The story of cigars is as rich and layered as the smoke itself. To trace cigar history, we must follow the journey of tobacco from the sacred rituals of indigenous people to the centerpiece of global luxury.
What began as a simple act of cigar smoking, rolling up tobacco leaves, and setting them aflame has evolved into an entire cigar industry that spans continents, cultures, and centuries.
If you’re newer to the cigar world and want a full foundation before diving into its history, be sure to explore our Cigar 101: The Beginner’s Guide to Premium Cigars. It breaks down everything from cigar anatomy and wrappers to cutting, lighting, and storing cigars, the perfect starting point before stepping back in time.
Today, whether you’re lighting a Cuban cigar, exploring Nicaraguan tobacco, or discovering boutique blends, every puff connects you to a legacy built on craft, tradition, and ritual. Let’s step back in time and follow how the world of cigars came to be what it is today.
Long before the first cigar factories or glossy covers of Cigar Aficionado magazine, tobacco was considered a sacred plant. Indigenous people in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America grew tobacco seeds in fertile soil, believing the plant carried spiritual power. When harvested, dry leaves were often burned in ceremonies to honor gods, heal the sick, or bring communities together.
By the time Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, native tribes were already rolling and smoking bundles of tobacco leaves, which might be described as and considered the earliest form of “cigar rolled tobacco.” Columbus and other European sailors observed these rituals and brought the habit back to Europe, where it quickly spread through courts, taverns, and royal circles.
For the indigenous cultures, tobacco wasn’t a casual pastime; it was much more than that. It was a bridge between the physical and the spiritual. For the Europeans, however, it was a revelation. The plant became a luxury, a curiosity, and eventually, the foundation of the tobacco industry.
When tobacco first reached Europe, it was met with fascination and skepticism. At first, tobacco use was promoted as medicine by explorers, physicians, and even the Dominican friar Bartolomé de Las Casas, who praised its healing powers. Aristocrats and nobles embraced the new habit, turning tobacco into a symbol of status among the upper class.
By the seventeenth century, tobacco had become increasingly popular across different countries, from Spain and Portugal to France and England. While some experimented with snuff and even early cigarettes, the art of cigar smoking steadily gained ground. The habit of rolling tobacco leaves for a slower, richer smoking experience appealed to those seeking more than just a quick fix; even then, for many, it was about ritual, presence, and taste.
While some leaned toward cigarettes, many still preferred the slower ritual of cigars, and this contrast helped define early cigar production methods. This era marked the first true boom in the tobacco industry, laying the foundation for what would become the global cigar business.
If there’s one place the world associates with cigars more than any other, it’s Cuba. Blessed with fertile soil and a perfect climate, regions like Vuelta Abajo and Semi Vuelta became legendary for producing high-quality tobacco with a unique taste unlike anywhere else.
By the 18th century, Cuba had firmly established itself as the cigar capital of the world. Farmers cultivated Cuban seeds, nurtured by volcanic soil, to grow some of the finest tobacco grown anywhere on the planet.
Generations of farmers perfected the art of growing tobacco here, passing down knowledge that shaped the future of the global industry. From there, hand rolled cigars became the standard of excellence, crafted by skilled tobacco farmers and rolled in the first Cuban cigar factories.
As demand spread globally, Havana cigars became synonymous with luxury. To hold a Cuban cigar was more than just the cigar itself; with it came prestige, sophistication, and the contribution to a tradition that spanned generations. These were the fine cigars that set the standard, defining the character of what most people think of when they hear the word “cigar.”
Even today, the image of Cuba looms large in the cigar industry. Whether you’re in a lounge in London, at a dinner in New York, or simply lighting up at home, the legacy of Havana still influences how the world experiences cigars.
By the 18th century and especially through the 19th century, cigars had moved far beyond novelty. The cigar industry was thriving in Europe and the Americas, driven by the growing demand for handmade cigars. As trade routes expanded to different countries, the allure of fine cigars spread with them.
During this time, the United States also became a significant player in the cigar market. Soldiers in the Civil War often carried cigars, making them both a morale booster and a symbol of camaraderie. Later, during World War I and World War II, cigars remained tied to the image of leadership, resilience, and victory.
By this point, cigars were being traded in more countries than ever before, further cementing their role as a global commodity. Factories were booming, tobacco companies consolidated, and new cigar brands began to emerge.
Some of these famous cigar brands from the 19th century would go on to shape the premium landscape for generations. The craft of hand rolled cigars became not just about production, but about preserving tradition while meeting global demand.
As the cigar boom matured, Cuba entered what many call its Golden Age. By the late 1800s and into the early 20th century, Havana wasn’t just a city; it was the global cigar capital. Its reputation was built on high-quality tobacco grown in the Vuelta Abajo region, where the soil and climate produced unmatched flavor and aroma.
During this era, Havana cigars were considered the pinnacle of sophistication. Members of the upper class, politicians, and cultural icons alike proudly displayed their love for a Cuban cigar, linking them to power and refinement. This wasn’t just tobacco; it was identity.
Brands like Habanos SA carried the tradition forward, setting global standards for consistency, construction, and character. Each cigar was a careful balance of filler tobacco, binder, and wrapper, designed to showcase a cigar’s unique profile, or as enthusiasts like to call it, a cigar’s character.
