Cigars have had a supporting role to play on the big screen since the early days of movies. As early as 1931, Charlie Chaplin’s cigar became a slapstick prop in City Lights, a movie widely considered the comedian’s masterpiece.

But in most films, it’s not usually the comics who smoke cigars. In most movies, cigars are used to signify a certain level of sophistication – a costume piece to show that the cigar-smoking character is a cut above the other characters in the film. Consider that in the Dirty Dozen, a 1967 war movie, only one character smokes a cigar: the two-star general who is the highest ranking officer in the film. What do all the other characters smoke? Mere cigarettes. Cigars on the silver screen represent both status and wealth.

Famous Cigar Smokers on the Big Screen

Jack Nicholson

In 1973, actor Jack Nicholson abandoned cigarettes for cigars beginning with the movie The Last Detail. Nicholson plays a tough naval petty officer who smokes only Cuban cigars.

credit

Al Pacino

A decade later, Al Pacino played the cigar-smoking Cuban gangster Scarface in the movie of the same title. And Al Pacino wasn’t the only actor to play a gangster tough-guy with a love of cigars.

Albert Finney

Albert Finney played Irish gangster Leo O’Bannon in the 1990 film Miller’s Crossing. Finney’s best scene in Miller’s Crossing is generally considered the scene in which he rids himself of a host of assassins, while finishing his cigar at the same time.

Clint Eastwood

In Westerns, too, cigars have a role to play. Clint Eastwood smoked cigars in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – specifically, Virginians, a skinny American cigar with a strong flavor. Eastwood’s man with no name also appeared with his trademark cigars in the two movies leading up to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965). This is despite the fact that Eastwood has publicly stated that he hates cigars, but that they fit the character he was playing at the time.

Will Smith / Jeff Goldblum / Pierce Brosnan

In more recent times, cigars haven’t always been the trademark of the rough-and-tumble tough guys and bad guys. In Independence Day, Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum smoke a cigar of celebration in a slightly goofy scene inside an alien spaceship just before they blow it up and win the day. And Pierce Brosnan’s version of James Bond didn’t smoke cigarettes as he had in the past, but cigars.

credit

Rose McGowan

Even when women smoke cigars, such as bad-girl Rose McGowan in Lewis and Clark and George, the cigar still represents a sense of rebelliousness mingled with class – much like cigar smokers themselves.

The Winner of UK Cigar Sommelier of the Year will be entering the World Championship in Havana in 2010

Victor Ferreira of Boisdale of Belgravia was crowned the UK Habano Sommelier Champion for 2009. The final was held at Hunters & Frankau’s London head offices on Tuesday December 9th and the decision was unanimous.

In Victor’s favour was his strong written exam, detailed in-depth knowledge of Cuban cigars and exemplary cigar service . The prize is an all expenses paid trip to Cuba for the annual Cigar Festival and the considerable privilege of representing Great Britain in the Cigar Sommelier World Championship.

Ranald Macdonald, owner of the cigar-friendly Boisdale of Belgravia and Boisdale of Bishopsgate, said, “I am absolutely delighted that Victor has won this award.  Our staff are renowned for their whisky, wine and cigar expertise and it’s a real credit that two out of the four finalists were from Boisdale. I wish Victor the best of luck at the international competition in Havana.  His in-depth knowledge, skill and determination will, I am sure, carry him through the competition”.

The four finalists had to prove their specialist knowledge of Habanos cigars, selecting the most appropriate cigar for an occasion, the best corresponding spirits as well as demonstrating cutting and lighting skills.  In a staged scenario, Ferreira considered the merits of various Habanos cigars, including Romeo y Julieta and Bolivar, before making a choice recommendation to a fictitious couple celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.  He then selected their drinks to correspond with cigars.

A delighted Victor said of his upcoming challenge in Havana, “I am very competitive and when I go out there I will be going out to win. Now I need to do even more studying!”.

As far back as 1460 it has been noted that natives of North, Central and South Americas had been using tobacco for hundreds of years. In 1492 Christopher Columbus’ logs stated that natives in San Salvador smoked leaves of certain plants. Christopher Columbus received tobacco as a gift by the natives and consequently is credited with being the person that introduced tobacco to Europeans in 1493 when he delivered the gift to Spanish Royalty.

According to the writings of the Viceroy of San Domingo, Gonzalo Hernandez de Oviedo, by 1526 cigar smoking was described as a regular practice. Within 10 years Cubans would be shipping the highest grades of tobacco to Spain. Of the agriculture in Cuban farms you would find that about half of it was dedicated to growing tobacco.

By the 1550’s it is reported that sailors everywhere are smoking tobacco and it begins its journey around the world. By the 1560’s it had been brought to the French by Jean Nicot, the French Ambassador to Portugal and Sir J. Hawkins returned to England from North America with Indian tobacco. In 1570 tobacco had gotten all the way to Austria where it was first used for medicinal purposes.

