Smoking a Habano (Cuban cigar) is a pleasure that requires the concentration of all senses. From the choice of the cigar to the place one decides to have it, everything will play an important role in the results one expects while smoking. Experts suggest a nice, quiet ambiance, not too ventilated nor completely closed, in order to enjoy its aroma in a proper way.

A Cuban cigar is composed of three main parts: the insides (the content or pipe tobacco), the cloak (which is the wrapping of the insides), and the external leaf, that is the ultimate presentation of the product. Almost all Cuban brands have a variety in sizes; and the size, in the moment of choosing, will speak of the time one has to enjoy it fully. The cigar people smoke occasionally is not the same as the one selected for smoking after a nice lunch or supper. The color of the cigar must also be even and shiny, even though green or white spots may appear due to the natural process of the leaf´s growing or curing.

The flavor of a cigar is unique and only by smoking it can one define its quality. If you do not desire to take risks, taking into account that you are not an expert, the best thing to do is to try a known brand or ask the experts that work in the Houses of Cigars or well-known stores that sell the product. Once you have chosen, you cut the cigar. Smokers have a ceremony to do that. It is important to have a cigar cutter well sharpened to avoid major breakings in the cigar. The cut must be precise and a bit of the insides must be visible. It is recommended to have the cut on the same line where the cap (the rounded piece of the external leaf that covers one of the ends) joins the external leaf. The cut is actually quite significant for smoking a cigar because it is going to decide the combustion of the cigar, which will, at the same time, benefit the appreciation of all the flavor of a cigar in the proper way.

The act of lighting a cigar has its art, as well. The cigar is put close to the flame and rolled between the fingers to accomplish an even burning. While you are doing this, you have to inhale a bit for the flame to penetrate the inside of the cigar sufficiently. The thicker the cigar, the greater the amount of time needed to light it. The best way to check if the cigar has been well lit is to blow on the lit end and verify if the whole area is incandescent. A high-quality cigar will not extinguish under normal circumstances, and if set aside will continue burning almost completely. It is not right to shake the ashes; if the cigar is high-quality, the ashes will be firm and, therefore, long.

When smoking a cigar, the smoke is inhaled but not swallowed. The smoke must be left in the mouth to be able to savor it and appreciate the nuances of the aroma. As recommended earlier, take your time… the flavor of a cigar intensifies through phases and  it would be a waste to leave it halfway.

Have you ever wondered where cigars were first produced? It is widely believed that cigars were first produced in Spain. But before cigars became all the rage in Europe, tobacco was needed to make them. Tobacco is indigenous to the Americas, where native peoples have produced it for hundreds of years. It is believed that the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central America cultivated tobacco, and even smoked it! Tobacco use spread to other tribes, both north and south. It is believed that its first use in the United States was probably among the tribe along the Mississippi. It wasn’t until Christopher Columbus sailed his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the rest of the world came to know tobacco.

It is said that Columbus was not impressed by tobacco or its use among native peoples, but many sailors grew found of the strange plant. Soon it quickly caught on in Spain and Portugal. From there, it spread to France, where the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent his name to the scientific name for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The origins of the word tobacco itself are still suspect, although many believe it is simply a corruption of the word Tobago, which is the name of a Caribbean island. Still others believe it comes from the word Tabasco, a region (and now state) in Mexico.

The first tobacco plantation in the United States was established in Virginia in 1612. More tobacco plantations followed in Maryland soon after. Although tobacco became a popular crop, it was only smoked in pipes. The cigar was not introduced to the United States until the late 18th century. Israel Putnam, an army general who had served in the Revolutionary War, is credited with introducing the cigar to the United States. He had traveled to Cuba after the Revolutionary War and returned with a box of Cuban cigars. Their popularity quickly spread, and soon enough cigar factories were established in the area of Harford, Connecticut, where General Putnam resided.

In Europe, cigar production and consumption did not achieve widespread popularity until after the Peninsula War in the early 19th century. British and French veterans returned to their homelands after years of serving in Spain with their tobacco pipes in tow. Among the rich and fashionable, the favored method of taking tobacco was the cigar. Cigar smoking remains a habit associated with the rich and discriminating of upper society.

The number of cigar aficionados has been steadily increasing with cigar becoming chic once again. Many celebrities and social icons can be seen enjoying a stick of their favorite cigar in public gatherings adding to its ever growing popularity. Cigars are made in many parts of the world but the most sought after types of cigars are Cuban cigars or Havana cigars as they are widely called. Authentic Cuban cigars undergo multiple sets of intricate processes during production, giving them a unique taste and aroma that won a large number of enthusiasts.