It was during this golden period that cigars became ingrained in global culture, featured in art, literature, and history itself. Lighting up a Cuban wasn’t just a smoke; it was a statement.
While Cuba held the crown for cigar prestige, the industry’s future was already branching into different countries. Political shifts, migration of tobacco farmers, and global demand led to new centers of excellence in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mexico, and across Latin America.
The fertile volcanic soil of Nicaragua gave rise to a new wave of Nicaraguan tobacco, celebrated for its bold strength and complexity. The Dominican Republic, with its steady climate and diverse growing regions, became known for smoother profiles that appealed to a wide audience of cigar smokers. In both countries, tobacco grown from transplanted Cuban seeds flourished, giving smokers an echo of Cuba’s magic but with their own unique taste.
Here, legendary families and businesses like Oliva Tobacco, General Cigar, Consolidated Cigar, and innovators like Manuel Quesada built lasting reputations. These regions refined the art of handcrafted cigars, while also introducing machine made cigars to meet the growing cigar sales volume worldwide. Curious about how the two compare? Our guide to Handmade vs. Machine Made Cigars breaks it all down, from tradition to technology.
By the mid-20th century, the cigar world was no longer confined to Havana; it had become a truly global cigar industry.
In the early 1960s, everything changed with one stroke of a pen. When President Kennedy signed the Cuban trade embargo, the U.S. was suddenly cut off from importing Cuban cigars. What could have been a death blow to American smokers instead became the catalyst for massive growth in other regions.
The embargo created an opportunity. Imports from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua surged, and American smokers discovered new blends that rivaled Havana’s best. Over time, these cigars came to define the premium cigar industry outside Cuba.
Then came the 1990s cigar boom , a period when cigars became the ultimate status symbol in America. From Wall Street boardrooms to Hollywood films, lighting up a cigar was shorthand for success. Cigar Aficionado magazine launched during this era, introducing glossy features on famous cigar brands, exclusive cigar dinners, and profiles of celebrity cigar smokers.
This wasn’t just about cigar production, it was about the culture that came with it. The U.S. market exploded, cementing cigars as a lifestyle, not just a pastime. The cigar business thrived, boutique makers emerged, and the image of a premium cigar became firmly entrenched in modern American identity.
Today, the world of cigars is bigger, more diverse, and more accessible than ever. From boutique lounges to online communities, cigar lovers connect over their shared passion for handmade cigars and the stories they tell.
The premium cigar industry thrives on variety, whether it’s the bold strength of Nicaraguan tobacco, the smooth refinement of the Dominican Republic, or the enduring mystique of a Cuban cigar.
Modern enthusiasts often turn to Cigar Aficionado or other outlets to discover new releases, learn about famous cigar brands, or even attend high-end cigar dinners. The language of cigars has also evolved, with terms like ring gauge, double corona, and a cigar’s character becoming part of the everyday smoker’s vocabulary.
Meanwhile, the global cigar market continues to grow. While machine made cigars still exist, most premium cigars are still made by hand, crafted from high quality tobacco cultivated by skilled tobacco farmers. The result? A richer, more authentic smoking experience that honors the same traditions started centuries ago.
What’s changed most, perhaps, is how welcoming the culture has become. Picture a group of friends gathered on a back porch with the garage door up, a glass of bourbon in hand, and a premium cigar glowing in the evening light, that same camaraderie can now be found around campfires, cigar lounges, and global online communities.
Whether you’re a first-time smoker or a lifelong aficionado, cigars have moved from exclusive back rooms into a more open conversation, without ever losing the heritage that made them special.
From the rituals of indigenous people to the bustling floors of Havana’s cigar factories, the history of cigars is one of tradition, craftsmanship, and resilience. Wars, politics, and trade shifts may have reshaped the cigar industry, but one truth has remained: a cigar is never just tobacco rolled into shape. It’s history you can hold in your hand.
Whether you’re lighting a Cuban cigar, enjoying a boutique blend from Nicaragua, or exploring the legacy of famous cigar brands, each draw connects you to centuries of cigar history. The past is alive in every puff, the rituals, the people, the growing tobacco traditions, and the soil that shaped it.
At After Action Cigars, we believe that understanding this story makes every smoke more meaningful. Picture a quiet evening with the garage door rolled up, a favorite pour of bourbon nearby, and a fine cigar in hand, the same ritual enjoyed by leaders, thinkers, and everyday people across countries for centuries.
So the next time you cut, toast, and take that first draw, remember, you’re not just enjoying a cigar. You’re part of a tradition that spans the world, bridges cultures, and continues to define what it means to enjoy the finer things in life.
Cigars are far more than just rolled-up tobacco leaves. They’re the product of centuries of craft, patience, and tradition, a leaf transformed into something far greater than the sum of its parts. From the first sprout of the tobacco plant...
The story of cigars is as rich and layered as the smoke itself. To trace cigar history, we must follow the journey of tobacco from the sacred rituals of indigenous people to the centerpiece of global luxury. What began as a simple...
Let's face it, there is a large variety of cigar wrapper options out there. Did you know that the color of a wrapper says a lot about what you’re about to smoke? From golden Connecticut Shade to pitch-black Oscuro, every...
