
SAMUEL PALEY OPENED THE CONGRESS CIGAR FACTORY IN CHICAGO IN 1896. ITS FIRST CIGAR RANGE WAS LA PALINA, NAMED IN HONOR OF SAM’S WIFE, GOLDIE DRELL PALEY. THREE DECADES LATER, ALAS, CONGRESS SUFFERED THE FATE OF MANY TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY CIGAR BRANDS AND FOLDED WITH LITTLE FANFARE.
La Palina would have remained a footnote heritage cigar brand were it not for Sam’s grandson, Bill, the son of CBS founder William S. Paley and socialite/fashion icon Barbara “Babe” Paley. The revival of La Palina in 2010 was driven by Bill’s desire for a personal signature luxury cigar. Following his grandfather’s dedication to excellence and his parents’ meticulous attention to detail, Bill began a journey to relaunch the all-but-forgotten brand, dedicating himself to creating cigars emblematic of the original La Palina.




