Diplomáticos is the name of a premium cigar

Cigar

A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...

 brand, produced on the island of Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

 for Habanos SA

Habanos SA

Habanos S.A. is the arm of the Cuban state tobacco company, Cubatabaco, that controls the promotion, distribution, and export of Cuban cigars and other tobacco products worldwide. The word habanos means literally from Havana, and is the word used in the Spanish-speaking world for Havana cigars...

, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company.

History

Diplomáticos was the first new brand of Cuban cigars after the Cuban Revolution

Cuban Revolution

The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...

 to be sold to the public (Cohiba

Cohiba

Cohiba may refer to:*Cohiba *Cohiba...

 was the very first brand created post-Revolution, but was only used for President Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...

's private consumption and as diplomatic gifts, not being sold to the public until 1982).

Diplomáticos was initially created in 1966 as a "value" Montecristo

Montecristo (cigar brand)

Montecristo is the name of two brands of premium cigars, one produced in Cuba for Habanos SA, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company, and the other produced in La Romana, Dominican Republic for the Franco-Spanish tobacco monopoly Altadis SA.- History :...

, primarily aimed towards the French cigar market. The Diplomáticos line mimics the original Montecristo line in having five numbered sizes, all handmade. The blend used for this line is milder than that used for Montecristo, most likely to cater to the taste of French cigar smokers, and nowadays is usually still a bit cheaper in price than corresponding Montecristo sizes.

The original line consisted of five numbered sizes, corresponding to Montecristo. In 1976, the No. 6 and No. 7 were introduced to the line and were the same size as the Montecristo Especial No. 1 and Especial No. 2, but were discontinued a few years later in the mid-1980s.

Vitolas in the Diplomáticos Line

The following list of vitolas de salida (commercial vitolas) within the Diplomáticos marque lists their size and ring gauge in Imperial (and Metric), their vitolas de galera (factory vitolas), and their common name in American cigar slang.

Hand-Made Vitolas

• No. 2 - 6 1/8" x 52 (156 x 20.64 mm), Pirámide, a pyramid
• No. 4 - 5 1/8" x 42 (130 x 16.67 mm), Mareva, a petit corona
• No. 5 - 4" x 40 (102 x 15.88 mm), Perla, a petit corona