New York, NY— General Cigar Co., Inc. announced today that the Supreme
Court has denied Cubatabaco’s petition for review in the dispute over
ownership of the COHIBA® trademark in the United States.
As a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the February 2005 decision
of a United States Circuit Court of Appeals, which confirmed General Cigar’s
exclusive ownership of the COHIBA® mark in the United States, is final and
is law of the case.
Gerry Roerty, vice president and general counsel of General Cigar, commented,
“Today’s ruling affirms what we have believed all along: That Cubatabaco
had no standing to challenge General Cigar’s ownership of the COHIBA®
mark in the United States. Now that the Supreme Court has confirmed that General
Cigar is the only legitimate owner of the Cohiba brand in the United States,
we will enhance our ongoing nationwide initiatives against manufacturers, distributors
and retailers of counterfeit COHIBA® cigars.”
General Cigar received its first registration of the COHIBA® trademark
in the United States in 1981, and obtained an updated registration in 1995.
The company has been selling its Dominican COHIBA® cigar in the United States
for more than two decades.
Cubatabaco filed the lawsuit in 1997 against General Cigar, claiming rights
to the COHIBA® name in the United States under U.S. law and international
treaties, although Cubatabaco had failed to take any legal action against General
Cigar for nearly 20 years.
The COHIBA® line of premium cigars is handcrafted in the Dominican Republic
and is a favorite among cigar connoisseurs. In addition to the COHIBA® hallmark
line, General Cigar manufactures and markets COHIBA XV which was introduced
in 2001.
About General Cigar
General Cigar Co., Inc., a subsidiary of Swedish Match, manufactures and markets
handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of
the finest quality, General Cigar produces Macanudo®, Partagas®, COHIBA®,
Punch®, Excalibur®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, La Gloria Cubana® and
several other leading premium brands. In addition, the company grows its own
premium Connecticut Shade wrapper tobacco, as well as natural and candela wrapper
in the Dominican Republic. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a
cigar bar in New York City. General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide.
For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com
®COHIBA, Macanudo, Partagas, Punch, Excalibur, Hoyo de Monterrey, La Gloria
Cubana and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co., Inc.
