Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
dating from 1848, and still produced there by Habanos S.A., the Cuban state-owned tobacco company.
History
Named for the squire to
Don Quixote
, the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...
in
Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra ( ; ; 29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616 Old Style and New Style dates, NS) was a Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelist ...
' 1605 novel of the same name, the name "Sancho Panza" was first used for a Havana cigar in 1848, when the ''marca'' of "Sancho Panza" was registered by Don Emilio Ohmsted. The original factory was located at 48 Angeles St. in
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Ramon Allones and in 1940 was purchased by the Rey Del Mundo Cigar Co.The Sancho Panza factory and its assets were nationalized by the Cuban government on September 15, 1960.
Products
Today, Sancho Panza cigars in Cuba are handmade from long-filler tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo region of Cuba. The brand is known for the larger sizes in its range, including the enormous ''Sanchos'' and the ''Belicosos''. In most sizes, Sancho Panza cigars are considered to be medium-bodied for Cuban cigars, and have been described as having a distinctive, somewhat salty taste.Bati, Anwer, ''The Cigar Companion'', Philadelphia, PA: Running Press (1993), , p. 216
Non-Cuban production
In the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, the Sancho Panza trademark was registered in 1981 by Villazon & Company, and the trademark was later acquired by the General Cigar Company. General Cigar markets a line of Honduran cigars with the Sancho Panza brand name incorporating a Honduran or Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and binder.