After production, Havana cigars are distributed to selected authorized dealers around the world. The remaining portion will be divided among local cigar shops which are mostly located in Havana. Though there is a large demand for Cuban cigar around the world, its availability is very limited especially in western countries where a significant percent of cigar aficionados belong. The inability of producers to meet the demands for Cuban cigars has urged opportunists to produce counterfeits which of course taste poorly compared to its authentic counterpart and are made of low quality materials, degrading the name of genuine Cuban cigars. With the large number of fake Cuban cigars running around the market, here are certain things to take note of when looking for genuine Cuban cigars.

* Probably the safest way to buy genuine Cuban cigars is to travel to Havana where Cuba distributes most of its Habanos for local sale. Be wary however of locals that would approach and try to sell Havana cigars. Seeing how profitable the cigar business is, there are a number of locals that would sell fakes to foreigners at a cheaper price claiming that what they sell were stolen from cigar factories or other stories proving how genuine their goods are.

* Only buy cigars from well established cigar store, a number of cigar shops in Spain, Canada, United Kingdom, and other countries are famous for selling genuine Cuban cigar and have good reputation.

* If the price is too good to be true, then it probably is. If you’re new to cigars, find out the market price for different classes of Cuban cigars, anything sold with a big reduction in price is most probably counterfeit.

* Examine the box, make sure it is tightly sealed and has a warranty seal marked on it. Avoid buying Havana cigars that come in boxes that appear to be damaged or tampered.

* If you’re allowed to open the box, examine the cigar by smelling it, genuine Cuban cigars have very rich and strong aroma, and if you have a bit of experience with cigars you would easily identify which is genuine and which is counterfeit.

* If you’re planning to buy cigars online, examine the website first. Most well established businesses would make sure that they have a formidable website set up for online customers. You may search for customer reviews about them as well.

Remember however, displayed above are only general tips on how to avoid counterfeit Cuban cigars. Experience is the best teacher, once you get a hand of how cigar enthusiasts do their business, finding and buying genuine Cuban cigar will become easier.

The largest producer of cigars in the world, the Dominican Republic is known to enthusiasts around the globe as “Cigar Country.” While Cubans are often more recognizable, Dominican varieties are of a far superior quality overall. With products that cover a wide variety of aromas, colors and price tags, visitors won’t be able to resist sampling and returning home with a local stogie. Providing the ideal growing environment, the majority of cigars are produced in the central island’s Santiago and Cibao Valley regions. In fact, the country boasts more than 600000 acres of tobacco plants. It is because of Dominicans’ careful cultivation and management of tobacco crops that the country is able to produce cigars that are truly distinctive and of impeccable quality.

Have you ever wondered where cigars were first produced?  It is widely believed that cigars were first produced in Spain.  But before cigars became all the rage in Europe, tobacco was needed to make them.  Tobacco is indigenous to the Americas, where native peoples have produced it for hundreds of years.  It is believed that the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central America cultivated tobacco, and even smoked it!  Tobacco use spread to other tribes, both north and south.  It is believed that its first use in the United States was probably among the tribe along the Mississippi.  It wasn’t until Christopher Columbus sailed his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the rest of the world came to know tobacco.

It is said that Columbus was not impressed by tobacco or its use among native peoples, but many sailors grew found of the strange plant.  Soon it quickly caught on in Spain and Portugal.  From there, it spread to France, where the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent his name to the scientific name for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum).  The origins of the word tobacco itself are still suspect, although many believe it is simply a corruption of the word Tobago, which is the name of a Caribbean island.  Still others believe it comes from the word Tabasco, a region (and now state) in Mexico.  

The first tobacco plantation in the United States was established in Virginia in 1612.  More tobacco plantations followed in Maryland soon after.  Although tobacco became a popular crop, it was only smoked in pipes.  The cigar was not introduced to the United States until the late 18th century.  Israel Putnam, an army general who had served in the Revolutionary War, is credited with introducing the cigar to the United States.  He had traveled to Cuba after the Revolutionary War and returned with a box of Cuban cigars.  Their popularity quickly spread, and soon enough cigar factories were established in the area of Harford, Connecticut, where General Putnam resided.  

In Europe, cigar production and consumption did not achieve widespread popularity until after the Peninsula War in the early 19th century.  British and French veterans returned to their homelands after years of serving in Spain with their tobacco pipes in tow.  Among the rich and fashionable, the favored method of taking tobacco was the cigar.  Cigar smoking remains a habit associated with the rich and discriminating of upper society.

