As the world’s largest Cuban cigar festival begins today in Havana, it’s the perfect time to explore the inseparable link between Cuban cigars and Fidel Castro. But how did one man influence the modern cigar industry? Mark Saliger’s new book, Castro’s Cigar: How One Man Shaped the Modern Cigar, delves into this captivating history.
For the first time, a book fully explores Fidel Castro’s deep connection with Cuban cigars. In this well-researched work, Mark traces the intertwined history of Cuba’s most iconic export and its most controversial leader, beginning with Christopher Columbus’s arrival and extending through the Cold War tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The book dives deep into how Castro’s image—often depicted with a cigar in hand—became a worldwide symbol of both Communism and Cuba’s luxury tobacco industry. It addresses the political battles surrounding Cuban cigars, including U.S. assassination plots involving exploding cigars and the lasting American embargo that still restricts access to these sought-after cigars. Balancing history with political insight, Castro’s Cigar offers a fresh perspective on the surprising paradox of a Communist leader influencing one of the world’s most coveted capitalist luxury goods. This book is a must-read for history buffs, political aficionados, and cigar lovers alike.
This couldn’t come at a better time for me as I’ll be doing my first ever trip to Havana, Cuba, in March after the Habanos Festival – which you may have seen me mention across my social media platforms.
I can hardly contain my excitement—it truly is a bucket list trip! However, I must admit that while I know a fair amount about cigars, I lack knowledge about Castro and Cuba’s history, which feels a bit naive to post, especially as a cigar blogger – but it’s true! Thankfully, this book is exactly what I need right now, and it might just be perfect for you as well.
I was lucky enough to chat with Mark, the author of the book and here’s a little interview I did with him. I hope you enjoy it!👇
Thank you, Mark, for taking the time to chat. To begin, could you tell me a little about yourself and your background?
“I started smoking cigars as a teenager and began smoking brands such as King Edward which started a fascination with Cuban and premium cigars, from how tobacco was grown right through to making a cigar and to the culture of lighting and smoking. I quickly moved on to the tubed Cuban cigars that I could find at counter-top humidors, brands such as Montecristo, Romeo & Juliet as well as non-Cuban brands such as Don Ramos and Santa Damiana. I later found Cigar Aficionado magazine and began exploring New World cigars much more and the very fact that there was now a plethora of New World brands challenging the established Cuban brands, particularly in Cigar Aficionado’s ‘Cigar of the Year’ competition, founded my interest in Fidel Castro and his huge influence that had almost single-handedly created these parallel cigar worlds.”
How long have you been writing, and what led you to become an author?
“This is my first cigar-related work, having focussed on military history in the past. I served in The Parachute Regiment and it was whilst in Afghanistan that I first picked up a copy of Cigar Aficionado magazine and some La Aroma de Cuba cigars in the American PX shop (similar to the British NAAFI). I’ve long had an interest in history, and after writing on military history previously (‘The First Bridge Too Far’) I decided to tell another story that I felt needed to be shared to cigar smokers everywhere, that of Fidel Castro and his influence on cigars.”
See mentions about ‘The First Bridge Too Far’ in The Sun and Daily Mail.
For those who may not be as familiar, could you provide a brief overview of Fidel Castro’s history?
“Fidel Castro grew up in a Spanish and US-dominated era, whereby Cuba largely provided the raw materials for products such as sugar and cigars for foreign markets, who then seemingly enjoyed the benefits and revenue derived from them. Castro wanted to overthrow the corrupt ruling Batista regime which maintained this system, which he eventually did by landing on Cuba with a handful of supporters and gaining enough support to defeat Batista’s army and seize power.
Once in power, a wary US, fearing Castro was a Communist, locked horns and led to the US-imposed embargo of Cuba, which persists to this day. Castro had made a foe of the US President John K Kennedy, a famous Cuban cigar smoker himself, who ordered all H. Upmann cigars in the Washington D.C. area to be quickly bought up before he imposed the embargo on Cuba and its cigars. (Only pre-Castro era cigars are legal to be imported to the US to this day). Castro was so well-known of his ever-present cigars that the US attempted many assassination attempts of Castro, including the use of exploding and poisoned cigars. The US-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion was an attempt to oust Castro and led to Castro engineering the Cuban Missile Crisis which brought the World to the brink of nuclear war.
Whilst all of this was happening, domestically Castro turned evermore into a Socialist, culminating in the nationalisation of the entire Cuban cigar industry in 1961. This created a ‘brain-drain’ away from Cuba of the most renowned Cuban cigar families, factory owners and experts. They took Cuban tobacco seeds with them and planted them around the Caribbean, over time creating the world-class New World cigars that we are lucky to have today. Therefore Castro not only controlled the Cuban cigar industry but also inadvertently helped sow the seeds of the New World cigar market.”
What was the inspiration behind focusing your book on Castro and cigars?
“Fidel Castro is the single biggest cigar influencer ever. Sir Winston Churchill is the most iconic cigar smoker ever but Castro was equally iconic as a cigar smoker, with the added layers of being Cuban himself and rising to command the entire Cuban cigar industry. The two men never met but Castro drew inspiration from Churchill’s visits to Cuba and later tried to send diplomatic gifts of cigars to Churchill, which were equally diplomatically rejected by the British Government so as to not upset the United States.”
What was Castro’s cigar of choice, and did his preferences evolve over time?
“Castro is most famed for creating the Cohiba brand. He initially smoked most brands of Cuban cigars but once the assassination attempts by the US started, he had to have a secure supply of cigars. One of his associates was smoking a cigar made by his friend one day and Castro liked the aroma so much that he employed the roller as his personal cigar maker. The Cohiba factory was then established to produce Castro’s own personal supply of cigars. He generally smoked the lanceros size cigar. Cohiba was only released to the general public in 1982.”
If Castro were around today, which modern cigar do you think he’d be drawn to?
“Undoubtedly a Cuban brand – probably the Cohiba but something larger than his custom Lanceros, maybe a Behike.”
What’s the most surprising discovery you made while researching for the book?
“Castro gave up cigars in 1985 on doctor’s orders. He was such an iconic cigar smoker, probably only second to Sir Winston Churchill, and was seemingly always pictured with a cigar that it came as a surprise during my research that he had to give them up in later life.”
If there’s one key takeaway you’d like readers to get from your book, what would it be?
“For cigar smokers all over the World, Fidel Castro directly shaped your previous, current and next cigar more than anyone else – he is the man that shaped the modern cigar.”
Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?
“Castro’s Cigar: How One Man Shaped the Modern Cigar is available for purchase on Amazon in both physical and digital formats.”
Do you have any upcoming events or book signings that cigar enthusiasts should know about?
“No events planned at the minute but I’m looking at some events in the near future.”
And last but not least, do you have a favourite cigar?
“I regularly smoke both Cuban and non-Cuban cigars. One of my all-time favourite Cubans is the El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme. It’s one of the first Cuban cigars I ever smoked. I loved the story behind the brand, as well as its history and artwork on the box. I’ve stayed loyal to this particular cigar ever since and never had a bad one either. Last year I brought back a box each of Partagas Serie D No 4s and Ramon Allones Specially Selected, which are always good. In terms of non-Cuban, there’s some fantastic cigar brands out there. My humidor has a regular selection of Fuentes, Padrons, Olivas and E P Carrillos.”
If you’re interested in learning about Fidel Castro and his passion for cigars, check out the book ‘Castro’s Cigar: How One Man Shaped the Modern Cigar‘ on Amazon.
Have you read this book, or do you have a favourite book on cigars? Let me know in the comments!
Thank you, Mark for your time! 🙏
Leave a Reply