Siglo VI Original Public Release?

[AlohaStyle]

Hey all, it's been widely discussed as the original public release of the Cohiba Siglo VI was 2003, but they were launched in 2002.  Besides the many bloggers, I haven't seen much written proof to say if 2002 released any cigars publicly other than at a launch party.  Were the launch party cigars, standard Siglo VI in a box, and were coded 2002?  Or were they singles handed out and the only boxed ones in 2002 were the humidor? 

Just curious as the discussion has come up... any wisdom/proof would be appreciated!

If I can link CA, here's a write up from James Suckling back then:  https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/for-the-love-of-cohiba-8221

[JohnS]

Min Ron Nee, in his magnum opus, 'An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars', states that the Cohiba Siglo VI was launched in France in November 2002 and made available worldwide thereafter in 2003.

Without specifying the location, Alex Groom's upcoming chef d'ouevre, 'El Habano Moderno', re-iterates the same information.

[Ryan]

I've never seen a 2002 stamped box of Siglo VI.

The only Siglo VI I know of to get into the wild in 2002, other than launch parties, were the ones in the 10th anniversary Siglo humidor. 15 cigars each in the Siglo line, a total of 90 cigars with special 10th anniversary bands. I still have a couple of those somewhere.

The first regular boxes of Siglo VI received by Hunters and Frankau, and the first to some into Ireland, were 10-count boxes dated August 2003.

 

[KCCubano]

49 minutes ago, Ryan said:

I've never seen a 2002 stamped box of Siglo VI.

The only Siglo VI I know of to get into the wild in 2002, other than launch parties, were the ones in the 10th anniversary Siglo humidor. 15 cigars each in the Siglo line, a total of 90 cigars with special 10th anniversary bands. I still have a couple of those somewhere.

The first regular boxes of Siglo VI received by Hunters and Frankau, and the first to some into Ireland, were 10-count boxes dated August 2003.

 

My 1st box was LLN AGO 03. Spectacular sticks. 

[Fugu]

There’s in fact some slightly conflicting and obscure info on that (plus some very early faking...), which probably has caused the ongoing debate.

According to Mitch Orchant, first announcement and debut/handing out of first specimens had been happening in Cannes in October 2002. Following Cigar Aficionado (JS, the above cited report) it confirms on the October date, whereas MRN gives November as the date (perhaps the fair / “Tax Free Symposium” lasted end Oct to beginning Nov?).

Thereafter, the new Sig VI made its first commercial appearance in form of the commemorative Siglo X Aniversario humidor. Containing the by then complete series of Sig I through VI. All with special bands (cf. CCW). CCW states 2002 as release date. MO’s info confirms this (“same time” around the Cannes event, so Oct/Nov).

Commercial launch of regular production Sig VI had then been at an H&F event in London in 2003. According to MO/H&F first shipments out of Cuba were end of May 2003. That is also reflected in the earliest box dates. May 03 is the earliest I know of.

Another interesting fact being that Suckling states the first were being made at H. Upmann. In fact regular boxes of 2003 came from El Laguito, as well as GKI Partagás coded and LLN Upmann (2003/04)

Also noteworthy perhaps is the info given by MO deriving from a conversation with Simon Chase back then at the London launch event, that some of the very first specimens came with the previous band (band design changed around 2002/2003 and the launch of the Sig VI had been used to first introduce the new bands). Regular ones then exclusively with the new band.

[Ryan]

1 hour ago, KCCubano said:

My 1st box was LLN AGO 03. Spectacular sticks. 

That's the code on my boxes. I'm keeping them. The month my eldest was born.

[AlohaStyle]

7 hours ago, Ryan said:

That's the code on my boxes. I'm keeping them. The month my eldest was born.

Love it Andy, a great box to have for the occasion! 

