Founded in 1891 by Francisco Fonseca, the brand was manufactured in a small factory on rue Dragones in Havana. It was sung by the poet Federico García Lorca: “J’irai à Santiago avec la tête blonde d’un Fonseca” (“I’ll go to Santiago with the blonde head of a Fonseca”).

Francisco Fonseca is credited with wrapping the cigar in a thin sheet of Japanese paper and housing it in an individual tube. He also had the idea of creating a tasting room in his factory to test the blends chosen by his customers.