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How Tobacco and Cigars Evolved

For years, cigars have enjoyed tremendous popularity among the elite. Rich men usually flaunt their cigars during parties and other social gatherings, not just a way to relax but also to show off their preference for good taste. In fact we have seen the establishment of cigar clubs that gather influential men and allow them to interact with each other while enjoying their favorite brand of cigars.

Cigars are made of tobacco, and as we will see in the following paragraphs, man has a long history of fondness for tobacco.

Tobacco is said to be originally grown and utilized by the Malayan, an indigenous tribe in Mexico and certain areas of Central America. The use of tobacco then grew in neighboring areas, as other tribes started to grow it. When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas, tobacco was soon discovered by the Europeans. This would later pave the way for more civilizations to fall in love with tobacco.

Tobacco was that popular in Europe that even a French ambassador, Jean Nicot, consented to have his name linked to tobacco, thus the word nicotine. Nicotine has a scientific name of Nicotiana tabacum.

There are arguments on where the word "tobacco" originated. Some say the word came from the state of Tabasco in Mexico. Others meanwhile argue that the name came from Tobago, an island in the Carribean. In North America, the first to use tobacco was the tribes in Mississippi. By 1612, the earliest tobacco plantation was put up in Virginia. More plantations started to mushroom in Maryland and various parts in the south.

Tobacco rolled and wrapped in tobacco leaves is called a cigar. Cigars come in various shapes and sizes. The beginning of cigars is credited to Spaniards. The popularity of cigars skyrocketed after the Peninsula War in the 19th century. Soldiers who came from Spain brought cigars to the United States, as they fell in love with its aroma and taste. In the US, tobacco is smoked in pipes.

In the mid 18th century, a general by the name of Israel Putnam introduced cigars from Cuba. Putnam enjoyed the cigars so much that he took those items to the US after the Revolutionary War. The first ever cigar factory in the US was put up in Connecticut, near Putnam's hometown of Hartford.

Today, cigars remain popular, sought-after and enjoyed by many people

About the Author

John Williams is a cigar aficionado who runs a popular discount cigar store online. His site also contains more articles such as All About Cigar Humidors and The Many Types of Cigars.

Author Profile: melkab

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