Cuesta-Rey is a premium cigar brand founded in 1884 in Tampa’s Ybor City by Angel LaMadrid Cuesta and Peregrino Rey, owned since 1958 by J.C. Newman Cigar Co. and, according to J.C. Newman, made at Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic. J.C. Newman rates Centenario mild, with a Connecticut Shade or Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper over Dominican Cuban-seed filler; Centro Fino Sungrown medium, pairing an Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed sun-grown wrapper with aged Dominican ligero; and Cabinet Selection medium, with a Cameroon wrapper on the No. 95 and a Connecticut wrapper on the No. 898. Cigar Aficionado’s 2019 review of the Centro Fino Sungrown Pyramid No. 9 called it medium-full, with typical notes of dusty cocoa, tamarind-like sweetness, spice and coffee bean. Centenario is the milder line; Centro Fino Sungrown is the fuller-flavoured one. Current availability is on the Cuesta-Rey category page.
Cuesta-Rey Cigars
Cuesta-Rey is one of the oldest and most storied premium cigar brands in the world, founded in 1884 in Tampa’s historic Ybor City district by Spanish immigrant Angel LaMadrid Cuesta and his partner Peregrino Rey, whose handmade “clear Havana” cigars were, according to J.C. Newman, once the official cigar of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Acquired in 1958 by J.C. Newman Cigar Company—America’s oldest family-owned premium cigar maker, founded in 1895—Cuesta-Rey cigars have been handcrafted since the 1980s in the Dominican Republic at the renowned Tabacalera A. Fuente factory. The Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown showcases tobacco from the Quevedo region of Ecuador, with a hearty Sumatra-seed sun-grown Ecuadorian wrapper, aged Dominican ligero filler and a Dominican binder; J.C. Newman rates it medium in strength. The Cuesta-Rey Centenario is a smooth, mild-bodied cigar with either a Connecticut Shade (natural) or Connecticut Broadleaf (maduro) wrapper over Cuban-seed Dominican filler, aged in a cedar room for up to five years. Inducted into the Cigar Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2023, Cuesta-Rey cigars represent over 140 years of unbroken craftsmanship and timeless elegance, making them a distinguished choice for aficionados seeking heritage, quality, and refined Dominican flavor.
Frequently asked questions about Cuesta Rey Cigars
Who makes Cuesta-Rey cigars and where are they made?
Cuesta-Rey was founded in 1884 in Ybor City, Tampa, by Angel LaMadrid Cuesta and Peregrino Rey. J.C. Newman Cigar Co. bought the brand in 1958, and since the 1980s the cigars have been made in the Dominican Republic at Tabacalera A. Fuente.
How strong are Cuesta-Rey cigars?
J.C. Newman lists Centenario as mild, and Centro Fino Sungrown and Cabinet Selection as medium. Cigar Aficionado rated the Centro Fino Sungrown Pyramid No. 9 medium-full in its 2019 review, so how strong a cigar feels depends on the line and size, and on the smoker.
Which Cuesta-Rey should I try first, and how do the lines differ?
Centenario is the mild line, with a Connecticut Shade (natural) or Connecticut Broadleaf (maduro) wrapper over Dominican Cuban-seed filler; J.C. Newman ages each cigar in a cedar room for up to five years. Centro Fino Sungrown uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed sun-grown wrapper with aged Dominican ligero. In its 2019 review of the Pyramid No. 9, Cigar Aficionado described typical notes of cocoa, tamarind-like sweetness, spice and coffee bean. Cabinet Selection is medium: the No. 95 has a Cameroon wrapper and the No. 898 a Connecticut wrapper. Centenario is the milder of the lines; Centro Fino Sungrown has more strength and flavour.
Where can I buy Cuesta-Rey cigars?
Oxford Cigar Company lists Cuesta-Rey on its category page when in stock: https://oxfordcigarcompany.com/cuesta-rey-cigars/. Free US shipping on orders $50+.