Cohiba" (tobacco) as the Natives called the Tobacco Plant, began it's journey into the Antillies from South America between 3000 and 2000 BC. Tobacco soon became an essential medicine and element in the religious, political and social ceremonies of natives throughout the Americas.
By the time the Spanish began their conquest of the New World (Columbus in 1492), the tobacco plant, grown in small conucos in the middle of cassava sown fields, had become an important agricultural factor of Cuban Natives.
The encounter between Columbus and the natives of the "West Indies" would eventually arouse a true passion for the smoking of Cuban Tobacco throughout Europe, Persia, Japan, Turkey and Russia.
The first Cuban "Cohiba" (tobacco) plantations were established in the 18th century and tobacco became the number two export of Cuba after sugar .
Cuba soon became World Renown for it's tobacco; especially the province of Pinar del R?o
By 1717, in the face of growing competition with English Colonial Tobacco (1676-1722 ) the Spanish created a Royal Monopoly on all tobacco produced in Cuba.
This Royal "Tobacco Monopoly" ended on June 23rd, 1817 by Royal Decree, which allowed the free trade through Spanish ports between the Cuba and the known world.
By 1950/60, the Cuban Cigar was the most prominent and desired Cigar in the world and remained the number two export of Cuba .
After the communists took over Cuba in the 60's and the U.S. embargoed the Cuban Cigar (even passed a law that provided criminal prosecution for Americans who purchased Cuban Cigars), Cuban Tobacco began to slip from it's number two spot as an export.
Yet, the Cuban Cigar and Cuban Tobacco remains, even in 2007, the most desired cigar in the world.
Throughout this period Tobacco farming was an exclusive occupation of free men. By the end of 19th century, thousands of Canary Islands’ immigrants worked in the growing of tobacco.
