Cigars

Cigars are fermented and dried leaves that are rolled up and smoked. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have an old history to them. The exact origins of the cigar are unknown today, but many historians believe that ancient Mayans first invented the cigar. A ceramic pot from the 10th century illustrates the Mayans smoking rolled-up leaves. The cigar only gained popularity towards the end of the 18th century.

A French ambassador named Jean Nicot popularized the smoking of a cigar in France. The nicotine found in the tobacco was named after the French ambassador. Today the tobacco in cigars is grown in many parts of Central America and the islands of the Caribbean.