Lovers of cigars are a loyal bunch. They are openly passionate about the leaf and respect each other like members of a secret brotherhood. It is a respect born from the idea that they are fortunate to appreciate a pleasure that is available to all but recognized by only a few.
About fifty cigar aficionados gathered recently on the cigar terrace at the fabulous Boisdale of Belgravia SW1, the proudly Scottish restaurant along Eccleston Street in London. They met to auction a range of fine Cubans. Between them they bid a total of about US$390,000. The most spirited contest was over a highly prized Presidencia Humidor by Elie Bleu.
According to one theory, tobacco is the bastardization of tobago, an extended tube-like tool used by the Taino Indians on Cuba to smoke tobacco. The word is best known today as the smallest of two islands that form Trinidad & Tobago, the Caribbean independent republic in the West Indies.
The history of tobacco and cigars goes back more than five centuries to the days of Columbus. It is a history centered on Cuba and the Caribbean. This is evident when one considers the origins of both tobacco and cigars.
Let us look first at tobacco. According to one theory, tobacco is a corruption of Tobago, this being the name of a long, tube-like utensil Columbus observed being used by the Taino Indians on Cuba for smoking tobacco. The word features these days in the name of the southeast Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago, a small republic consisting of two islands, Tobago being the smallest and lying to the northeast of Trinidad. Columbus first visited the island in 1498, during one of his later voyages. Although first colonized by the Spanish, it was ceded to Britain in the early 19th century and gained independence in 1962.
An alternative hypothesis claims tobacco originates from the Mexican province of Tabasco located along the Bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico. This gulf is, of course, an extension of the Caribbean Sea. Either way, both these theories point to the Caribbean as being central to the history of tobacco.
As for the word cigar, the Caribbean influence is again clear. The word is thought by many etymologists to derive from the word sikar, meaning to smoke, used by the Mayan civilization that lived along the east coast of Mexico, on the fringe of the Caribbean. Within the Caribbean, the history of tobacco and cigars in western civilization come together with Christopher Columbus.
Columbus is the first European to have enjoyed a cigar. He met the Taino Indians on Cuba during his voyages of discovery late in the 15th century. The Taino grew tobacco, rolled it and smoked it. One of the ways they smoked it was to roll it into a tube form, and then pull it tight inside a large leaf of tobacco. The Taino called the result a cohiba. Today we call this item a cigar. Columbus took these ideas, along with some tobacco itself, back to Spain. The rest, as they say, is history.
Despite its intriguing and verry successful past, there are many storm clouds threatening the brand and indeed the whole industry. It will be especially interesting to watch how Montecristo, and cigars in general, will combat the challenge being heavily mounted by medical and government authorities to tobacco smoking.
About fifty cigar aficionados gathered recently on the cigar terrace at the fabulous Boisdale of Belgravia SW1, the proudly Scottish restaurant along Eccleston Street in London. They met to auction a range of fine Cubans. Between them they bid a total of about US$390,000. The most spirited contest was over a highly prized Presidencia Humidor by Elie Bleu.
According to one theory, tobacco is the bastardization of tobago, an extended tube-like tool used by the Taino Indians on Cuba to smoke tobacco. The word is best known today as the smallest of two islands that form Trinidad & Tobago, the Caribbean independent republic in the West Indies.
The history of tobacco and cigars goes back more than five centuries to the days of Columbus. It is a history centered on Cuba and the Caribbean. This is evident when one considers the origins of both tobacco and cigars.
Let us look first at tobacco. According to one theory, tobacco is a corruption of Tobago, this being the name of a long, tube-like utensil Columbus observed being used by the Taino Indians on Cuba for smoking tobacco. The word features these days in the name of the southeast Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago, a small republic consisting of two islands, Tobago being the smallest and lying to the northeast of Trinidad. Columbus first visited the island in 1498, during one of his later voyages. Although first colonized by the Spanish, it was ceded to Britain in the early 19th century and gained independence in 1962.
An alternative hypothesis claims tobacco originates from the Mexican province of Tabasco located along the Bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico. This gulf is, of course, an extension of the Caribbean Sea. Either way, both these theories point to the Caribbean as being central to the history of tobacco.
As for the word cigar, the Caribbean influence is again clear. The word is thought by many etymologists to derive from the word sikar, meaning to smoke, used by the Mayan civilization that lived along the east coast of Mexico, on the fringe of the Caribbean. Within the Caribbean, the history of tobacco and cigars in western civilization come together with Christopher Columbus.
Columbus is the first European to have enjoyed a cigar. He met the Taino Indians on Cuba during his voyages of discovery late in the 15th century. The Taino grew tobacco, rolled it and smoked it. One of the ways they smoked it was to roll it into a tube form, and then pull it tight inside a large leaf of tobacco. The Taino called the result a cohiba. Today we call this item a cigar. Columbus took these ideas, along with some tobacco itself, back to Spain. The rest, as they say, is history.
Despite its intriguing and verry successful past, there are many storm clouds threatening the brand and indeed the whole industry. It will be especially interesting to watch how Montecristo, and cigars in general, will combat the challenge being heavily mounted by medical and government authorities to tobacco smoking.
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