A false story is in circulation about two fictitious brothers who allegedly founded the La Flor de Cano brand. It can only be assumed that this account was created by someone who needed to tell a story quickly but did not want to take the time to properly research the label's history. Unfortunately, by doing so, it deprives the
rightful founder and his proud family of the credit he labored so hard to earn. Here, the factual history of this classic Cuban Cigar is revealed.
In 1932, the La Flor de Cano brand was created by Juan Cano Sainz in Havana, Cuba.
The following is a detailed account of the brand's history.
As business continued to grow, Juan realized the need for expansion, so he leased additional space at 45 San Jose Street. Further growth again demanded relocation to a larger building at 618 Manriquez. After two years, once again, Juan needed additional capacity and moved the operation to Figuras 109. In Figuras, Juan occupied the 2nd floor and employed approximately 200 rollers. An American cigar manufacturer occupied the first floor.
During World War II, the larger Cuban manufacturers, such as Partagas, sold their cigars to the US military for $70 per thousand. However, the smaller manufacturers such as J. Cano E Hijo were only offered $50 per thousand, so Juan never entered into agreement with the military. During this period, a prospective customer entered Ernesto's office to buy cigars for the military. Ernesto told his father about the persistent client and informed him that he would not leave. In an attempt to persuade the man to go, Juan told Ernesto to quote the buyer at a price of $90 per thousand. The buyer, who turned out to be a representative of the British Army, accepted this price and signed a contract. Juan and Ernesto's cigars, including the Churchill, became widely known in the British Army during WWII.
In a position of wealth and influence, Ernesto was instructed to join the Communist Party. Having no interest in participating in something so removed from his own morals and ethics, and anticipating that Castro would soon prohibit emigration from Cuba, Ernesto, using his political influence, obtained visas for his family. Quietly and during the evening hours, Ernesto and his wife Maria gathered their children, Ernesto Luis, Maria de los Angeles, and Juan Luis. They carried no money and only bare essentials and fled from Cuba to Miami, Florida, leaving all hard earned possessions and friendships behind to start a new life. Relying on friends, former clients, and refugee supplied food; Ernesto and Maria cared for their family in near poverty as they both labored for low wages.
Juan Cano Sainz's legacy remains in Cuba to this day. Note that Juan's name has always been associated with the Habanos Cuban Box codes (originally designated as JCS). Even the Y2000 Box codes still maintain his name to this date. You can view the cigar codes and their purpose at Cigar Nexus's website.
Ernesto retired in 1986 in Tampa, Florida, and died on July 28, 2000 in West Palm Beach, Florida, but not before experiencing the pride of seeing his brand, La Flor de Cano introduced and manufactured in the "house that he built" in Santiago. The La Flor de Cano, Santiago is now offered in the USA with US rights of Dominican manufactured product belonging to the General Cigar Holdings Co. The insert on this product reads, "La Flor de Cano cigars trace their beginning to 1933 when Juan Cano founded the firm of J. Cano in Cuba...they are made with the same dedication to unsurpassed taste and outstanding quality which was Juan Cano's hallmark many years ago."
La Flor de Cano continues its prominence among best-in-class cigars throughout the world.
Juan Cano Sainz and his wife, Consuelo, lived above their warehouse on 39 Bernaza Street in Old Havana, Cuba. Their three children, Silvia, Consuelito, and Ernesto, were born in this house. They then moved to a "townhouse" on the corner of Teniente Rey and Bernaza Street, the birthplace of La Flor de Cano.
In 1932, Juan hired a cigar maker to roll cigars on his kitchen table. The sales gained so much success that he hired a second cigar maker to keep up with demand. As his clientele continued to grow, Juan established his own company and created a brand under his family's name, La Flor de Cano. Juan received much needed help from his brothers, Alfredo and Aurelio. Alfredo helped Juan get started by providing him with free bookkeeping assistance, while Aurelio provided him with high quality tobacco at discounted prices. Juan's son, Ernesto J. Cano, joined the business in 1939 at the age of 16, and Juan's brothers each pursued their own careers independently of each other.
In 1936, Juan registered La Flor de Cano with Tabacalera Española, a cigar distributor in Spain. By 1942, La Flor de Cano, Partagas, and H. Upman were the top three selling brands in Spain. In 1946, Ernesto traveled to Spain for six months to learn more about the international business. Upon his return to Cuba in 1947, Ernesto became an equal partner in the business, thus forming J. Cano E Hijo (J. Cano and Son). In 1947, Ernesto graduated from Havana University where he earned a CPA degree.
Juan and Ernesto wanted to modernize by introducing automation to their operation; however, the building owner would not allow additional machinery to be brought onto his premises, so Juan and Ernesto again relocated. In 1951, Juan and Ernesto built their own cigar factory at 301 San Gabriel in Old Havana. Here, Juan and Ernesto created a modern, state-of-the-art cigar manufacturing operation, employed more than 300 employees, and utilized approximately thirty machines that produced over five thousand cigars per day.
Juan Cano Sainz died in 1955, and the company's name changed to Hijos de J. Cano y Co. Ernesto's mother, Consuelo Perez, and his two sisters, Consuelito and Silvia, became minority owners of the business, although they were not employees. Ernesto continued to run the firm until Fidel Castro's communist government nationalized all private property in August 1960. A large shipment to Spain had yet to be paid when Castro illegally assumed all private assets, so Prime Minister of Spain Francisco Franco ceased payment. After a legal dispute, the payment was split between Ernesto and Castro. Ernesto also held the duty of the Cigars Exporters Association, in Havana, for nine years.
Throughout the years using his expertise, determination, and network, Ernesto regained prominence in the cigar industry. In 1964, Ernesto was recruited by the Philip Morris Company and assumed the position of General Manager at the plant in Valencia, Venezuela. In 1968, Ernesto joined the family of General Cigar and Tobacco Co. of Tampa, Florida. There, he rose to the position of General Manager of the Gradiaz Annis facility and held it until 1976 when the plant was relocated to Kingston, Pennsylvania. After a short time in the management of the Company's Puerto Rico operations, Ernesto was assigned to develop the new premium cigar plant in Santiago, Dominican Republic, where his cigar manufacturing skills were required. A job well done was complimented by having been asked for a repeat performance to guide and develop the start-up of the second plant in the free zone of Santiago. Here, Ernesto created a prominent presence for the General Cigar Company that remains to this day.