Fidel Castro was born into a family of Spanish immigrants in the city of Biran, Cuba. His father went all the way from a simple peasant to a landowner, while always remaining open to his fellow villagers. He built schools for low-income families and opened a post office in Biran. When Fidel was born, his father was already a successful landowner and young Castro did not know the need. Fidel's father paid special attention to the education of his son, whom he sent first to the best school, and then to the University of Havana, where Fidel Castro received legal education. What happened next, you probably know yourself...

Cigars. Cuba. Revolution.

Fidel always treated cigars with respect and never hid the fact that the export of Cuban cigars occupies one of the most important positions in the Cuban economy. Moreover, he often said that thanks to cigars, the whole world learned about such a small country as Cuba. After all, real Cuban cigars are known for their exceptional quality. Fidel Castro compared cigars to the Cuban revolution, often identifying them. He always talks with pleasure about how a small tobacco seedling fights for life, grows and eventually becomes the best Cuban cigar, which is respected all over the world. He compares this process with the emergence of Cuba, when a small and independent country is reborn after a revolution, struggling with unfavorable external factors, and becomes an independent player on the world political stage. Fidel compared the people working in tobacco factories to Cuban cigar revolutionaries. Talking about military events, Fidel Castro said that the supply of cigars in the mountains was somehow bad. There is one cigar and it is not known when they will bring another or whether they will bring it at all. Castro said that he smoked such “single” cigars when the news arrived. If the news was good, you could celebrate it with a cigar. If not, the cigar helped smooth over the bad news.

Fidel Castro's favorite cigar

Many of us are interested in knowing what kind of cigars Fidel Castro, the most famous Cuban in the world, preferred? Of course, like the rest of us, he probably didn’t smoke just one type of cigar all the time, but Fidel’s favorite brand of cigar was definitely the Cohiba – these are the cigars that are most often present in Fidel Castro’s hand in many photographs. Even after quitting smoking, Castro often appeared in public with a Cohiba Esplendidos cigar in his hands, without even lighting it. By reading and listening to various interviews that Fidel Castro gave, one can get an idea of ​​his attitude towards cigars and what kind of cigars Fidel Castro smoked.

I got used to the aroma of good cigars from an early age. - Fidel Castro said in one of his interviews. - My father smoked cigars, he knew a lot about them. I was about fifteen years old when my father gave me my first cigar and introduced me to this amazing world good tobacco. For which I am very grateful to him. After that moment I smoked cigars for about 45 years.

Once upon a time, I always carried a cigar everywhere. I smoked cigars at meetings, at radio and television appearances, and at meetings with foreign guests. And then all these national anti-smoking campaigns started, along with age-related health problems, and I had to give up cigars. Although, if it were up to me, I would settle in Vuelta Abajo or Pinar del Rio.

Fidel Castro's favorite brand of Cuban cigars

Once representatives of the Spanish company Tabacalera arrived in Cuba on a visit and we visited cigar factories together, inspecting the production of cigars. Many people then ironically asked: “Don’t you even try a cigar to evaluate its quality?”, but I don’t need to smoke a cigar to understand whether it is good or bad. I can see right through cigars.

This incident happened after I had to give up smoking cigars, but when I smoked cigars, I smoked, of course, exclusively Cuban cigars. For twenty-three years since the victory of the Cuban Revolution, I have smoked Cuban Cohiba cigars.

Fidel Castro's favorite cigar format

Very often I appear on camera with large cigars, such as Cohiba Esplendidos, but, to be honest, I like smaller cigars - Corona Especial and so, but also Cohiba brands. Before the Revolution, I smoked Romeo y Julieta Churchill, H. Upmann, Bauza, Partagas cigars, but when I discovered Cohiba cigars, I could no longer put them down. Would you like to tell me something about this brand? I had a bodyguard who also smoked cigars all the time and they had such an excellent aroma that one day I couldn’t resist and asked what brand of cigars he smoked? He treated me to one cigar and it was truly amazing. My security guard said that his friend made these cigars, we found him, organized production at the El Laguito factory, and now the whole world knows Cuban Cohiba cigars. Cohiba cigars are probably the most Cuban cigars right now, so to speak, even though we gave them an “American” name. That's what the Indians called cigars.

