of the sales chart, no others have measured up yet!