the growth of pride...Cigar-making was considered an art by the international market, and for this reason, it carried with it certain cultural resonances on notions of citizenship and productivity.
Tobacco was thought to require an incredibly gentle touch, and because of this, it could not be grown by slaves who were thought to be "too brutish" to manicure the plant to perfection. Instead, it was to be done by free men, who had the grace necessary to cultivate the illustrious tobacco plant. In this way, an association with tobacco production became synonymous with hard-work, productivity, and pride. |
...and ritual...Because of their brand name, the Cuban cigar also became known for their quality, manifest in their hand-rolled perfection.
In fact, the practice of rolling cigars is an important one in the Cuban culture. With over one hundred steps required to produce a single authentically-Cuban cigar, the industry follows a strict creation ritual, with little having changed over the past century. This sense of care and attention to detail adds to their allure, and they are sought after by many precisely for this sense of novelty. |
...and a middle-class identity.With the advent of a burgeoning Cigar market came the growth of the small yet fierce middle class of cigar-making Cubans.
Cities themselves were beholden to this transformation, as hundreds of brands came to be registered within a six year period. Employing over 15,000 workers, Cuba's 1,295 shops specializing in tobacco gained immense cultural importance, as they came to be a marker of an industry that the island nation had come to dominate. Adding to its status as a immovable facet of social life, the cigar's growing economic importance was crucial in the cultivation of a Cuban ethos, or Cubanidad. |
but what did the industry have to say?
"Cuban cigars ... are made in precisely the same way for the last several hundred years. The government controls the industry and is very interested in maintaining its high reputation." "Cuba is known for the Cuban cigar. We want to be part of that." "Tobacco production has surpassed sheer industry, transforming the entire way of life here" |
"When Cuban tobacco is allowed to flood the U.S. market, it will be a game changer...I call it my ‘Cuba Plan,’ and...every cigar manufacturer in the U.S. has one to some degree" “The US is our most important premium cigar market. If the US consumer wants Cuban cigars, we will seek to share that segment of the market...We are prepared for this to happen sometime." |
References
All quotations come from industry documents or one of the following news publications:
http://www.finckcigarcompany.com/cigar-advisor/whats-so-special-about-cuban-cigars/
https://www.simplycigars.co.uk/guide/the-history-of-cubas-cigar-industry-38/
https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/cuban-cigars-cohiba-upmann/
http://www.finckcigarcompany.com/cigar-advisor/whats-so-special-about-cuban-cigars/
https://www.simplycigars.co.uk/guide/the-history-of-cubas-cigar-industry-38/
https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/cuban-cigars-cohiba-upmann/