Henry Clay War Hawk

This is another one of those old, fascinating brands that’s really fun to dive into. Let’s start with the person Henry Clay. Mr. Clay (as “Clay” refers to the geological “clay” in English) was born in 1777 in the U.S. state of Virginia and, as one of the great political orators of his time, became one of the most powerful men in U.S. politics of the era. Interestingly, his father John Clay was, among other things, the owner of a tobacco plantation—bringing us full circle to today’s Henry Clay cigars.

Henry Clay Cigars: Historic Roots With American Origins

Cigars under the name Henry Clay were first produced in Cuba in the 1840s by Spanish immigrant Julián Álvarez Granda. After Fidel Castro came to power, the Cuban cigars of this brand were nationalized in Cuba and significantly lost relevance. Because the Cuban trademark rights were not valid in the U.S. due to the embargo, non-Cuban cigars could be registered and sold there without issue. After several changes in ownership, this cigar brand is now owned by Gemstone Investment Holding Ltd., which also owns the following well-known businesses:

• Tabacalera USA
• Altadis USA (Premium cigar distribution in the U.S.)
• The online retailers JR Cigar, Serious Cigars, and Cigars.com
• The U.S. retail chain Casa de Montecristo

From Habanos to Vega Fina: The Global Network Behind Henry Clay

The people behind Gemstone are also linked to Allied Cigar Corporation S.L., which has acquired 50% of Habanos as well as the Dominican Tabacalera de Garcia and the Flor de Copan factory. This means the following brands are also part of their extended portfolio:

• Vega Fina cigars
• Santa Damiana cigars
• Don Diego cigars
• Flor de Copan cigars and many more

Flor de Copan & Tabacalera de Garcia: Two Factories, One Brand Profile

In short: Today, the German company 5th Avenue not only exclusively distributes Habanos in Germany but also, through its connections with the above-mentioned companies, offers Vega Fina, Flor de Copan, and Capitol cigars in this market. The Henry Clay War Hawk cigars reached us in spring 2025 as the fourth non-Cuban brand of this organization. We previously had two Henry Clay lines in our portfolio that arrived in 2002 and 2004 and were distributed at the time via the importer Kohlhase & Kopp. Both have been sold out for many years and no longer appear in our shop, as they will not be restocked. Oops—once again I notice I’ve digressed. A friend in the industry once told me I write too much from a retailer’s perspective, whereas aficionados are interested in other things. I hope that’s not the case with you!

War Hawk Series: A Modern Take on Honduran Criollo-98

But now to the products on offer here: The War Hawk cigars were first introduced in the U.S. in 2019 and have since been rolled at the Tabacalera Flor de Copan in Copan, northern Honduras, while the classic lines were previously made at the Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic. The wrapper is a mild Connecticut Ecuador, while the binder is a bold Connecticut Broadleaf from Honduras. The filler is made entirely of Honduran Criollo-98 tobaccos, which made the Toro I tasted a fascinating experience. The rich, full-bodied smoke is both creamy and woody-spicy, making the War Hawk cigars a both approachable and intensely interesting experience.