The Cain Daytona was introduced in 2011 by Studio Tobac, the experimental arm of the Oliva Cigar Company, as the fourth major blend in the Cain family. The original Cain concept was built around Ligero tobacco, the thick, powerful leaves harvested from the upper portion of the tobacco plant. Earlier Cain Habano, Maduro, and Cain F blends became known for substantial strength, so Daytona was developed to explore the same Ligero-driven concept in a smoother, more approachable form. Rather than simply reducing the amount of Ligero, Oliva took a more interesting approach by changing where the Ligero came from.

Daytona was blended exclusively around tobacco from Nicaragua's Jalapa Valley, the northernmost of Nicaragua's major tobacco-growing regions. Compared with the heavier, more powerful tobacco associated with Estelí, Jalapa's higher elevation and growing conditions tend to produce tobacco prized for greater sweetness, aroma, and finesse. The filler consists entirely of Jalapa Ligero, while sources indicate that the wrapper and binder are also Jalapa-grown, effectively making Daytona an exploration of a single Nicaraguan growing region. The result was deliberately positioned as the smoothest and most medium-bodied Cain, demonstrating that Ligero does not necessarily have to translate into overwhelming strength.