Quintero
Quintero is a volume Habanos brand founded in Cuba in 1924. It is known for its approachable, medium-bodied cigars and accessible packaging, providing a consistent entry point into Cuban tobacco. As part of the Habanos S.A. portfolio, the house focuses purely on a regular-production core range designed for frequent enjoyment.
Quintero: Favoritos
The Quintero Approach
Established in the early twentieth century, Quintero has built its reputation on reliability and straightforward appeal. The house does not pursue the complex ageing programmes, ornate presentation, or high-tier pricing models of the global flagship brands. Instead, it offers a functional, steady portfolio of traditional formats. The blends are uniformly medium in strength, presenting a traditional Cuban profile that remains steady from the first third to the finish.
Volume Habanos brands like Quintero serve a specific purpose in the collections of serious smokers. They provide the backbone of regular consumption, allowing aficionados to reserve their premium cabinets for occasions that demand them. Collectors and regular smokers appreciate Quintero for this exact utility.
While these cigars are not typically laid down for decades, a few years of careful storage can noticeably soften their youth and round out the blend. When acquiring boxes for medium-term resting, buyers should always check the box code stamped on the base. Cigars carrying English Market Selection (EMS) verification assure the buyer of correct import and conditioning. This level of quality control ensures the tobacco performs well despite its volume positioning. Even for accessible brands, knowing how to spot fake Cuban cigars remains an important skill, though condition and provenance are the primary concerns here.
The Core Range and Vitolas
The Quintero portfolio consists of a single Core Range line encompassing several distinct vitolas. The house relies heavily on smaller and standard formats, largely avoiding the industry trend toward unusually large or long cigars. Packaging is kept practical, primarily utilising standard dress boxes of twenty-five cigars and smaller cardboard packs of five.
The *Brevas* is a traditional corona format, known in the factory as a Cremas. Measuring 140 mm in length (5.51 inches) by a 40 ring gauge, it offers a standard dimension for a steady, medium-bodied smoke. The *Tubulares* is another corona variant, the Brevas JLP. It measures 133 mm (5.24 inches) by 42, distinguished primarily by its packaging in aluminium tubes. This format was introduced in 2016 specifically for smokers requiring mobility and physical protection for their cigars.
For shorter durations, the house produces the *Londres Extra*, a petit corona in the Standard vitola de galera. Measuring 123 mm (4.84 inches) by 40, this size has been in continuous production since before 1960, making it a historic staple of the brand. The *Petit Quintero*, a more recent addition introduced in 2014, uses the Petit Cazadores vitola. At 105 mm (4.13 inches) with a 43 ring gauge, it is well suited for brief smoking windows. The *Panetelas* utilises the slender Vegueritos vitola de galera, measuring 127 mm (5.0 inches) by an elegant 37 ring gauge, delivering the Quintero blend in a cool, quick format.
The modern standout of the brand is the *Favoritos*. Introduced in 2012, this petit robusto is the thickest cigar in the portfolio. It uses the Conchas No.2 vitola de galera, measuring 115 mm (4.53 inches) by a 50 ring gauge. The wider diameter allows the medium-bodied blend to smoke cooler than its slimmer counterparts, making it an increasingly popular choice for regular consumption among modern smokers.
Quintero: Petit
Editions and Releases
Unlike the major global houses that regularly introduce novelties, Quintero focuses entirely on its standard portfolio. Habanos S.A. positions the brand strictly within its regular-production category. Consequently, there are no Edición Limitada, Edición Regional, or Reserva releases under the Quintero name. The catalogue is stable, predictable, and built solely around the core line.
When building a rotation of daily cigars, collectors look to Quintero for this consistency rather than rarity. Proper storage in a controlled humidor remains essential. Because these are volume productions, ensuring they are stabilised at the correct humidity before smoking is the best way to extract their full potential.
Key Vitolas Specification
Favoritos — Vitola de Galera: Conchas No.2 — Length (mm): 115 — Ring Gauge: 50 — Strength: Medium
Brevas — Vitola de Galera: Cremas — Length (mm): 140 — Ring Gauge: 40 — Strength: Medium
Tubulares — Vitola de Galera: Brevas JLP — Length (mm): 133 — Ring Gauge: 42 — Strength: Medium
Londres Extra — Vitola de Galera: Standard — Length (mm): 123 — Ring Gauge: 40 — Strength: Medium
Panetelas — Vitola de Galera: Vegueritos — Length (mm): 127 — Ring Gauge: 37 — Strength: Medium
Petit Quintero — Vitola de Galera: Petit Cazadores — Length (mm): 105 — Ring Gauge: 43 — Strength: Medium
At MokaCigar
Our humidor stocks the most reliable formats from the Quintero core range, selected for everyday enjoyment and consistency. We currently hold the Quintero Favoritos, the Panetelas, the Petit Quintero, and the Tubulares. All boxes bear the necessary marks of authenticity, including EMS verification where applicable, and are rested in our climate-controlled environment before dispatch. You can explore our current inventory and availability on the Quintero shop page.
In our cellar
Sold-out archive (4 releases, enquiries welcome): Quintero Favorito, Quintero Panetelas, Quintero Petit Quintero, Quintero Tubulares.