Cigars, more or less in the form that we know them today, were first made in Spain in the early 18th century, using Cuban tobacco. Cigar smoking became a widespread custom in France and Britain after the Peninsular War (1808-14), when returning British and French veterans made fashionable the habit they had learned while serving in Spain. Cigar factories were later set up in the Connecticut area, processing the tobacco grown from the Cuban seed. Production of Cigar wrappers begin in the 1820's, but tobacco was exported since the 1700's to European ports. During the civil war of the 1860's was the cigar boom in the United States. An import tax in Britain during the 1820's made cigar a luxury item. In addition, Ybor City, near downtown Tampa, was the cigar capital of the world during the late 1800’s. Many top cigar producers from Cuba migrated to Florida. In 1962 we have the Cuban cigar embargo authorized by President John F. Kennedy. During the mid 1990's there was another cigar boom in the united states portrayed by the media and cigar smoking was popular among celebrities. Afterwards from 2006 -2011 higher taxes on cigars and smoking restrictions in bars, restaurants, and public places throughout the country.
