A Short History of Cigars and Tobacco (Cigars)

A Brief History of Cigars and Tobacco

Have you ever wondered where cigars were first produced? It is widely believed that cigars were first created in Spain. But before cigars became the entire trend in Europe, tobacco was needed to make them. Tobacco is home-grown to the Americas, where native peoples have produced it for hundreds of years. It is understood that the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central America refined tobacco, and even smoked it! Tobacco use spread to other tribes, both north and south. It is said that its first use in the United States was probably among the tribe along the Mississippi. It wasn't until Christopher Columbus sailed his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the rest of the world came to know tobacco.

It is said that Columbus was not impressed by tobacco or its use among native peoples, but many sailors grew found of the strange plant. Soon it quickly caught on in Spain and Portugal. From there, it spread to France, where the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent his name to the scientific name for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The origins of the word tobacco itself are still suspect, although many consider it is simply a corruption of the word Tobago, which is the name of a Caribbean island. Still others trust it comes from the word Tabasco, a region (and now state) in Mexico.

The first tobacco plantation in the United States was found in Virginia in 1612. More tobacco plantations followed in Maryland soon after. Although tobacco became a trendy crop, it was only smoked in pipes. The cigar was not introduced to the United States until the late 18th century. Israel Putnam, an army general who had served in the Revolutionary War, is credited with introducing the cigar to the United States. He had traveled to Cuba after the Revolutionary War and come back with a box of Cuban cigars. Their popularity instantly spread, and soon enough cigar factories were established in the area of Harford, Connecticut, where General Putnam resided.

In Europe, cigar manufacture and consumption did not achieve widespread popularity until after the Peninsula War in the early 19th century. British and French veterans go back to their homelands after years of serving in Spain with their tobacco pipes in tow. Among the loaded and fashionable, the favored way of taking tobacco was the cigar. Cigar smoking continue a habit associated with the rich and discriminating of upper society.

4 Tips for Lighting a Cigar

For new smokers, lighting a cigar can seem as intimidating as learning to go for a good single. Here are four tips to lead you in lighting a cigar for the first time.

1. Use cedar matches, if viable. If you fancy to use a lighter, make sure it's butane lighter to keep away from strong odors.

2. Heat up the open end of the cigar (aka 'the foot' of the cigar) slowly over the flame, without touching it to the fire. Let a black ring take shape around the end.

3. Put the cigar in your mouth and draw in slowly. Hold the cigar over the flame, about half an inch above it, again without touching. Continue to draw in until the cigar draws the flame. Twist the cigar slowly, spinning it to establish an even burn.

4. Once your cigar is lit, bring it out of your mouth and watch the burn you have established. If the burn appears to be uneven, simply blow on the unlit sections to draw the burn, and then take one or two draws from the cigar to reestablish an even burn.