By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- Back for good: Cohiba’s Talismán, originally launched as a 2017 Limited Edition, is joining the brand’s regular-production Línea Clásica.
- Anniversary launch: The Oct. 7 London presentation attracted approximately 400 guests and began Cohiba’s 60th anniversary.
- UK exclusive: Hunters & Frankau will release 6,500 three-cigar gift packs, while standard boxes of 10 are expected in 2027.
Nine years after making its London debut, Cohiba’s Talismán has returned to the British capital. This time, it isn’t planning to leave.
Habanos S.A. officially introduced the Cohiba Talismán as a regular-production cigar at an Oct. 7 event in London, attended by about 400 guests. The launch also marked the start of international celebrations for Cohiba’s 60th anniversary.
Originally introduced in London as a 2017 Limited Edition, the Talismán will now join Cohiba’s Línea Clásica, alongside established cigars such as the Robustos, Coronas Especiales, and Ambar.
“It is back, and it is here to stay,” said José Maria “Chema” Lopez, vice president of development at Habanos S.A., during the presentation. He suggested the anniversary celebrations were just getting started, adding, “There is much more to come!”
The new Talismán retains its original dimensions of 154 mm in length and a 54 ring gauge, but Habanos cautioned that its smoking profile may differ from that of the 2017 release.
Limited Edition Habanos undergo an additional two years of tobacco aging before rolling, a requirement that does not apply to regular-production Línea Clásica cigars. The new Talismán will, however, retain Cohiba’s distinctive manufacturing process, including a third fermentation of selected tobacco leaves in barrels.
“The objective is not to reproduce the flavor profile,” Lopez said, explaining that the new release is not intended to be an exact replica of the original Limited Edition.
Rodrigo González, Habanos S.A.’s strategic marketing director, said the company also plans to strengthen Cohiba’s Línea Clásica portfolio. Plans include redesigned packaging to give the line a more distinct identity alongside Cohiba’s Siglo, Maduro 5 and Behike collections.
The United Kingdom will receive an exclusive presentation marking the Talismán’s return. Hunters & Frankau, Habanos’ exclusive UK distributor, announced a limited-edition three-cigar gift pack of 6,500 units, with an estimated retail value of £600 per pack.
The special packs are expected to reach British cigar retailers in the coming days. Standard boxes of 10 Talismán cigars are scheduled to arrive in international markets in 2027, according to Lopez.
The London event was originally expected to follow the 2026 Festival del Habano, which was canceled amid worsening economic conditions in Cuba. Habanos then announced plans for a series of international events celebrating Cohiba’s 60th anniversary, with London as the first major event.