Many of the interviews that Fidel Castro gave ended up boiling down to a discussion of Cuban cigars. Fidel can talk a lot and with great passion about Cuban tobacco. It seems like he could talk about this forever. And, most importantly, listening to him is incredibly interesting. He seems to know everything about the cultivation of tobacco, the composition of soils and the production of Cuban cigars, rightfully considered the best in the world. Fidel Castro remained a keen connoisseur of good cigars, even after he gave up smoking them.

Cool smoke!

For reference:

Cigar Cohiba Esplendidos: Julieta No. format. 2
Cigar Cohiba Corona Especial: Laguito No. format. 2

You can find out the numerical values ​​of the sizes of these formats from our article “

Interview with Fidel Castro.
Author: How important are cigars to the Cuban economy? Castro: Cigars are very important to us; they are one of our largest export sources of profit. We have hard currency from the sale of cigars. Cigars are one of the five most important sources of income we have. Sugar, nickel, fish, tourism... and cigars.

Castro: In many ways, cigars are what made our country famous.

Castro: You're right. To become a master you need to go through a lot of school. I'll tell you the truth - it's a very difficult job. It involves not only rolling the cigars, but also the cultivation, planting, further processing and preparation directly for rolling the correct leaves. The result and assessment of the master’s work will be the high quality of tobacco for cigars. All this is real art. And the creation of cigars itself is truly a very beautiful process. The history of cigars is inextricably linked with the history of Cuba and its struggle for independence. Throughout the history of the country, many people migrated to the island, some of them worked in cigar factories; it was these workers who became the driving force in our struggle for independence during the period of colonization. Author: For many years, the world has seen you in photographs smoking cigars. (Castro touches right hand Cohiba Esplendido.) But more than ten years ago you quit smoking. Don't you miss cigars? Castro: I'll tell you. I got used to smoking in my youth. My father was a cigar smoker and a true connoisseur of a fine cigar. He was a peasant and migrated to Cuba from Spain. I was 15 years old, then I was studying at high school, in the morning at breakfast my father introduced me to the cigar for the first time. And later he taught me to drink and understand wine.

Castro: He had a habit of smoking cigars and drinking Spanish wine. He passed on both habits to me. We loved drinking Spanish Rioja wines. I always smoked cigars and, on very rare occasions, cigarettes. I smoked cigars from the age of 15 to 59. This is 44 years old. Not a little. Twice in my life I have had to quit smoking. The first time this happened was during the revolution. Then a big movement began against cigars due to the wild exploitation of workers in factories and peasants on plantations. During that period, tobacco production declined greatly. There was simply an anti-cigar spirit in Cuba. I stood in solidarity with my people. But soon the mood on the island changed, and cigar production resumed at its previous levels. Later I did not smoke for health reasons. Many people in our country began to fight for a healthy lifestyle. I could not go against the wishes of the people and joined this national movement.

Castro: I don't remember exactly. Possibly '84 or '85. No, I remember, it was August 26, 1985. A national anti-smoking campaign has begun. At first, I assumed not to smoke only in public, in public. But I had a habit of keeping the cigar in my mouth all the time. With a cigar, I met with foreigners, and then my photograph appeared in newspapers, with a cigar I gave interviews for television, and then everyone watched the program at home. People might think that I do not support this action. And then I decided that I should be an example and quit my long-time habit. I had a good reason and certain obligations, maybe that’s why this step was easy for me. But still for a long time people have asked me if I smoke cigars at home when I'm alone? They couldn't believe that after all these years I had quit smoking.

Castro: In order for me to continue smoking, I had to have accomplices who would buy me cigars. You have to hide ashes and cigarette butts. I hate the very thought that I am deceiving the hopes of my people.

Castro: Not a single one... Recently, I was at a meeting in a large Spanish company. It was a tobacco giant. They offered to test, try various types cigars I didn't try one, although it could have brought great benefit our economic relations. But to this day I remember what a good cigar should taste like. It's not a big cigar, but it's not a small one either. Similar to the Cohiba Esplendido. (These cigars were specially created for Fidel Castro.) They should burn very evenly. Even if you light them in one corner, the fire should soon even out your mistake. Bad cigars burn unevenly and produce smoke like a steam locomotive. I usually smoked Cohiba, this brand has been very developed in the last 23 years. This is exactly how much I smoked after the victory of the Revolution.

