The history of cigars: from their origins to the present day

The history of cigars began over 4,000 years ago in the Yucatan region of present-day Mexico. Traces of cigar smoking date back to pre-Columbian times, particularly among the Maya and Aztec peoples. With the discovery of the Americas at the end of the XV^ème Tobacco first appeared in Spain and Portugal in the 19th century, then gradually spread to all European countries. It wasn't until the early 19th century, however, that the cigar as we know it today really took root and began to be marketed in Europe. Today, over 450 million cigars are sold worldwide every year.

The discovery of cigars by Spanish settlers

The first traces of cigars date back to pre-Columbian times. Recent archaeological discoveries attest to its daily use around 2,500 BC. In Copan, in present-day Honduras, archaeologists have also unearthed the remains of a small Corona with a long fillet dating back to 1500 BC. This is the oldest cigar ever discovered. Thanks to the testimony of early settlers, we now know that the Maya smoked cigars during religious and military ceremonies. The cigar was thus a ritual and sacred object, making it possible to establish contact between heaven and earth and to communicate with the gods. The Mayas also attributed magical and medicinal virtues to cigars.

 Called "sikar", the primitive cigar consisted of raw or chopped tobacco leaves wrapped in palm, corn or plantain leaves. The Taïnos (indigenous people of the West Indies) also consumed tobacco by burning it with small pieces of charcoal, then inhaling the smoke or chewing it.

While current discoveries do not allow us to date the exact moment when cigars first appeared in Cuba, it was on this island that they were first discovered by Christopher Columbus« companions. In October 1492, Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres landed on the bay of Bahía de Gibara, in present-day Cuba, and first observed natives smoking what looked like paper muskets. They were thus introduced to the pleasures of »sikar" and brought some with them on their return to Spain in 1498.

The introduction of tobacco in Europe

The introduction of tobacco and cigars in Europe was not to everyone's taste. At the time, European countries were controlled by the Catholic clergy, who associated the practice with pagan smoke cults. The Catholic Church quickly condemned the use of tobacco and began a hunt against its users. For the ecclesiastics, "only the Devil could give a man the power to exhale smoke from his mouth".

 The first victim of this repression was Rodrigo de Jerez, also considered by many historians to be the first European smoker. On his return to Spain, he presented his discovery to the inhabitants of his hometown, who were terrified and denounced him to the Spanish Inquisition. He was subsequently accused of witchcraft and sentenced to 2 years« imprisonment for his »sinful and infernal habits". But the absence of a formal ban on tobacco use by the Church, thanks to the tithes collected on colonial revenues, encouraged its spread throughout the 16th century.

The first tobacco seeds were introduced to Spain in 1520, then to Portugal. Tobacco was soon used as a medicinal plant in the form of chewing or chewing powder. In 1561, Jean Nicot, then French ambassador to Portugal, sent tobacco to Queen Catherine de Médicis to treat her migraines. Given the success of this remedy, she ordered tobacco to be cultivated in Brittany, Gascony and Alsace. The use of tobacco quickly spread to the Court and then to other European countries. Tobacco was introduced in Turkey in 1580, in African countries from 1593 and in Asia in 1595. For the first two centuries following its discovery, tobacco was used in the form of chewing or chewing powder. Only Spanish and Portuguese sailors consumed it in cigar form.

Despite opposition from the Catholic Church, some monarchs saw tobacco as an inexhaustible source of profit. In 1629, Richelieu created the first tobacco tax. Over-the-counter sales were banned, and only pharmacists were allowed to dispense tobacco by prescription. Colbert then established a state monopoly on tobacco sales and manufacturing. Abolished during the Revolution, this monopoly was reinstated by Napoleon in 1810, and finally disappeared in 2000 when the French government withdrew from Seita.

The Spanish monopoly on Cuban tobacco growing

Faced with growing demand for powdered tobacco in the early 18th century, the Spanish Crown created the Real Factoria de Tabacosan organization responsible for centralizing the purchase of tobacco produced in Cuba. Known as the "estanco", the aim of this monopoly was not only to increase tobacco production, but also to encourage the establishment of a free peasantry capable of counterbalancing the power of the emerging Havana oligarchy. At the beginning of the XVIII^ème In the 19th century, the island was home to some 10,000 small tobacco farmers, who had been granted usufruct of land called "vegas naturales" by the monarchy. This name is the origin of the word "vegueros", still used today to designate farmers.

Towards the end of the 18th century^ème In the 19th century, demand for cigars increased in Spain, enabling production to expand. However, no cigars were ever imported directly from Cuba. It was in the Royal Factory of Seville and Cádiz where the first cigars destined for Europe were made. It was also at this time that the various stages in cigar production were developed.

