Vegueros Centrogordos Cuban Cigars (Tin of 16)

• Length: 100mm
• Gauge: 54
• Flavour: Medium-Full
• Wrapper: Habano
• Filler: Vuelta Abajo
• Hand Rolled
• Long Filler
• Cuban Cigars

Vegueros CentroGordos – Cuban Cigars (Tin of 16)

There's something rather appealing about a cigar that comes in a tin. Not a magnificent cedar cabinet with polished brass hinges, nor a lacquered box requiring its own shelf, but a sturdy metal container that looks ready for a working life. It's an appropriate choice for Vegueros, a Cuban brand whose name honours the people who actually grow the tobacco.

A veguero is a Cuban tobacco farmer, and the brand has strong historical connections with Pinar del Río, the province at the heart of Cuba's celebrated tobacco-growing country. These are the people who spend their days tending plants, selecting leaves and dealing with whatever the weather decides to throw at them. Their contribution to a finished Havana is considerable, even if they seldom receive the same attention as the names printed on cigar bands.

Vegueros was introduced in 1996, with its early production associated with the Francisco Donati factory in Pinar del Río. The brand was relaunched in 2013, bringing a new selection of sizes, updated branding and the distinctive metal tins that have since become part of its identity.

The CentroGordos is a particularly interesting member of that range. Measuring 100mm long with a 54 ring gauge, it's a short, broad cigar with an almost stubborn appearance. It looks as though somebody has compressed the ambitions of a much larger Havana into a considerably smaller space.

The name itself is rather descriptive. Gordos refers to the cigar's substantial girth, and at 54 ring gauge, there's certainly enough tobacco here to justify it.

Each CentroGordos is handmade in Cuba using Cuban wrapper, binder and long-filler tobaccos. The blend is classified as medium-to-full strength, with a character commonly associated with earth, cedar, roasted coffee, natural tobacco sweetness and peppery spice.

The shorter length makes the CentroGordos a distinctive alternative to the more familiar Robusto format, while its broad diameter gives it a substantial feel in the hand. It's a combination that has become increasingly popular among Cuban cigar enthusiasts.

And then there's the tin.

The sixteen cigars are arranged upright inside a rectangular metal container, each wearing the recognisable Vegueros band in black, white and bright green. The packaging carries the same geometric emblem, with the brand name and Pinar del Río designation printed prominently across the front.

It's an attractive piece of design, particularly the contrast between the dark metal lid, pale striped panels and vivid green emblem. The cigars themselves have warm brown wrappers and neatly finished rounded caps, giving the whole arrangement a rather satisfying appearance when opened.

I've always appreciated packaging that serves a useful purpose. The metal tin provides a practical way of keeping the cigars together during handling and transport, although it shouldn't be mistaken for a substitute for a regulated humidor. For longer-term storage, the contents still need suitable humidity.

A tin of sixteen CentroGordos is a useful format for anyone already familiar with the blend or wishing to keep a supply of this compact Cuban vitola. It also makes an interesting addition to a collection, particularly for those who enjoy the less conventional sizes in the Habanos portfolio.

Vegueros has always had a refreshingly agricultural identity. Behind the famous Cuban cigar names, the elaborate labels and the endless arguments about which vintage was best, somebody still has to grow the tobacco. It's good to see a brand give those people a little recognition.

As for the tin, I suspect it'll remain useful long after the last cigar has gone. Every tobacconist accumulates a collection of old containers for keeping odds and ends. Although in my experience, the moment you put something important in one, you can never remember which tin it was.