As we have already seen, much has changed in the world of cigars over the years and even the shape and exterior of cigars have changed. For example the person who is credited with putting a band on cigars was Catherine the Great who ruled as Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. Evidently she was an avid cigar smoker but didn't like the idea of tobacco stains on her fingers but her idea of applying a band to every cigar did not become common until 1851

By 1788 cigar smoking was seen as the ultimate sign of fashion and wealth and in 1810 an American factory had produced the mother of all cigars ... a foot long stogie that must have really separated the men from the boys when it came to smoking it. You see, even in the world of cigars size does matter.

In 1827 of the most famous Cuban cigar makers - Don Jaime Partagas - opened for business in Havana and it remains there to this day. Other famous Cuban brands emerged in 1834 and 1837 and in 1840 the term 'Havana' came into use. Despite those early starts for some of the best known brands what some would describe as the world's best known brand ... Montecristo ... was not created until 1935.

Of course history is a living thing and we are sure to see more interesting developments in the saga of cigars and tobacco.