Brands
Houses worth knowing first
A starter map of important Cuban and New World houses: not a ranking, an orientation guide.
Collectors often begin with a short list of houses whose styles are legible: Cubans such as Partagás, Hoyo de Monterrey, Bolívar, and Ramón Allones; Nicaraguan and regional makers such as Padrón, My Father / Tatuaje lines, Plasencia, and Liga Privada; and classic premium names like Davidoff. Importance here means cultural footprint and consistent house language, not that every release is equally good. Captaincy reviews treat brand reputation as prior art, then score the cigar in hand.