 

7 hours ago, Fugu said:

Also noteworthy perhaps is the info given by MO deriving from a conversation with Simon Chase back then at the London launch event, that some of the very first specimens came with the previous band (band design changed around 2002/2003 and the launch of the Sig VI had been used to first introduce the new bands). Regular ones then exclusively with the new band.

 

Thanks for the great reply.  Would love to know/see if there were old bands on the first ones to be handed out... 

[NSXCIGAR]

On 3/10/2023 at 7:19 AM, Fugu said:

some of the very first specimens came with the previous band (band design changed around 2002/2003 and the launch of the Sig VI had been used to first introduce the new bands). Regular ones then exclusively with the new band.

@ATGroom lists the Siglo VI as having sported standard band C (1993-2003) although the X humi version has the Siglo X Aniversario bands. He must have seen an example with band C at some point.

[ATGroom]

1 hour ago, NSXCIGAR said:

@ATGroom lists the Siglo VI as having sported standard band C (1993-2003) although the X humi version has the Siglo X Aniversario bands. He must have seen an example with band C at some point.

I don't recall ever seeing one with band C - that information predates my being in charge of CCW. Possibly @Trevor2118 might recall seeing one, but I'd say more likely it just got introduced as a copy/paste error when the A, B, C, D style band information was added to CCW in 2009.

 

On 3/11/2023 at 2:19 AM, Fugu said:

Also noteworthy perhaps is the info given by MO deriving from a conversation with Simon Chase back then at the London launch event, that some of the very first specimens came with the previous band (band design changed around 2002/2003 and the launch of the Sig VI had been used to first introduce the new bands). Regular ones then exclusively with the new band.

This seems plausible to me - there was likely some very small amount of 2002 production with C bands that went to launch parties, a few samples for distributors, media etc, and maybe a few of those made it to VIP customers and into the wild. Also seems plausible that a few early boxes had the old band in a 'Cuba being Cuba' scenario as they were probably a lot more of those around in the factories than the new D bands when the first batches were being rolled.

So, I don't think it's necessarily inaccurate to say that there is such a thing as a Siglo VI with a C band. But officially I think D was the first band for these cigars. I'll update CCW accordingly.

[vinnyvega]

I forgot GKI was Partagas.  Has anyone seen a box code prior to June?  The cold aroma coming from this box is mind blowing!

[Ken Gargett]

i vaguely remember there being tiny quantities of the 2002 around but i think that the launching of the VI line was largely done with the 2003s. from memory, they were considered the better cigar. pretty sure that Hamlet told me to buy 2003 and not 2002. but 02 was the original, although i think it was a bit of a toe in the water before the 03s came along. 

[El Presidente]

On 3/1/2025 at 10:27 AM, Ken Gargett said:

i vaguely remember there being tiny quantities of the 2002 around but i think that the launching of the VI line was largely done with the 2003s. from memory, they were considered the better cigar. pretty sure that Hamlet told me to buy 2003 and not 2002. but 02 was the original, although i think it was a bit of a toe in the water before the 03s came along. 

I have seen very few 2002's. The guys at BR may have seen more. 

I have never heard that 2003 were a better cigar than 2002. I would be amazed if they weren't rolled at the same time. 

[Ken Gargett]

12 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I have seen very few 2002's. The guys at BR may have seen more. 

I have never heard that 2003 were a better cigar than 2002. I would be amazed if they weren't rolled at the same time.

probably certainly right. i have never smoked a 2002, not that i recall. 

[Lucas Buck]

The earliest cabs I have seen are also June ‘03.

[vinnyvega]

It's interesting to see the initial release to the public was not from the mother factory. Partagas is no slouch but I figured it would all come from EL. Must have been rolling a lot of cigars.

[KCCubano]

8 hours ago, vinnyvega said:

It's interesting to see the initial release to the public was not from the mother factory. Partagas is no slouch but I figured it would all come from EL. Must have been rolling a lot of cigars.

My 03 box that I bought from Rob were LLN AG0 03. Upmann factory.