Cigars

First published in 1993, The Ultimate Cigar Book has become a classic in its field, and is generally credited with having helped launch the current cigar smoking craze. It has been reprinted numerous times in the United States, and is now sold worldwide. No other book contains as much detailed and factual information on virtually every facet of cigar making and cigar smoking. And now this trendsetting been has been revised in this fourth edition for the aficionado of the future! Forget 1492. This book starts out in B. C. (Before Columbus) and transports the cigar enthusiast on a fun and fact-filled adventure into virtually every realm of today’s popular and growing cigar smoking pastime. Written by one of the most knowledgeable and internationally-celebrated pipe and cigar authors of our time, Richard Carleton Hacker’s well-known wit and wisdom will keep the reader enthralled with every turn of the page, as he takes you on an information-packed would tour of cigars. Starting off with a history of cigar smoking, the author then shows us how cigars are made today (handmade, handrolled, and machine made), divulges the secrets of finding the “perfect” cigar, and discusses the ritual of smoking and how to properly care for and store our cigars. From there the book lists a number of innovative cigar accessories, suggests which beers, wines, whiskeys, brandies, and cognacs go with what cigars, enlightens us with a chapter on cigar smoking celebrities, and concludes with the world’s first International Compendium of virtually every cigar brand known today, complete with histories and observations on taste, according to the author’s HPH (Highly Prejudiced Hacker-Scale) ratings. If that was not enough, there is even a dictionary of CigarSpeak! The Ultimate Cigar Book is the most comprehensive, factual, and up-to-date book for the cigar smoker or for those who just want to learn more about the fascinating and popular world of cigar smoking.

In the highly anticipated new volume in Assouline’s bestselling Ultimate Collection, The Impossible Collection of Cigars envisions the ultimate humidor brimming with the most remarkable cigars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries from the most prestigious makers. Like the pop of the Champagne cork, the flick of the lighter or the strike of the match and the first draw of the smoke are synonymous with celebration, relaxation, and comradery. A luxurious pause from the world around, an exceptional, hand-rolled cigar has cemented itself as a civilized passion and genteel hobby over the course of centuries.

The fascinating history of the Toscano cigar, published in celebration of the brand’s two hundredth anniversary. Marking two centuries since the birth of the Toscano cigar, this book reconstructs its history and reveals its techniques, illustrating the beloved cigar’s ties with Italy as well as its international appeal. In this illuminating volume, the production of the Toscano cigar—from growing the tobacco to the preparation of the leaves—unfolds against the breathtaking scenery of Tuscany, a stone’s throw from some of the greatest masterpieces of a region that was the crucible of the Renaissance. The book is enriched with stories about the various personages and celebrities—intellectuals, politicians, film directors, and musicians, from Giacomo Puccini to Amedeo Modigliani to Umberto Eco—who have loved and continue to love the Toscano cigar. It also includes notes on the lifestyle associated with this passion: perfumes, flavors, and colors tied to nature, to the Tuscan countryside, wine, leather goods, food, and opera music.

The most definitive guide to Cuban cigars: The Cuban Cigar Handbook profiles the history of cigars in Cuba and features an extensive guide to over 200 varieties. For more than two centuries, Cuban cigars have been heralded as the best cigars in the world. More than just a cigar, they're an art form, with tobacco growers and hand-rollers considered artists. Today, there are more than 200 varieties to discover, and this essential guide highlights each one. Featuring insights from industry experts like Gary Korb and Denis K. Toulouse, The Cuban Cigar Handbook presents an in-depth look at a wide range of fascinating topics, including: - a complete history of Cuban cigars - how to spot fakes - stories of celebrated cigar aficionados from Ernest Hemingway to Rudyard Kipling - the best Cuban rum to pair with a cigar - vivid descriptions of Cuba and its environs - dynamic profiles of growers, hand-rollers, and producers - and so much more! The Cuban Cigar Handbook tells the history of cigars in Cuba and includes an extensive guide to over 200 varieties. Tasting notes for all varieties of cigars explain what makes each type different from the others, and how to spot fakes. And should you get thirsty, this book also includes a guide for how best to pair Cuban cigars with Cuban rums. Light up a cigar, sit back, and read fascinating stories about notable cigar aficionados to learn what attracted the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Rudyard Kipling to Cuban cigars. The Cuban Cigar Handbook is the ideal gift for the cigar smoker in your life. This is the ultimate handbook for any burgeoning cigar enthusiast or seasoned connoisseur.

Exploring not just the extraordinary story of tobacco and cigars but also a history that has been instrumental in the foundations of societies and cultures, Cigars will take you on an astonishing journey through landscapes, scents, and an incredible roll call of the great, the good and the not-so good. The cigar has provided solace and a chance for worldly contemplation to generations of thinkers, businessmen, writers, entrepreneurs, and connoisseurs. In this elegiac offering to the pinnacles of hand-rolled tobacco, world-renowned expert Nicholas Foulkes guides you through the myths, legends, nuances, and delicious realities of the smoke-savoring universe, serving as an introduction for the neophyte and a reference for the connoisseur.

For some, nothing is as pleasurable as the smell and taste of a great cigar. For them, Playboy The Book of Cigars will be the next best thing to lighting up. Whether you want to learn the ?ner points of cutters, cutting, or humidors, or want to understand more about how ?ne tobacco is grown and ?ne cigars rolled, it’s all here for you. Learn why Cuban cigars are so sought-after, what ?ne cigars from the Dominican Republic and Honduras have to offer, and whether cigars from Cameroon and the Canary Islands are worth your time. With a foreword by artist and bon vivant LeRoy Neiman and an afterword by award-winning actor Joe Mantegna, there is more than a touch of the good life here. Sprinkled with photographs from around the world, enlivened by sexy Playboy beauties, and featuring illustrated images of celebrities by Risko, there has never been a cigar book offering more of the good life than Playboy The Book of Cigars. It’s the perfect book to keep next to your humidor.

Provides information on choosing and smoking cigars, covering such topics as the best cigar size to smoke, how to choose quality cigars at a good price, and the preparation and distribution of cigars worldwide.

History of the magazine, Cigar Aficionado, and the cigar industry.