In France and Great Britain, cigar smoking didn't really take root until after the Spanish Civil War (1808-1814). French and British soldiers were the first to spread the word when they returned home. But it was not until 1817, with the abolition of the Spanish royal monopoly, that European countries really began to import rolled cigars to Cuba. By 1818, the island had no fewer than 400 "chinchales", or cigar factories.

The development of major Cuban cigar brands

Throughout the 19th century, the reputation of Cuban cigars continued to grow. Cuban seeds were introduced into the United States at the end of the 18th century. They competed with tobacco plantations already present in the United States since the Mayan migrations in the 5th century. In 1762, Colonel Israel Putnam, an officer in King George III's British navy, was the first to bring back Cuban seeds and cigars. In 1810, the first cigar factory was opened in the United States, and tobacco plantations sprang up all over the country. However, it was not until the end of the American Civil War (1861-1865) for cigars to really gain in popularity and become a symbol of social success.

At the same time, cigars had already become very popular in Europe, with 360 million imported from Cuba by 1855. Tobacco had thus become the island's main export, ahead of coffee. It was also at this time that big names such as Partagas, Romeo y Julieta or Punch were born and gained in popularity. In Europe, luxury clubs and hotels began to offer smoking rooms, and it became customary to smoke a cigar at the end of business dinners or celebrations. Such was their success that counterfeits began to flood the market. To preserve the reputation of habanos and combat this illicit market, a guarantee seal was introduced in 1889, enabling members of the «Union des Fabricants de Tabacs» to authenticate their cigars.

The decline in cigar consumption

From 1830-1840, the first cigarettes appeared on the European market and began to compete with cigars. Their industrial production methods and low cost made cigarettes more accessible and less expensive. From the World War IAt the same time, the popularity of cigars reached a peak, directly affecting the cigar industry. The decline in European imports caused by port access difficulties accelerated this trend, leading to a decline in cigar sales in the 1920s.

To overcome this crisis, cigar manufacturers turned to mechanization. The manufacture of industrial cigars made it possible to reduce production costs and win new customers. Companies such as Cuesta-Rey and Swisher were pioneers in machine-made cigars. At the time, cigar costs were falling sharply, contributing to their democratization. Only cigars made in Cuba retained their image as luxury products. It wasn't until the early 90s that hand-rolled cigars regained their letters of nobility.

The Cuban Revolution and the discovery of new terroirs

1953 marked the start of the Cuban Revolution. Six years later, Fidel Castro came to power and nationalized many tobacco farms. This situation forced many cigar producers to leave the island and seek new terroirs for their production. Brands such as E. P. Carrillo and Arturo Fuente were created as a result of this diaspora. After leaving Cuba, their founders developed new cultures in countries such as the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. Thanks to the knowledge they had inherited from Cuban tradition and the favorable climatic conditions of these new lands, these Cuban emigrants were able to develop new, high-quality vitolas that now compete with the biggest brands of habanos.

With the nationalization of Cuban brands and the development of new premium brands around the world, Cuban cigar makers sought to protect their reputation in the eyes of aficionados. In 1967, the term «habano» became a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) to which only cigars rolled in Cuba from leaves grown on the island could lay claim. Today, Habanos SA is the only trading company authorized to distribute and export the various habano brands.

While Cuban cigars are still considered the best in the world, many other countries now enjoy a similar reputation. The Dominican Republic is the 2nd largest producer of premium cigars in the world, behind Cuba and ahead of Nicaragua. Other countries, such as the United States, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Indonesia and Cameroon, also have tobacco-growing terroirs and their own premium cigar brands.

The modern challenges of the premium cigar industry

In 2022, the tobacco company Habanos SAannounced the homogenization of prices for certain brands such as Cohiba, Trinidad, Montecristo or even Partagas on the public selling price in Hong Kong. This price increase reflects Habanos SA's desire to limit parallel markets between countries, while redefining the concept of luxury in the high-end cigar sector. It should also make it possible to regulate the supply of Cuban cigars on the various markets by rebalancing supply and demand.

For several years, however, Cuban cigar distribution has suffered from problems linked to the drop in production. Difficulties in manufacturing the wrappers needed to make top-of-the-range cigars, climatic disturbances and logistical problems linked to the health crisis have led to supply shortages, particularly to European countries. While Europe alone, led by Spain, still accounts for 60% of export sales, this trend is gradually being challenged by China's accession in 2020 as the world's leading importer of Cuban cigars. Rising habano prices, strong Chinese demand and the shortage affecting European distributors are thus redefining the global cigar industry landscape.