Castro: I smoked mostly in a size slightly smaller than a Cohiba Churchill. But I will tell you something about the Cohiba cigar brand. This brand did not exist in Cuba for a long time. One person worked as a bodyguard for me. I usually saw him smoking very aromatic cigars. I once asked him what brand of cigars he smokes. He told me that this cigar had no brand. Even though a friend sends him these cigars, he makes them himself. I asked to find this person. I tried these cigars and really liked them. We entered into a contract with this man and founded the El Laguito factory. He explained what blend of tobacco he used and from which plantations. We selected a group of cigar manufacturers and provided them with everything they needed. This is how a new brand was founded. Now Cohiba is known all over the world. This was over 30 years ago. When I was a student, before the Revolution, I had the habit of smoking various brands. Sometimes I smoked Romeo y Julieta Churchill, H. Upmann, Bauza, Partagas, but since Cohiba came out I smoked only these cigars, they were so smooth and pleasant. They were easy to smoke. Author: This brand is considered by many lovers today to be the best cigar on the market. Castro: (holding a Cohiba Esplendido) This cigar is too thick for my liking. Cohiba should be easy to smoke. Should %E

Those who smoke Cohiba will never die of cancer,

but those who don't smoke will die of envy.

Cuban folk wisdom

The most popular Cohiba cigars stand apart in the line of excellent Cuban cigar brands. There are many legends associated with this name, and it is still impossible to accurately say at least the official date of birth of the great brand.

Everyone, without exception, already knows that tobacco came to the Old World from Central America during the time of Columbus. Moreover, if the appearance of the word “tobacco” can be explained by the existence of the island of Tobago or the Tabasco region in Mexico, then certain difficulties arise with the origin of the word “cigar” - the closest analogues of the Spanish word “cigarro” are the noun “stitar”, or “tobacco”, and the verb “sikar”, which can be translated as “smoking”. The Tainos Indians - the indigenous inhabitants of the island of Cuba, where smoking cigars was especially popular in the pre-Columbian era - called the word "cohiba" or "cojoba" rolled from tobacco leaves. It is possible that whoever named the new brand “Cohiba” only restored historical justice.

If everything is more or less clear with the name, then confusion arises with the date of birth of the brand. At one time, when Cohiba cigars caused a real boom among true connoisseurs, authoritative publications named 1961 as the year of birth of the brand. At the same time, at the beginning of 1997, the 30th anniversary of the Cohiba brand was officially celebrated in Cuba, and four years later, at the beginning of 2001, during the next cigar festival (Festival del Habano), the 35th anniversary of Cohiba was celebrated. The most common version is from 1966 - then Fidel Castro allegedly decided to open the El Laguito factory to produce “the best cigars in the world”, and at the same time try to teach Cuban women how to roll cigars, who had forgotten this craft during the difficult years of the revolution. According to another version, most of the early sources are based on it, Fidel opened this factory, in which the twisters were prostitutes who lost their jobs after the revolution, back in 1962. At the same time, the recipe for the cigars produced was known in advance - a friend of one of Castro’s bodyguards, Eduardo Rivera, was a torcedora and rolled cigars for his friends. One of these cigars fell into the hands of the fiery revolutionary Fidel, he liked it very much, and after some time he gave the order to organize a new factory in which these cigars were to be produced. There is also a legend that the romantic hero of the revolution, Ernesto Che Guevara, who at one time held the post of Minister of Industry of Cuba and encouraged Fidel to create a new cigar brand, had a hand in the creation of the new brand. However, there are almost no facts in favor of this version, so it is most likely not worth considering Che as involved in the creation of Cohiba.

Be that as it may, the brand was officially registered in 1969, but for a long time Cohiba was an elite brand, inaccessible to mere mortals - it was produced in very limited quantities only for Fidel Castro and his entourage. In addition, the Cohiba was used as a gift from the leader of the Cuban Revolution to crowned heads, presidents or prime ministers visiting Cuba on an official or unofficial visit.

