The Gentleman's Cigar Masterclass — Part 2: The Trinidad Legacy & the ST Dupont Le Grand Perfect Cling Unboxing

Cuba's Best-Kept Secret

In 1969, a cigar was born in the most secretive factory in Havana that nobody was allowed to talk about.

No name. No band. No public record. The workers at El Laguito — one of Cuba's most legendary rolling factories, located in a former sugar baron's villa in the Cubanacán district — were producing something extraordinary. Something that existed purely as a personal gift. A diplomatic weapon of refined taste, authorised by one man alone: Fidel Castro.

The cigar was the Trinidad. And for nearly three decades, it was Cuba's most closely guarded secret.

Factory director Avelino Lara — the man who oversaw production of both the Trinidad and the Cohiba — described it simply in 1992 as "the selection of the selection of the selection." He claimed it was made to an even higher standard than the famous Cohiba, which had previously been Castro's cigar of choice for foreign gifts before going on mass market sale in 1982. The Trinidad, by contrast, was never sold. Never officially acknowledged. The cigars left Cuba in one way only — personally authorised by Castro as gifts to heads of state, presidents, and the highest-ranking foreign dignitaries.

So secret was its existence that even senior executives within Cubatabaco — Cuba's own state tobacco authority — were unaware the brand existed.

When Cigar Aficionado broke the story in 1992, the world finally had a name for the ghost cigar. Two years later, at the legendary Dinner of the Century in Paris — a lavish charity banquet held while Cuba endured its Special Period — boxes of Trinidad with Castro's personal signature were auctioned for the first time. A box of 25 cigars later sold at Christie's Geneva for 16,100 Swiss Francs. That works out to roughly £350 per cigar — before the brand had ever appeared on a single shop shelf.

Trinidad finally went on public sale in February 1998. It has never quite escaped the shadow of its famous sibling, the Cohiba. But for those who know — and those who know tend to know very well — the Trinidad remains something special. The choice of the chosen few.

The Perfect Collaboration: S.T. Dupont Meets Trinidad

When two legends come together, the result should be extraordinary. The S.T. Dupont Le Grand Perfect Cling — Trinidad 55th Anniversary Limited Edition is exactly that.

S.T. Dupont was founded in Paris in 1872. For more than 75 years the Maison has been redefining the art of fire — creating lighters of such precision and craftsmanship that they have become collector's pieces in their own right, favoured by everyone from the British Royal Family to world-famous actors, musicians, and international figures of note.

The Le Grand Perfect Cling is S.T. Dupont's most innovative lighter to date — the world's first lighter to offer a genuine dual-flame system in a single body. A double soft flame that gently heats and toasts a cigar for perfect preparation. And a torch flame that lights it with precision, in a perfect circle, even in wind. Switching between them requires nothing more than a simple push of the guilloche roller — a gesture so elegant it becomes ritual.

To celebrate Trinidad's 55th anniversary, S.T. Dupont and Habanos S.A. collaborated on a limited edition worthy of both legacies. The design draws on the warm tones of Trinidad's historic Cuban cityscape — all-over guilloché yellow gold finish. The Trinidad monogram illuminates the body. The anniversary '55' marks this as a moment in history. It was presented to the world at the 24th Habanos Festival in Havana in February 2024.

It is, in every sense, a collector's piece.

How to Fuel and Use Your S.T. Dupont Le Grand

If you own one of these — or are thinking about acquiring one — here is what you need to know.

Fuelling: The Le Grand uses S.T. Dupont red gas, which is specifically formulated for the precision ignition system. Using standard butane risks impurities that clog the mechanism over time. Always bleed the lighter completely before refuelling by pressing the refill valve until no more gas escapes. Refill slowly at room temperature to avoid air pockets. Allow two minutes for the gas to settle before igniting.

The guilloche roller: Rotate to switch between soft double flame and torch flame. The soft flame is your cigar toasting flame — use it to warm the foot of your cigar gently and evenly before the final light. The torch flame delivers the precise, circular ignition for the perfect light.

The cling: If you own an S.T. Dupont, you already know. That unmistakable crystal-clear sound when the lid opens is not incidental — it is the result of precise engineering tolerances that have been refined over decades. It is, arguably, the most satisfying sound in gentlemanly living.

Watch the Full Unboxing

Part 2 of The Gentleman's Cigar Masterclass is live now on the Stryke of Midnight YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/PVkrnZtMHmA

And if you missed Part 1 — the cigar mystique, Hollywood icons, and your complete beginner's guide to cigars and humidors — watch it here: https://youtu.be/41luB3UINIE

Part 3 is coming. We go inside a cigar lounge. Full anatomy of a cigar, and the complete etiquette guide for walking in as a gentleman from your very first visit.

Subscribe to Stryke of Midnight so you don't miss it.

Stay classy, friends.

Dr. Bobby Stryker

⚠️ Cigars carry health risks. This content is for adults 18+ and is for educational and lifestyle purposes only.