Due to the climate of the times between the English and the Spanish in the 1600’s, the Spanish King had restricted the growing of tobacco to colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Santo Domingo. By 1606, the Spanish King has decreed that the sale of tobacco to foreigners is a crime that is punishable by death. To feed the addiction of the English, the British established the Jamestown Colony to grow tobacco. Over the next 100 years the battle for control of the tobacco fortune continued between the English and the Spanish. Cigar factories began to pop up all over London and the growing of tobacco prompted an expansion of the colonies to accommodate the demand.

By 1757 there was a cigar factory in New Seville that was toted the largest industrial complex in the world at that time rolling more than 100,000 cigars every day. The complex was so expansive that it was referred to as the “walled city” and had a population of more than 4000 people, its own chapel and even a prison. The Spanish would soon build similar factories in both Mexico and the Philippines.

It was not until 1770 that cigar smoking began to build popularity in New England and spread to other major port cities in North America. Cigars were cheap and made many times by women whose husbands would then sell or trade them with the Yankee wagon peddlers.

1781 was the beginning of the monopoly of cigar manufacturing in the Philippines by the Spanish King. Since the Philippine cigar, called Manillas, were more popular than the cigars made in the United States, they were not much of an export item. By the official end of the Revolutionary War the United States was importing cigars from Cuba and Jamaica. The 1780’s marked the beginning of worldwide marketing and manufacturing of cigars with factories opening up throughout Europe and the first advertisements and consumer packaging of cigars in the United States.

By 1810, 29 million domestic cigars were reported to have been made in the United States by large factories. Many Cuban cigar makers migrated to Florida in the late 1800’s making the region known for cigar manufacturing, Ybor City in particular had almost 70 cigar factories making it the largest manufacturing city until the 1950 when it lost its status as the largest city but remains an area with a large entertainment district revolving around cigars. It’s an area rich in history and a must see for cigar aficionados.

The trade embargo with Cuba in the 1960’s made it illegal for Cuban products to be available in the United States, and that included Cuban cigars, although it is said that President Kennedy had his press secretary get as many Cuban cigars as possible before the embargo was signed. This embargo is still in effect.

1964 brought the Surgeon General warnings of the health risks associated with cigarette smoking and a short lived increase in cigar consumption as cigarette smokers switched to cigars on the heels of the consequences of cigarette smoking. The increase was short lived when additional reports warned of risks with additional tobacco products; it began a downward sales spiral in the cigar industry that would last almost 30 years.

In 1994 cigar sales began to rise as they became status symbols made stylish by wealthy people and celebrities. The current economy is creating the need to raise taxes imposed on luxury items, but this may change as higher taxes for cigars are proposed that would make them significantly more expensive. Today they are still considered an affordable luxury item.

Every year, the world’s finest cigar makers turn succulent tobacco leaf into fantastic stogies, sheathed in superb binders and wrappers. It is our pleasure to offer you a list of 10 of the world’s finest cigars.

1. Perdomo Estate Vintage 1991

credit

The Perdomo Estate Vintage 1991 offers a vintage blend of fantastic tobacco. This medium to full-bodied smoke features complex and earthy flavors with hints of rich, spiced coffee on the super smooth finish. The Cuban seed leaves were grown in the rich earth of the Esteli Region of Nicaragua, then triple-fermented to produce a creamy, mouth-watering treat any cigar aficionado will appreciate. This premium stogie comes in two distinct wrappers, a silky Connecticut shade leaf, or a rich, dark sun grown Maduro. Match this vintage smoke to your favorite vintage wine or ale.

2. Oliva Serie G Maduro

credit

The Oliva Serie G Maduro boasts a sweet and spicy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that makes this cigar as nice to look at as it is to smoke. The true bounty is found within, however. A pleasing blend of Nicaraguan Habano long fillers are tightly wrapped in a Habano binder, and the resulting flavors are earthy and robust, bringing to the palate a handful of roasted nuts, drizzled with a bit of dark chocolate. This medium-bodied cigar delivers pleasure in every puff.

3. MATASA 30th Anniversary Cigar

credit

The MATASA 30th Anniversary Cigar features some of the richest tobaccos every produced. That is saying a lot, but this stogie delivers a stick that cigar lovers have been storing in their humidors since its introduction. The fertile Cibao Valley of the DR gave birth to the wrapper, while the full-bodied filler is a product of the best soils the DR, Honduras, and Nicaragua have to offer. This bold and smooth smoke delivers coffee bean flavor tinged with a peppery undertone.