The release of “Cohiba” (and this is already completely accurate information) took place only in 1982. Having entered the lives of ordinary cigar connoisseurs, Cohiba became the most expensive among Cuban cigars, for which there were reasons. Firstly, the mysterious history of the origin of the cigar caused a lot of rumors and speculation, and secondly, it was still the first socialist cigar to appear in post-revolutionary Cuba. Of course, by the beginning of the 80s, the Cuban cigar industry as a whole had been restored and the export of Cuban cigars had reached a fairly high level, but the new brand could not help but arouse increased interest. The timing of the brand’s introduction to the market also turned out to be successful – another cigar boom began in the world.

The quality of "Cohiba" leaves no doubt about the fairness of the price - after all, the tobacco intended for "Cohiba" is grown only on the best plantations in the world famous Vuelta Abajo region of the Pinar del Rio province, and then it goes through three fermentations (while for others there are only two Cuban cigars), and the full cycle of preparing tobacco from planting seeds to rolling a cigar takes at least three years. And the craftsmen involved in rolling cigars always have only the highest qualifications, while some factories producing Cohiba use the now rare “entubar” rolling technique, which requires more time to make a cigar.

At first, Cohiba was produced in three formats - Lancero, Corona Especial and Panetela, and after some time Esplendido, Robusto and Exquisito were added to them, which together formed the so-called “classic line”. According to the common classification, these cigars fall in the range between medium (moderately strong) and full (strong). For the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus, anniversary “Cohiba” were released, and each box and each bow on the cigar of this edition was numbered. A total of 500 cherry wood humidors were produced. In addition, for the anniversary, a new line “Cohiba Siglo - Linea 1492” was released - cigars in this series are produced in five formats - according to the number of centuries that have passed since the great event. And in 2002, in honor of the tenth anniversary of this line, the Cubans released the sixth version - “Cohiba Siglo VI”.

"Cohiba" has received recognition not only among the general public, but also among experts. In many ratings, the brand received the highest ratings, leaving all competitors behind, and cigars from the anniversary humidor, released in 1992, received the absolute maximum - 100 points in the “Cigar Aficionado” rating (the most authoritative magazine about cigars).

It would be useful to remember that due to the confusing situation with the rights to Cuban cigar brands, many of them are produced both in Cuba and in other countries. Cohiba did not escape this fate either. The most famous of the non-Cuban “Cohiba” is the American version from the General Cigar Company, which back in 1978 registered the “Cohiba” trademark in the United States, where Cuban cigars were not supplied due to the economic embargo. True, the American Cohiba did not gain much popularity at that time, but in 1992 the company managed to arrange supplies of “its” Cohiba from the Dominican Republic, which caused extreme negative reaction from the Cuban tobacco industry. As a result, the dispute between the two Cohibas was resolved only in judicial procedure– On March 30, 2004, a New York court declared the use of the Cohiba brand by General Cigar illegal and prohibited it from producing and selling Dominican cigars under this brand.

At the same time, there are also “Cohiba”, produced under license. These include, in particular, the Mini Cohiba, produced in France under the slogan “Small size, full flavor” (small size, full flavor). full taste), – the tobacco mixture used in it is as close as possible to the original recipe of the brand. And finally, there are Cuban-made Cohiba cigarettes, which can now be found on Russian tobacco counters. But that's another story.

A cigar is more than just skillfully rolled tobacco leaves. It's not just " bad habit" Let's remember the story. Tobacco came to the European world through the courageous Spanish conquistadors, who adopted the customs of the Indians. The name of the first European who became addicted to smoking tobacco leaves is known for certain - it was Christopher Columbus’s comrade-in-arms, Captain Rodrigo de Jerez. True, he should have been more careful upon returning to his homeland, because the moment he smoked tobacco again, the authorities simply put him in prison, deciding that Rodrigo de Jerez had been possessed by the Devil himself. Subsequently, the Spanish monarchy patronized the cultivation of tobacco leaves. For two hundred years the Spaniards held a monopoly on the tobacco market. Perhaps this is why the best cigars are made in Spanish-speaking countries.

