The Cigar World

Luxury, exclusivity, status--for centuries, the cigar has been a symbol for the special and extraordinary. Cigar smoking, which began over 2,000 years ago with the Maya, is experiencing a huge renaissance today. The cigar is a recreational luxury item in high demand, a combination of craftsmanship and tradition with a cult following that is hard to top. Connoisseur and cigar expert Cosima Aichholzer is one of the world's leading authorities on cigars. There isn't a cigar lounge in the world she hasn't travelled to, or a brand that she hasn't personally tested. In this standard reference work for all cigar experts and fans, the sophisticated Austrian provides authoritative answers to questions about the cigar's history, production process, where tobacco for cigars is grown, how to buy and store cigars, and much more. Let us take you on an exciting and fascinating journey into the world of cigars. Learn more about the countries they come from, the raw materials that go into them, the craftsmanship involved in making them, and the world's most beautiful cigar lounges, all shown in captivating pictures. Take a look at exclusive accessories, custom-made humidors, luxurious lighters, and many other items. So sit back, light up a cigar with celebrity fellow smokers, and peruse entertaining interviews that include tidbits like the cigar that Arnold Schwarzenegger finds unforgettable. Text in English German and French SELLING POINTS: * Never-before-seen insights into the fascinating world of the elegant cigar * Exclusive interviews with prominent smokers about their favourite brands and great cigar moments * A wonderfully entertaining book, not just for smokers! 200 colour and b/w photos

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.

Lifestyle journalist Nick Hammond takes readers on a quarter-century expedition of wonder. From the bamboo forests of Japan to the peat burns of the Scottish Hebrides; from the dripping rainforest of Borneo to the scorched savannah of Africa; Around The World In 80 Cigars follows a natural observer through weird and wonderful adventures, each linked by the golden thread of a fine cigar. Ever been stuck in a minefield? Wondered what a sultry night in Havana is really all about? Wished you could sail in a hot air balloon over Cognac, go lobster fishing off Scotland, or dive with great white sharks off Gaansbai? All these adventures and more are told in searing detail in this beautifully packaged memoir.

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.

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

Two women kept apart by segregation at a Southern cigar factory forge a powerful alliance in the labor rights movement in this historical novel. With evocative dialect and remarkable prose, The Cigar Factory tells the story of two entwined families—the white McGonegals and the African American Ravenels—in the storied port city of Charleston, South Carolina, during the World Wars. Moore’s novel follows the parallel lives of family matriarchs working on segregated floors of the massive Charleston cigar factory, where white and black workers remain divided and misinformed about the duties and treatment received by each other. Cassie McGonegal and her niece Brigid work upstairs in the factory rolling cigars by hand. Meliah Amey Ravenel works in the basement, where she stems the tobacco. While both suffer in the harsh working conditions of the factory and endure the sexual harassment of the foremen, segregation keeps them from recognizing their common plight until the Tobacco Workers Strike of 1945. Through the experience of a brutal picket line, the two women discover how much they stand to gain by joining forces, creating a powerful moment in labor history that gives rise to the Civil Rights anthem, “We Shall Overcome.” Moore’s historical research includes interviews with family members who worked at the cigar factory, adding nuance and authenticity to her empowering story of struggle, loss, and redemption. Foreword by New York Times best-selling author Pat Conroy Winner of the 2016 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize