New Cuban Bands Omit Old Company Names
Notice anything different between these two bands?
They’re both gold and red and both have the same heraldic design, but there is a difference. The words Manuel Lopez have disappeared. Manuel Lopez was the name of the person who owned Punch before the brand was nationalized, and Habanos S.A., the worldwide distributor of of Cuban cigars, has omitted the name from the newly minted bands.
Punch is not the only one. The Partagas band has lost the words “Cifuentes y Cia.,” which references the brand’s pre-revolution owner, and Romeo y Julieta no longer reads “Rodriguez Arguelles y Cia.”
Although the old names have always been part of the design, even after Castro took power, Habanos has decided it’s time for a change.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Source: Cigar Aficionado