José L. Piedra Petit Caballeros 1*12

Mention Cuban cigars to your average cigar smoker and their first thought will most likely be of the large number of Edición Limitadas, Edición Regionals or other special creations that Habanos S.A. ships every year. However, along with those releases that garner the majority of the press headlines, the company also produces a fair number of short filler cigars. Long considered to be some of the most affordable products in the Habanos S.A. catalog, these value-priced blends have been an important part of cigar smoker’s options when purchasing Cuban cigars. One of the oldest value-priced marcas is José L. Piedra which was founded by José Lamadrid Piedra and his brother Vincente in the 1880s. Originally a long filler cigar, the brand was rolled in a small factory in the town of Santa Clara, which is located in the Vuelta Abaja region of Cuba. However, after the Cuban revolution, the marca lost favor with the new leaders of the country until it was discontinued entirely in the early 1990’s. In 1996, the José L. Piedra brand was relaunched, this time as a line full of lower-priced cigars produced in large quantities. The marca is currently made up of five different regular production vitolas, including the newest addition that is the subject of today’s review. José L. Piedra Brevas — 5 1/4 inches (133mm) x 42 José L. Piedra Cazadores — 6 inches (152mm) x 43 José L. Piedra Conservas — 5 1/2 inches (140mm) x 44 José L. Piedra Petit Cazadores — 4 1/8 inches (105mm) x 43 José L. Piedra Petit Caballeros — 4 3/4 inches (120mm) x 48