Cuban Cigar Review » Cigar History
Intro To Habanos Cigars
El Rey de los Habanos was the initial brand of hand-rolled, premium cigar created by Jose “Pepin” Garcia in 2002 after he arrived in the U.S. from Cuba. Pepin began working in the tobacco-making industry at the tender age of 11. His brand is made at a factory in the Little Havana section of Miami, Florida. In 2005, this brand was released for national distribution. It is known as Don Pepin Red Label due to its red band. The company makes five brands of cigars. There are five vitolas in the El Rey de los Habanos brand: Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, Corona, and Churchill. These medium to full-bodied cigars feature a rich, creamy taste and have a long and heavy finish. The tobacco is made with Cuban seed and comes entirely from … Read entire article »
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A Short History Of Cuban Cigars
Cuba is known as the world leader in high-quality tobacco. Cuban cigars are rolled from these tobacco leaves and the filler, binder, and wrapper come from various locations on the island. The Cuban government controls all cigar production within the country. Cuban cigar rollers are called torcedores and are thought to be the most skilled in the world, capturing high respect within Cuban society. When Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1492, he came across tobacco. One year later, European explorers took it back to their land. Spain was the first European country to embrace smoking, which soon became popular in Turkey, Russia, Japan, and Persia. Tobacco plantations arose in eastern Cuba during the 18th century and spread westward. Natives viewed the tobacco, or cohiba, as a miraculous medicine, using … Read entire article »
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Intro To Montecristo Cigars
Montecristo is one of the best brands of Cuban cigars according to popular cigar reviews. In Cuba, the brand is made by Habanos SA, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company. The Montecristo brand was created by Alonso Menendez in 1935 after he purchased the Particulares Factory. Altadis U.S.A. manufactures the brand in the U.S., Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, where it has been making Montecristos since 1918. Inspiration for the brand name came from the novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, authored by Alexandre Dumas. Reportedly, cigar rollers within the factory liked this novel read to them while they were working. British distributor John Hunter Morris and Elkan Co. Ltd, developed the famous brand logo, a triangle comprised of six swords that surround a fleur-de-lis. In 1937, production of Montecristos was moved to … Read entire article »
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A Short History Of Tobacco
The agricultural product tobacco is processed from nicotiana plant leaves. In this plant genus, there are over 70 species of tobacco. The U.S., China, and Cuba are among the countries that make large amounts of cash from producing this crop. The leaves are harvested and processed to form chewing, smoking, dipping, or snuffing tobacco. According to experts, the tobacco plant began growing in the Americas in around 6,000 BC. Inhabitants started chewing, smoking, and using it in hallucinogenic enemas in 1 BC and by 1 AD, it had spread throughout the Americas. Though many Mayas migrated between 470 and 630 AD, some stayed behind and the smoking custom was passed to the Toltecs, creators of the Aztec Empire. The Indian class in this group formed cigars by rolling together tobacco leaves. Mayas … Read entire article »
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Why Are Cuban Cigars Famous?
Cuban cigars are thought to be the most famous in the world. The best cigars from Cuba are also the most expensive. They are referred to as “The Forbidden Fruit” due to their distinctive flavor and aroma and the fact that they are not permitted in the U.S. The most skilled cigar rollers make their home in Cuba and are highly respected within local society. Aside from their high quality, what makes Cuban cigars so famous to U.S. consumers is that they are contraband. Since 1962, they have been included in the U.S. trade embargo with Cuba. They cannot be legally purchased or imported by U.S. residents on the market, no matter where the resident is located. U.S. cigar lovers have been known to travel to Canada or Mexico to enjoy … Read entire article »
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Are Cuban Cigars Illegal In The United States?
Cuban cigars, the “forbidden fruit,” are currently illegal in the United States. However, there is much more to the story than this simplified statement. U.S. residents are actually prohibited from purchasing what are considered the best cigars in the world, no matter where they buy them. Read on to learn more about the interesting history. The Cuban government controls all cigar production within Cuba. Two companies, Cubatabaco and Habanos SA, perform the manufacturing, quality control, distribution, promotion, and export. Every label and box is marked with the words, “Hecho en Cuba,” or made in Cuba. An additional inscription identifies whether the products are handmade or machine-bunched. On February 7, 1962, a trade embargo was imposed on Cuba by U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It served as a sanction of the Cuban communist … Read entire article »
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Intro To Cohiba Cigars
The brand name Cohiba is associated with two types of premium cigars. One is produced for Cuban state-owned tobacco company Habanos S.A. in Cuba. The other is produced in the Dominican Republic for General Cigar Company, a U.S. based company. The word “cohiba” is based on the Taino word for tobacco. In the mid-1960s, a bodyguard to Fidel Castro shared a private supply of cigars made by Eduardo Ribera. The Cuban Cohiba brand began as a private brand of this blend in 1968, supplied only to high level officials within the Cuban government and Communist Party of Cuba, including Mr. Castro. The brand grew to acquire cult status because it was often provided as a diplomatic gift. Tight security was essential when producing this brand due to ongoing and later substantiated fears … Read entire article »
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