Ancient smokes seem to be renewed for a trademark and factory plenty of history: H. Upmann, the oldest of the capital of Cuba and most recognized trademarks.

Since November 2003, it began its operations in a four-floor building (one of them that is huge was taken for the galera room) located on the corner of 23rd and 14 streets in the neighborhood of El Vedado in Havana.

This way, it has become Cuba's most modern and better exploited tobacco factory. It is located where Partaga's cigarettes plant used to be in the past, now it is a completely repaired building that occupies almost the entire block.

Although this plant has not been included in any city tour, it is worthy to know some details about this factory since many travelers once in Cuba try to find out information about this factory and its cigars.

H. Upmann, -also named José Martí, National Hero of Cuba (1854/1895), got its second mane in 1961 when the young revolutionary government nationalized many private companies, and tobacco firms among them.

Since 1844, H. Upmann was located at 407 an 409, Amistad Street, Centro Habana, few blocks away from the Capitol of Havana. It has more than 100 years of existence.

Moreover, this factory has been given the category of Vanguardia Nacional by the Cuban government due to its efficiency and quality records, among some other awards.

H. Upmann was created in the XIX century by two German whose surname was Upmann. They combined the H the best they could in order to give this business the name Hermanos Upmann, that represent both the trademark and the production plant.

Since that time, it has had some variations. It began producing with eighty employees and had times of having one thousand workers. In 1944, year of its 100th anniversary, it moved into the two rooms of Amistad Street; and in November 3rd, 2003, moved into a new building once more.

One of the first commercializing companies of these trademark products was the British firm Hunter and Frakau that still sells Cuban tobacco in the United Kingdom.

H. Upmann is closely related to cigar makers who left to work in Tampa, Key West (The United States) during Cuban colonial times. Precisely from there, they helped financially to make Cuban war against Spain.

The late famous Cuban musician Francisco Repilado (Compay Segundo) worked as torcedor (twister) in H. Upmann galeras for nineteen years.

In this place still work seven torcedores (cigar twisters) with more than 44 years of experience. In addition, it exists within the building a school where people can learn this job.

In the plant there have been installed modern machines for the moja process that control all steps of it. This fact, together with other conditions of illumination, work organization as well as some others, has made this factory very productive.

Generally speaking, H. Upmann is a modern, beautiful tobacco factory not to compare to any other of its type because it is very traditional and it has been honored with carrying the name of José Martí, journalist, writer, poet and symbol leader of Cuba.