cigar

Compact roll of cured tobacco leaves, contained in a binder leaf, which in turn is surrounded by a wrapper leaf. The cigar was originally a sheath of palm leaves filled with tobacco, smoked by the Indians of Central America. Cigar smoking was introduced into Spain soon after 1492 and spread all over Europe in the next few centuries. From about 1890 cigar smoking was gradually supplanted in popularity by cigarette smoking.

The first cigar factory was opened in Hamburg, Germany, 1788, and about that time cigar smoking became popular in Britain and the USA. The first cigars were made by hand – as the more expensive cigars still are. From about the 1850s various machine methods have been employed. The best cigars are still hand-rolled in Cuba, hence called Havanas.