The History of Cigars: The Cigar Series

Gentlemen, let's sit down for a few minutes to enjoy a nice stogie, and I mean really enjoy it!

Can't you just imagine it? Lounging around a fire pit, with close confidants, enjoying that nicely rolled torpedo, or el presidente, this is your choice, of tobacco leaves. Perhaps, also enjoying a nice glass of whiskey while we are at it, but we won't get too far ahead. We'll discuss whiskeys in another article.

For now, let's get back to the cigar we are so thoroughly enjoying. I started my cigar journey when I was eighteen, and while I certainly don't claim to be an expert, it is something that has always been rather fulfilling on those nights with a good group of fellow cigar enthusiasts.

While doing research for this post, I decided that it would be best to break it up into a mini-series. First, we'll focus on the history of the cigar, learn how they are manufactured, then we will discuss the various types and flavors, then we can end with how to choose a cigar for specific occasions. But let's learn to crawl before we can walk!

So where does the word cigar come from? Many believe that it actually originated from the Mayan word sicaro, which means to smoke rolled tobacco leaves. There is also some that believe it may have been influenced by the Spanish word cigarro, which translates to big and rolled with leaves. However, the English word didn't actually come in to play until around 1730.

To truly understand the full history though, our journey takes us all the way back to 1492, when Columbus sailed the ocean blue. It is believed that three of the sailors accompanying him on his journey, Rodrigo de Jerez, Hector Fuentes, and Luis de Torres, do the names sound familiar at all? These three encountered tobacco for the first time on their journeys. Their expeditions led them to the land that rolled tobacco is famously best around the world, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Cuba. These areas were famous for infusing their tobacco with various flavors, to make it more enjoyable, and also widely known for smoking a primitive form of cigar that was hand rolled in palm or plantain.

As time passed, the practice of smoking rolled tobacco leaves grew throughout Europe as more and more explorers would return with the commodity. Around 1542, Spaniards built the first modern cigar factory in Cuba, which led to the expanded growth into North America.

Fast forward about 300 years, where we are now in the 19th century, and cigar smoking is actually more popular than cigarette smoking.

In 1869, Vicente Martinez Ybor decides to move his manufacturing operations from Cuba to the state of Florida, and we see the first cigar manufacturing firm sprout up in Key West. In 1885, Ybor decided that it was time to move again and heads north to the then small city of Tampa, Florida and establishes the worlds largest cigar manufacturing operation.

Side note, this place has great cigars if you ever get a chance to go through. Every time I do, I purchase a handful to keep stocked away.

Back to our history lesson! Over the years to follow, the cigar business would boom in Florida and eventually make its way up to New York. However, unlike Florida manufacturers, the ones in New York primarily started as in-home workers. Cigars were being manufactured in over 100 apartment houses, by upwards of about eight thousand individuals. Of course, this was not the ideal way to manufacture, so the unions stepped in and passed a statute in the state that banned this practice due to suppressed wages.

The year is now 1905, and there are eighty thousand cigar-making operations in the United States. Majority of the operations are smaller and family owned were the cigars are hand-rolled and sold almost immediately.

As time has gone on, the art of hand rolling has greatly decreased, with only a small handful still in existence. Most of the hand rolling operations are in the Cuban and in larger cities in the United States. How do you know if you are purchasing a hand-rolled cigar these days? Well, you will see one of two phrases on the box. Either 'totally by hand' or 'made by hand', 'totalmente a mano' o 'hecho a mano', respectively, for those who understand Spanish.

One thing I want to make sure I do with each of these in this series also includes some starter accessories that I have used, and if you find interest in any of these then head over to the article on Dapper Dad Club to find out which accessories I chose specifically. Linked here for your convenience!

The Travel Humidor: This thing is amazing, to be honest! It holds up to ten cigars and travels with me. I've taken it with me numerous times and the cigars have been undamaged on every trip, and it even has plenty of space to hold my cutter. I bought this as a starter one since I wasn't sure if this was a hobby I would stick with, and larger, permanent location humidors, can get rather expensive. One con I've found about this humidor is that the filter has tendencies to dry out. I simply wet a cotton round and stick it in the filter to keep the air humid.

• Travel tip: I do recommend only putting this in checked bags. However, if you don't check your bag, I recommend removing it from the rest of your carry on items at security. TSA does inspect it every time I go through.

The Cutter: You would think that with my huge obsessiveness over how kitchen knife blades should be, I would think that of my cutter blades too. And you're right! However, I have found that this is an accessory you don't need to break the bank on. Follow the previous link in this post to see exactly which one I picked out that has stood the test of time.

The Cigar Torch: Now, a standard lighter is largely not recommended because a cigar torch flame burns hotter and straighter. This allows for a more even burn at the tip as you smoke. With that said, this is another accessory that you don't really need to break the bank on. A standard Scorch Torch one has worked amazingly for me!

The Zippo Fuel: Well, this because you need to keep your torch full of fuel.

As always, thanks for tuning in, and that is your Daily Dose of Dapperness!

About Me

Hi, my name is Blake. I'm a true fan of the 1950's style gentleman, a father, adventurer, and all around Curious George!

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