On 7 February 1962, U.S. President John F. Kennedy signed one of the most consequential executive orders in cigar history — the United States trade embargo on Cuba. The embargo was meant to punish Fidel Castro’s communist government. Instead, it gave birth to a myth, elevating Cuban cigars from prized luxury to forbidden legend. But before he reached for his pen,…
Tag: cuban cigar history
Fidel Castro, Cuban Cigars & Rolex Watches
Ever wondered why so many photographs pair Cuban cigars with Rolex watches? It all started with the man who made both into enduring symbols of power and precision — Fidel Castro. In one of the most famous images of the Cold War era, taken during a 1963 meeting with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in the Kremlin, Castro is seen…
The History of Cuba’s Cigar Industry
Cuba enjoys one of the strongest reputations in the world for consistently producing high-quality cigars. Whatever one’s personal views on whether Cuban cigars are the very best, there is no denying that Cuba grows some of the finest tobacco on earth. The Early Roots of Tobacco in Cuba The origins of Cuban tobacco stretch back…