Ever wonder where cigars were originally created?
There are many who say Spain. Well, let me tell you
that is incorrect! Tobacco actually came from America
where it has been grown for hundreds of years….

You know the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico?
Well, it is believed they cultivated tobacco and
smoked it, then spread it to other tribes along the
Mississippi. Christopher Columbus is believed to be the
first distrubutor to the world.

Columbus did not like tobacco at all. Nor did he like
the use of it by the local people. The sailors, however
grew fond of the plant and smoke-ability. Soon, it caught
on rapidly in both Spain and Portugal.

France quickly picked up on it and the French ambassador,
Jean Nicot lent his name for the scientific name of tobacco.
Nicotiana tabacum was born.

Noone is sure where the word tobacco actually came from. It
could be from the word Tobago, which is in the Caribbean, or
it could be from the Tobasco in Mexico. These would be distorted
words in either case.

Did you know that the first tobacco plantation was in the United
States? It was established in Virginia in 1612! Plantations began
popping up all over. Maryland was next.

Tobacco became very popular, however, it was only smoked in pipes.
Cigars were not introduced to the United States until the late
18tn Century. Israel Putnam has been credited with introducing
the first cigar to the United States.

In the early 19th century, the cigar became a status symbol. Only
people with money had and smoked them Let’s fast forward to 2007!

Cigar purchases have been at a dramatic increase in the new millenium.
It is no longer a status symbol since more and more people are
simply enjoying their puro’s! The seductive, relaxing power of a GOOD
smoke has begun to permeate the populous. (That is MHO not fact!)

Why did this happen? If I find out, I will let you know in a future
post on the subject.

Please let me know your thoughts on this.

GB
Walter Gavurnik

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 15th, 2007 at 1:08 am and is filed under Cigars. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.