By Robert Williams

Long associated with the rich and powerful, cigars evoke images of relaxation and rich flavor. A culture around the art of smoking, created and debated by cigar aficionados, assembles various theories and accessories to facilitate or enhance smoking. Cigar smoking, much like wine tasting, has for many years been viewed as a diversion of the elite of society.

The general consensus is that Spain is where cigars were first produced, catching on quickly in the other European countries. Although manufactured in many different countries, Cuban cigars have been considered one of the most flavorful and rich of all cigars for an appreciable period of time. This is due to the regional microclimates Cuba is blessed with, which are said to produce the highest quality tobacco. Combined with the skill of the country's cigar makers, the result is a world standard in cigars. Other countries that produce sizeable amounts of tobacco and cigars include Brazil, Honduras, Ecuador, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, and the United States. Many speculate that the reason cigars have long caught the attention of so many lies in the way it is manufactured. Hand wrapping is the basis of all high quality cigars. Unlike cigarettes, which are mass-produced by enormous machines, cigars undergo a lengthy process of fermentation and aging (much like wine), creating subtle flavors and textures before they are individually wrapped by craftsmen working with their own hands. This makes cigars highly individual, each with a subtle unique character, the best of which provide no smoky aftertaste at all.

The taste of cigars is also much more complex than the flavor of cigarettes. Most cigars are created by wrapping three distinct and different layers of tobacco leaves together, yielding a depth of flavor impossible from a cigarette. Long leaves of tobacco are typically used as the filler in high quality cigars, though a combination of scraps may also be used. This creates complex flavors subtle variations, and different textures. Cigarettes, on the other hand, are mass-produced, filled from gargantuan hoppers containing generally only one type of tobacco. Cigar flavor variation is further diversified by the addition of non-tobacco flavorings. If desired, a cigar aficionado can find chocolate, apple, vanilla, or even coffee-flavored cigars! Most common, however, are cigars flavored with expensive liquors.

Despite the fact that cigars have long been enjoyed for their smooth and complex flavors, smoking them does pose a considerable health risk. All tobacco products contain the addictive substance nicotine. Everyone has heard about the negative health risks of nicotine, but not everyone is familiar with how it causes them.. As even the casual smoker can attest, nicotine is a stimulant that produces a mild sense of euphoria. It is extremely addictive and cigar smoke contains a multitude of toxins, carcinogens, and irritants. There is still a significant risk of developing various types of oral and larynx cancers even though most connoisseurs of cigars will avoid inhaling the smoke.

Nowadays, smoking has become a status symbol of millions of people and others seem to be joining the smoke bandwagon at a fast pace. In fact, the trend of smoking has become very common among teenagers as well. It is obvious that millions of people love the pleasure of smoking a quality cigar because it provides a unique experience that every cigar smoker wants.

These are the reasons why cigars are flourishing online as well as traditional retail markets. They are given as popular gifts for various occasions such as a bachelor party, anniversary or wedding. Cigars primary ingredient is tobacco along with a wrapper. A cigar can be defined as a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco.

Kinds of tobacco leaves used in cigars

A cigar comprises of three kinds of tobacco leaves including the outer wrapper leaf, the binder leaf and the filler leaf; which can be long, short or mixed. Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Sumatra, Philippines, and the Eastern United States are countries where tobacco leaves are grown in sufficient quantity. Cigars are available in a variety of sizes and shapes as well.

Size and shape of cigars

Cigars are generally classified by the size and shape of the cigar, which together are known as the vitola. The size of a cigar is determined by two dimensions - its ring gauge (its diameter in sixty-fourths of an inch) and its length (in inches).

How to prepare cigar's tobacco

In order to prepare the cigars, tobacco is specifically cultivated and processed. Cigar tobacco is a blend of dark air cured tobacco varieties such as Besuki or Manilla, and these are fermented to boost their flavor.

Dominant manufacturers of cigars

Two firms - Altadis and Swedish Match - dominate the cigar industry. Altadis, the world's largest manufacturer of cigars, manufactures cigars in the U.S., the Dominican Republic, and Honduras. The company also has a 50% stake in Corporacič´¸n Habanos in Cuba. Apart from cigars, it also produces cigarettes. Swedish Match, the second largest manufacturer of cigars, manufactures cigars in Honduras, Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, the U.S., and the Dominican Republic. The company is also involved in making chewing and pipe tobacco, snuff, lighters, and matches. Online stores offer high quality and branded cigars and their related accessories at reasonable prices.