| The cigar has a lot of history, a lot of trivia, and a lot | | | | forever, but for others, infinity belongs to the cigar |
| of interesting facts. However, it's often easy to | | | | band. |
| become so consumed with actually smoking the cigar, | | | | Cigar Sayings |
| the luxury of its aroma, its flavor, its essence, to | | | | One of the most popular sayings, Close by no cigar, |
| remember any of the legends and tales cigars light a | | | | is a euphemism for getting near success, only to |
| match under. But, to miss out on these is to miss out | | | | have it evade you at the last moment. Though no |
| on a lot of the cigar's culture, miss out on its | | | | one is 100 percent positive as to the origin of this |
| extravagance, and destroy its past. So take a | | | | saying, it's highly speculated that it came from old |
| moment every now and again to enjoy some cigar | | | | carnival games and old slot machines. When first |
| tidbits...before they go up in smoke. | | | | invented, the carnival games wouldn't pay out with |
| The First Connoisseurs | | | | plush toys stuffed with Styrofoam and the slot |
| While Christopher Columbus, in addition to being | | | | machines wouldn't pay out with hard cash. Instead, |
| credited with the discovery of America, is generally | | | | the winners would receive cigars, leaving the loser to, |
| allowed to get away with writing "cigar inventor" on | | | | of course, only take solace in the fact that they |
| his resume, he wasn't actually the first person to | | | | were close. |
| come up with the concept of smoking tobacco. | | | | The Zippo Lighter |
| According to archeological discovery, the inhabitants | | | | A lighter known for speed, perhaps marketed to the |
| of the Caribbean Islands and Mesoamerica smoked | | | | cigar smoker on the go, the Zippo lighter was |
| cigars at least as far back as 900 A.D. This discovery | | | | invented in 1932 in Bradford, Pennsylvania by a man |
| was made when researchers discovered a ceramic | | | | named George G. Blaisdell. It was invented not only |
| vessel at a Mayan ruin in Guatemala that was | | | | to light a cigar at a more rapid rate, but to provide |
| decorated with a painting of a cigar-smoking man. | | | | cigar smokers with a portable convenience - |
| This man, likely deceased, was not available for | | | | something that could fit in a pocket, a briefcase, or a |
| comment. | | | | golf bag. It is rumored to have been named "The |
| The Invention of the Cigar Band | | | | Zippo" because Blaisdell liked how the word "zipper" |
| To the non-smoker, the cigar band may sound like a | | | | sounded. |
| group of musicians who get together in a smoky | | | | From Henry Clay to JFK |
| basement, belting out songs about tobacco and | | | | The brand Henry Clay is named for the 19th century |
| singing "The Blues" over the Cuban Trade Embargo. | | | | senator from Kentucky. He was known as an |
| However, to the cigar smoker, the cigar band is an | | | | illustrious leader, a statesman and orator who often |
| elemental part of the cigar, full of color and history. | | | | eased disagreements among fellow leaders. Henry |
| The cigar band, or cigar ring, is a circular piece of | | | | Clay, like the cigars named for him, was renowned |
| paper that's wrapped around the head of most | | | | with the ability to evoke a sense of calmness, leading |
| cigars. In legend, it's said to have been invented by | | | | those into the room into a compromised agreement. |
| either Spanish Nobles or Catherine the Great, the | | | | In 1957, JFK, a cigar lover himself, named Henry Clay |
| women who reigned as Empress of Russia in the late | | | | as one of the top five US Senators in the history of |
| 1700's and early 1800's. The reason for the invention, | | | | America. |
| as the legend attests, was because these nobles, | | | | The Smoking Jacket: Smoking Hot Fashion |
| fond of cigars, were not fond of the stains cigars | | | | The smoking jacket, nowadays, is rarely worn, with |
| left on their gloves. Thus, they invented a band | | | | one occasionally popping up in portraits hanging above |
| where they could place their fingers, keeping them | | | | fireplace mantels. But, during Victorian Times, smoking |
| stain free while smoking. | | | | jackets were all the rage. Because people believed |
| However, other legends state that the invention of | | | | that women had tender nostrils, and would thus be |
| the cigar band was the genius of Gustave Bock, a | | | | sensitive to the aroma of tobacco, men often |
| Dutch advertising guru. His reasoning for the invention | | | | donned a smoking jacket before lighting up a cigar. |
| was simply to help keep the cigar together, binding | | | | While it initially was worn to appease women, |
| the wrapper to the filler in a more cohesive manner. | | | | smoking jackets, made of expensive material, |
| Whether invented by European nobility or as a | | | | eventually became a sign of status. |
| promotional tool, the cigar band carries with it a lot of | | | | Cigar tidbits are a dime a dozen; there are enough |
| lore. To start, most cigar bands are printed with the | | | | out there to fill the world's largest ashtray. From lore |
| name of the brand, the country from which it came, | | | | to factual information, cigars have been a part of the |
| and an indication as to whether or not it was | | | | world for longer than most other things: if they could |
| hand-rolled. In addition, the cigar band is said to have | | | | talk, they'd probably never shut up, engaging |
| been used in many wedding ceremonies of yore, | | | | smokers with stories and tales. When it comes down |
| when the groom could either not afford a wedding | | | | to it, the cigar is simply multi-talented; it's rich with |
| band, misplaced it, or asked for a woman's hand in | | | | the lives of the puffers of yore, and enriching the |
| marriage under spontaneous, and expedited, | | | | lives of the modern-day smoker. |
| circumstances. For some women, diamonds are | | | | |