Alongside its regular range, Habanos S.A. releases special editions every year. Their names follow fixed rules: some describe how long the tobacco was aged, others the market or occasion for which a cigar was made. This article puts the most important terms into context.

What does “Cosecha” mean?

“Cosecha” is the Spanish word for harvest. On a Habano, it refers to the harvest year of the tobacco used.

The term appears mainly on Reserva and Gran Reserva releases. “Cosecha 2013” means the tobacco was harvested in 2013; the cigar itself only reaches the market years later. The harvest year should not be confused with the date code on the underside of the box, which gives the packing date.

What is a Reserva?

In a Reserva, all the leaves, that is filler, binder and wrapper, have been aged in bales for at least three years before the cigar is rolled, according to Habanos S.A.

Habanos S.A. launched the first release in this series in 2003 with the Cohiba Reserva Selección. Reservas carry a second band in silver on black. One example is the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 Reserva Cosecha 2012, whose name gives the brand, the vitola and the harvest year.

What is a Gran Reserva?

In a Gran Reserva, the filler, binder and wrapper have been aged for at least five years before being processed, according to Habanos S.A. The second band is gold on black.

The first Gran Reserva was the Cohiba Siglo VI Gran Reserva Cosecha 2003. Its tobacco came from the 2003 harvest in San Juan y Martínez and San Luis, was aged for five years and was rolled at the El Laguito factory. It was first handed out in February 2009 at the XI Festival del Habano, with deliveries starting in November of the same year. Gran Reservas from other brands have followed since, for example from Partagás, H. Upmann and Hoyo de Monterrey.

What is an Edición Limitada?

The Edición Limitada is an annual series that Habanos S.A. introduced in 2000. Its hallmark is a darker wrapper from the upper leaf tiers of the plant, aged in bales for at least two years.

At first, only the wrapper received extra ageing. Since 2007, according to Habanos S.A., the filler and binder have also been aged for at least two years. The first series in 2000 carried a black and gold second band reading “Edición Limitada” but without a year; since 2001 the year has appeared beneath it. Each year, several vitolas from different brands are selected. One example is the Trinidad Edición Limitada Cabildos 2024.

What is an Edición Regional?

An Edición Regional is a limited cigar made only for a specific regional market. Habanos S.A. introduced the series in 2005.

Each release is initiated by the regional distributor concerned, who also bears the start-up costs. The vitola is chosen from current production and must be one the brand in question does not yet offer. Five cigars appeared in the first year, two of them for Switzerland: the Punch Robusto ER Suiza and the Ramón Allones Eminencia ER Suiza. By 2010 there were already around twenty releases. The abbreviation “ER” together with the name of the market is part of the designation.

What is the Colección Habanos?

The Colección Habanos is a largely annual series that began in 2001 with the Cuaba Salomones. It is known for its book-shaped boxes.

Most releases contain 20 cigars; the first release came in boxes of 10, and the 2011 release in boxes of 30, with three cigars each from earlier releases. One example is the Trinidad Casilda Colección Habanos 2019, released for the 50th anniversary of Trinidad. It measures 185 mm with a ring gauge of 53; 2,000 boxes of 20 were produced.

What are Aniversario editions?

Aniversario editions are released to mark a brand's anniversary. They are not an ageing category of their own but are tied to an occasion, and are often issued in humidors or special packaging.

One example is the Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 Humidor, made for the 50th anniversary of Cohiba. It was presented in February 2016 at the XVIII Festival del Habano. It holds 20 cigars in the new Majestuosos 58 vitola (150 mm, ring gauge 58); 1,966 humidors were made.

What is the Behike?

Behike is the name of Cohiba's most exclusive line. The name first appeared in 2006 on an anniversary release; the Cohiba Behike BHK line has existed since 2010.

For Cohiba's 40th anniversary in 2006, 4,000 Cohiba Behike cigars (7 ½ inches, ring gauge 52) were released in 100 humidors made by the Paris workshop Elie Bleu. All of the cigars were rolled by Norma Fernández Sastre. In 2010, at the XII Festival del Habano, Habanos S.A. presented the Behike BHK line with three vitolas, including the BHK 52 and BHK 54. Its distinguishing feature is the medio tiempo leaf: a rare leaf from the two uppermost tiers of the sun-grown tobacco plant, which not every plant develops.

How can the designations be told apart?

The terms answer different questions: Reserva and Gran Reserva describe the length of ageing, Edición Limitada an annual selection with an aged wrapper, Edición Regional the market, and Aniversario the occasion.

Reserva
all leaves aged for at least three years, harvest year stated as Cosecha.
Gran Reserva
all leaves aged for at least five years, harvest year stated as Cosecha.
Edición Limitada
annual series since 2000, wrapper aged for at least two years.
Edición Regional
since 2005, only for a specific market.
Colección Habanos
since 2001, book-shaped boxes.
Aniversario
tied to a brand's anniversary.
Behike
Cohiba line with medio tiempo leaf.