The Golden Age of Smoking Cigars

Despite the harsh restrictions on smoking all around the world, we believe that the future of cigar-smoking seems bright! Though many of you may beg to differ, it's only fair to contemplate on how far the cigar industry has moved forward since the 20th century. Think about it; we've got new and exciting releases, innovative cigar blenders, fantastic Cuban cigars festivals; and much, much more. Just as Cigar Aficionado cites, we are now in the ‘Golden Age’ of cigar-smoking, and we couldn’t agree more.

"NEW AND EXCITING CIGARS"

INNOVATION - We’re sure most of you will recognise the ‘Cohiba Lanceros’, ‘Montecristo No. 2s' – both extremely iconic sticks of tobacco. Though these cigars continue to be a favourite among many aficionados today, Habanos has since launched many new variations to the market. We’re talking about new vitolas, regional editions, flavours and much more. The release of unique cigars has certainly added a lot of excitement and dynamism to the market; with many cigarmakers attempting to invent an intriguing new cigar blend or sizes. For instance, with thicker cigars growing in popularity, we are seeing more and more vitolas surpassing over 50 ring gauge such as the Laguito No. 5. You’ve also got cigarmakers experimenting with different types of wrappers, as they release dark-chocolate coloured wrappers called ‘Maduros’, and with light wrappers such as the 'Candelos'. With all that said, the cigar world at the moment is at a very exciting stage. Think about it, decades ago, the Cohiba Behike Linea didn’t even exist! These new variations give the opportunity for cigar connoisseurs worldwide to test their tastebuds and experiment with the range of flavours available in the market.

Encuentro Amigos de Partagas XIV, the Gala Dinner.

"A UNITED LOVE FOR TOBACCO"

GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS - Within the last few decades, the cigar-smoking community has seen the rise of many different cigar festivals all-over the world. These events allow for aficionados to discover new brands, innovations while also spending a few special days socialising and smoking with other cigar connoisseurs. There has never been a time in history where there are this many smoking festivals are happening globally. You’ve got the Amigos de Partagas festival in Italy; the Festival Del Habano set in Havana, Cuba, as well as the famous ‘Big Smoke’ celebration by Cigar Aficionado. It provides a chance for aficionados to expand their knowledge, allowing them to attend a few workshops on cigar-tasting, educate themselves on the ins-and-outs of the industry and, of course, smoking as much as they can. Just gallivanting through these events, you can spot several cigar-enthusiasts flaunting their obnoxiously long ‘Montecristo A’ or incredibly opulent ‘Cohiba Behike 54’ cigar – it certainly is a sight to see. During these events, you even get the chance to attend the grand ‘reveals’ of new cigars, for instance, while attending the Amigos de Partagas XIV, we were able to witness the release of the Montecristo Supremos cigar, an excellent Limited Edition Cigar that is highly-sought by many aficionados. By having these festivals, it allows many cigar aficionados to gather some 'hype' and 'excitement' for the latest releases.

CROSSES BOUNDARIES - For centuries, smoking cigars seemed to be an activity primarily reserved for upperclassmen, and most certainly not for women. When a woman smoked, it was seen to be rebellious and broke traditional female conventions. However, nowadays, it typical see some mainstream celebrities such as Rihanna, Shakira or Jennifer Lopez puffing away a Cuban cigar. So you could say that today's day and age, the act of smoking cigars has certainly cut boundaries of class, nationality, political affiliation and gender. Mary Churchill, the daughter of Sir Winston Churchill, was reported to have enjoyed a smoke at the grand old age of 89. Kenneth Clarke, a face of British politics, likes to light up a big cigar with a large glass of brandy as his evening ritual. Sir David Wing-Chain Tang of Hong Kong, a politician and Chairman of Pacific Cigar Co, is an avid cigar fanatic, coined by Cigar Aficionado as ‘a catalyst for a newly evolving Chinese identity’. Despite the different backgrounds of these people, what unites them is their love for the smoke!

"BUT..."

FEWER REGULATIONS - With all these new innovations and cigar festivals, there's no doubt that we're in the Golden Age of smoking cigars! However, there are still a number of aficionados who beg to differ. Some argue that the ’40s and ’50s were the epitomai of cigar-smoking culture. You can easily walk out to your nearest local tobacconist and grab a few of your staple smokes. Some smokers, though discouraged, were even able to puff a few stogies inside an aeroplane - heck, nowadays, you would be lucky if you could smoke inside a restaurant, let alone inside an aircraft! We can’t blame them the critics, it would be an absolute dream to just walk out the door and smoke without having to worry about the bans and regulations. Today, there is certainly a taboo over smoking tobacco, whether its cigars, cigarettes or even pipes, making it even more difficult for aficionados to comfortably enjoy their smokes. The FDA isn’t making it any easier for cigar companies either. But despite all these restrictions, the cigar market is still looking to the positive and shows no sign of slowing down.

For more interesting articles about all-things Cuban cigars, read our Cigar Blog: