One for the aficionados: Dating Belinda

[MoeFOH]

Belinda - Marca

I only post this out of interest as it's well in the 'before my time' basket, and it jumped out at me while looking for something else on CCW... Also, I used to have a serious crush on a girl in high school called Belinda, so there's that. 

I actually can't recall having seen or heard mention of this marca before... and, while there's likely more than a few good reasons for that, low-cost machine made in 2nd iteration and all that (also, early onset dementia possibly another cause), I'm interested to know if anyone has ever partaken... experiences? And dated to what era? 

While discontinued in 2005, some apparently resurfaced in 2022.

 - some sample pics of the line + ccw link...

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/belinda

[El Presidente]

Belinda Tubos were a mainstay in the Oz tobacconist market when I first came into retail in 1995/6. They were a low cost entry cigar cheaper than Punch/Upmann/R&J Tubos of a similar size. From a flavour perspective, they never reached great heights in my eyes but we sold plenty of them before the last ran out mid 2000's. 

Huge brand in Spain. 

[ATGroom]

Like I say on CCW, they were a low cost generally available cigar until the mid-2010s. I have it from the manager of the ICT factory that they became Cuban domestic only after that.

They (along with Troya) were briefly everywhere on the grey market sites for a while in 2022-23. Seem to have disappeared again now. My reading was the Cubans were getting whatever they had in the warehouse out the door in that period.

They're basically one step below Guantanamera in the Cuban brand pecking order. 

[El Presidente]

 

[Puros Y Vino]

Belinda & Troya tubos = no bueno. IMO. They're even cheap in Canada. But I found them to taste on the tannic , acidic side.  Tobacco best left to be made into sandals. 

[99call]

It seems at one point in history Belinda was one of the most premium brands in the portfolio.