4. Rocky Patel Sun Grown

credit

The Rocky Patel Sun Grown is a winner, making numerous lists of top cigars. What pleases testers and tasters alike is the full-bodied composition from wrapper to filler. The Ecuadorian wrapper is grown as nature would have it, in full sunlight, which causes the leaf to produce rich oils giving it a stout, full-orbed flavor. The Nicaraguan binder is stuffed with Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos to produce a smooth, full-bodied cigar tasting of crisp, honey-roasted nuts, with a spicy finish.

5. Gurkha Titan

credit

The Gurkha Titan lives up to its name in every respect. Everything about this quality smoke is pleasing, from the look and feel, to the aroma and taste. Perfectly aged tobaccos from the Dominican, Columbia, and Nicaragua are wrapped to superior effect in a vintage 1996 Costa Rican wrapper. The lit stick gives off pleasing plumes of smoke, while the first draw brings a blend of rich nuts, roasted coffee, and a hint of spice to your taste buds.

6. Padilla Miami

credit

The Padilla Miami pays rich homage to the Cuban heritage of this great city. The glory days of Havana come to life in a cigar that is “cubanesque” from the traditional triple cap to the pig-tail twist. The full-bodied flavor is provided by Cuban-seed tobaccos that are pure Criollo. The binder and wrapper is richly textured Corojo, for a taste that fills the palate with roasted, savory flavors giving way to a creamy finish.

7. Montecristo White

credit

The Montecristo White is the smoothest cigar on our list. Like the color, it goes with everything. This creamy treat features Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers aged to mellow perfection. The Connecticut shade wrapper, grown in Ecuador, gives depth and balance.

8. Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte

credit

The Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte is a surprisingly good smoke. This stogie makes annual “best buy” lists because it packs the powerhouse flavor of Cuban seed tobaccos grown in the rich soil of Nicaragua and Honduras. Expect mouthfuls of spiced bread with a peppery tang finish, bountiful aromatic smoke, and a finish that keeps delivering long after you exhale.

9. Punch Gran Puro

credit

The Punch Gran Puro makes our list because it epitomizes what a puro should be, and delivers outstanding taste in every stick. The filler, binder, and wrapper are 100% Honduran, an up-and-coming place for respected tobaccos. The result is a rich and nutty foundation, highlighted with reminders of freshly cut hay sprinkled with plenty of mouth-watering spice. This no-nonsense smoke will please the most discerning lovers of full-bodied cigars.

10. Perdomo Edicion de Silvio

credit

Perdomo makes our list again, with the Perdomo Edicion de Silvio. This world-class cigar is the crown jewel of one of the world’s premier manufacturing families. Grown in Nicaragua, the tobacco in this stick is pure Cubano. Cuban Ligero seed leaf is blended in a hush-hush mix the family does not disclose. The cigar speaks for itself, however, in a hearty, medium-bodied smoke exuding rich leathery flavors, with undertones of caramel and milk chocolate. The finish is the perfect cup of rich java that lasts on the palate as you enjoy one of six tasty vitolas.

For the true cigar aficionado, only the biggest in best well do. In that case, one should look no further than the Historical Pipe and Tobacco Museum in Brussels, Belgium. Within the walls of this esteemed collection, visitors can take in the truly phenomenal sight of the world’s biggest cigar. If you consider yourself a connoisseur of all things related to cigars, it is fitting to keep this piece of trivia in the back of your mind. This way, you can regale friends, family and other cigar fanatics about the pertinent details of this superlative cigar.

credit

The cigar housed within the Historical Pipe and Tobacco Museum in Brussels has truly monstrous proportions. Measuring more than twenty-one feet in length, it also weighs over a whopping 1,000 pounds. Who, exactly, could hope to enjoy this enormous cigar? The size is obviously strictly for novelty’s sake; there’s not a man alive who could hope to actually smoke this behemoth. Nevertheless, it is a truly memorable sight. After all, it’s not every day that one sees a cigar that outweighs many automobiles.

Additionally, the world’s largest cigar is made up of more than 10,000 tobacco leaves. Imagine how many regular-sized cigars those could make up! The thought is truly staggering. Indeed, should there ever be a shortage of tobacco in the world, this one could be broken up to manufacture a large number of regular sized cigars for those who experience major withdrawals.

It is important to note, also, that although the cigar in Brussels, Belgium is indeed the world’s largest, it is not also the world’s longest. That designation goes to one located in Puerto Rico, which measures in at an insanely long 62 feet in length. Perhaps one day, the dimensions of these two enormous cigars will be combined – the resulting 62 foot long, 1,000 pound cigar would surely trump all existing records. Either way, though – whether you are likelier to see the cigar in Brussels or the one in Puerto Rico – either will certainly make for some entertaining anecdotes to pass along to friends, family members and coworkers for years to come.