Have you ever wondered where cigars were first produced?  It is widely believed that cigars were first produced in Spain.  But before cigars became all the rage in Europe, tobacco was needed to make them.  Tobacco is indigenous to the Americas, where native peoples have produced it for hundreds of years.  It is believed that the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central America cultivated tobacco, and even smoked it!  Tobacco use spread to other tribes, both north and south.  It is believed that its first use in the United States was probably among the tribe along the Mississippi.  It wasn’t until Christopher Columbus sailed his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the rest of the world came to know tobacco.

It is said that Columbus was not impressed by tobacco or its use among native peoples, but many sailors grew found of the strange plant.  Soon it quickly caught on in Spain and Portugal.  From there, it spread to France, where the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent his name to the scientific name for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum).  The origins of the word tobacco itself are still suspect, although many believe it is simply a corruption of the word Tobago, which is the name of a Caribbean island.  Still others believe it comes from the word Tabasco, a region (and now state) in Mexico.  

The first tobacco plantation in the United States was established in Virginia in 1612.  More tobacco plantations followed in Maryland soon after.  Although tobacco became a popular crop, it was only smoked in pipes.  The cigar was not introduced to the United States until the late 18th century.  Israel Putnam, an army general who had served in the Revolutionary War, is credited with introducing the cigar to the United States.  He had traveled to Cuba after the Revolutionary War and returned with a box of Cuban cigars.  Their popularity quickly spread, and soon enough cigar factories were established in the area of Harford, Connecticut, where General Putnam resided.  

In Europe, cigar production and consumption did not achieve widespread popularity until after the Peninsula War in the early 19th century.  British and French veterans returned to their homelands after years of serving in Spain with their tobacco pipes in tow.  Among the rich and fashionable, the favored method of taking tobacco was the cigar.  Cigar smoking remains a habit associated with the rich and discriminating of upper society.

Jamaica, located in the Caribbean Sea, not far from Cuba, is an island well known for its historic tradition of cigar manufacturing. The distribution of cigars, throughout the United States and the rest of the world, has been conducted from Jamaica for hundreds of years. The strong tradition and culture of Jamaican cigars is world renowned. For those of us who enjoy smoking cigars, there is no greater pleasure than a cigar which has been hand-rolled using premium Jamaican tobacco. The climate and soil of Jamaica is very similar to that of Cuba.  This led to a strong and thriving tobacco industry.  The tobacco leaves grown in Jamaica are used to create fine Jamaican cigars using centuries old methods.  In past years, the cigar industry was one of the most successful industries in Jamaica, but economic and weather conditions led to a decline in the Jamaican cigar industry.  These conditions included an increase in labor costs as well as a severe hurricane in 1988.  If it were not for the efforts of Barrington House Premium Jamaican Cigars, the Jamaican cigar industry might have collapsed entirely and the rich, historic tradition of Jamaica cigars would have been lost.

Barrington Adams, of Barrington House Premium Jamaican Cigars, has been the source of the revival of cigar manufacturing in Jamaica. He took the charge of Barrington House in order to give something back to his native Jamaica. Barrington Adams was a successful businessman in New York City, when he traveled to Jamaica in the 1990s to discover the cigar industry in a state of near collapse.  Jimmy Chang, who had risen to near cult-like status as the master blender for the Cuban Montecristo and left Cuba after the revolution to settle in Jamaica to run the heralded Combined Tobacco Company, had suffered a severe stroke and was extremely disabled.  Mr. Adams discovered that the employees of Combined Tobacco had not been paid for over six months.  Mr. Adams then took over the company, changing the name to Barrington House Premium Jamaican Cigars.   Making a determination to lead the Jamaican cigar industry back to its former status as one of the world’s premier sources of fine cigars, Mr. Adams reinvests 100% of the income derived from sales back into the company.  For him, it is a labor of love and a chance to give back to the land which always retained a special place in his heart.

Barrington House is the only producer of true Jamaican premium cigars.  Other companies may label their cigars “Jamaican” or “Jamaica”, but only Barrington House manufactures premium cigars in Jamaica, hand-rolled, using only the finest prime Jamaican tobacco.

Barrington House has created several lines of premium cigars, ranging from those that use Jamaican leaf as filler to the reintroduction of the famous Santa Cruz Jamaican Puro.  The fine art and traditions used by Barrington House employ the finest blends, such as that used in the original Jamaican Macanudo first blended by Jimmy Chang (Barrington House is not presently associated with Macanudo which is now a registered trademark owned by General Cigar Company). Jimmy Chang’s original Jamaican blend is available as the “Guaranteed Jamaican Founders Edition” and as the vintage “Fundadores” available through Barrington House.

Barrington House has brought back the finest traditions of the Jamaican cigar industry, long known for fine and mild tobaccos and the highest quality smoking experience.