Unlike many hand-rolled offerings, the Por Larrañaga Belvederes was a machine-made vitola that faithfully served the brand for decades before its eventual retirement. As one of the older releases in the Por Larrañaga portfolio, this cigar traced its origins back to the pre-1960 era, making it a witness to the golden age of Cuban tobacco production.
Specifications
| Cigar Name | Belvederes |
| Factory Name | Belvederes |
| Ring Gauge | 39 |
| Length | 125 mm (4⅞″) |
| Official Weight | 6.43 g |
| Construction | Machine-made |
| Band | Standard band A |
Construction and Presentation
True to its era, the Belvederes was produced using machine-made construction methods rather than the traditional hand-rolling technique associated with premium Cuban cigars. This manufacturing approach was common for certain vitolas during the period, allowing for greater production efficiency while still utilizing quality Cuban tobacco.
The cigar featured the brand's standard "A" band design, maintaining visual consistency with other offerings in the Por Larrañaga lineup. Each Belvederes was individually wrapped in cellophane and packaged in dress boxes containing 25 cigars—a presentation format that reflected the standards of mid-century Cuban cigar production.
Historical Timeline
- Introduction: Pre-1960 release, placing it among the earlier modern productions of the Por Larrañaga brand
- Production Period: Spanned approximately three decades of continuous availability
- Discontinuation: Early 1990s, marking the end of an era for this particular vitola
Legacy
The Belvederes holds a unique position in Cuban cigar history as a machine-made regular production cigar that maintained its place in the Por Larrañaga catalog for over thirty years. Its discontinuation in the early 1990s came during a period of significant transition for Habanos S.A., as the company moved toward consolidating its portfolio and emphasizing hand-rolled premium offerings.
Today, the Por Larrañaga Belvederes exists only as a collector's item and a memory of a different era in Cuban cigar manufacturing—one where machine-made cigars held a legitimate place alongside their hand-rolled counterparts in the regular production lineup.