But it’s not just “Che Guevaras” who smoke them. Among lovers of good cigars you can find such odious personalities as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Winston Churchill, Al Capone, Alfred Hitchcock and many others. The list can be endless, but we will not preach about smoking, but will tell you about five cigars that BroDude cigar smokers like. Many of these cigars not only have excellent taste and aroma, but also an amazing history.

1. Romeo y Julieta Romeo No.3

Don't jump to conclusions. The rather “vanilla” name hides the legendary cigar factory, which was held in high esteem by Churchill himself. The Romeo y Julieta Churchills series was released especially for him, which subsequently became damn popular. However, we will offer you a cigar that is not so strong so that you can thoroughly taste the traditions of the factory, which was founded in 1875. And while you taste the smooth brown tobacco wrapper, which is imbued with spicy notes, as well as aromas of coffee and chocolate, you can learn the history of the Romeo y Julieta factory. And when you read it to the end, you may feel the aroma of cedar, which is a unique feature.

So, we have already said that the factory was opened in 1875. Of course, this was Havana, the Island of Liberty. Where else can you make delicious cigars if not in the homeland of Che Guevara? The brand itself was registered in the name of Alvarez, one of the two founders of the small factory at 87 San Rafael Street. The factory became popular from the very beginning. Inocencio Alvarez and José García (the second founder) paid the highest salaries to the rollers (those who roll tobacco leaves into cigars), they monitored the entire technical process, and the tobacco itself was exclusively from the Vuelto Abajo region. The brand gained worldwide fame in 1903, when the factory was acquired by Don Jose Fernandez Rodriguez. And this is not a cocaine baron, of whom there were like uncut dogs in Latin America. Don Jose worked on a tobacco plantation from the age of 9, gradually climbed the career ladder and perfectly mastered the technique of making cigars at every stage.

Now the Romeo y Julieta company is the largest in the Cuban cigar market and is led by Don Jose’s nephew, Hipolito Rodriguez. Today, as before, Romeo y Julieta cigars are famous for their light draw, wide variation in strength and even burning. If you are an avid tobacco smoker, then you have already smoked this cigar. If you are a beginner, then start your journey with cigar No. 3, this will be the right decision.

2. Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.1 Tubos

A cigar for those for whom strong tobacco is contraindicated. So if you are afraid of getting a “nicotine hit”, but still want to try a real Cuban cigar with plenty of taste, then this will be just right. It's perfect for beginners.

Many founders of tobacco companies began their journey by emigrating. The story of Hoyo de Monterrey is no exception. In 1831, Don José Gener emigrated to Cuba, where he found a very modest position on one of the many tobacco plantations. It took him twenty years to learn the art of making the perfect cigar blend. Having gained experience, he founded his own factory, which he called Hoyo - translated as “hole”. Why call your business a “hole”? The fact is that the word Hoyo accurately describes the deep valleys of Cuba, where the famous tobacco crops, from which excellent cigars are made. When Don José Gener dies, his daughter, Latgarda Gener, takes his place. For three decades, she skillfully managed the factory, introducing new production principles, as well as setting the style for Hoyo cigars. Now the brand belongs to the giants from Fernandez, Palicio y Cia, but the quality and individuality of the cigars have not changed at all.

3. Montecristo Open Master Tubos

It's just a cigar. A cigar that you can smoke before work, after work, in the evening, stretched out in a chair, or in the morning, looking at the world from the height of your balcony. The cigar itself cannot be called big, but it has an excellent draw, and everything is in order with the richness. The taste reveals woody-coffee shades, dark chocolate, roasted hazelnuts, caramel and baked cream. It tastes a little bitter, but only towards the end. An excellent choice when you don't have much time to smoke.

The story of Montecristo began not in Cuba, but with a plantation in Florida and a Spaniard named Alonso Menendez. He moved to Cuba only in 1930. No one knows exactly why the Spaniard decided to leave the fertile state. Perhaps the fact is that the tobacco business did not work out, perhaps Alonso was simply yearning for his fellow tribesmen. The name of his new tobacco production came from the novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas. There is a story that this particular novel was read at meetings of local tobacco clubs. In 1935, Menendez acquired the Particulares factory, where he produced cigars under the Byron and Particulares brands for a long time. At this factory, he meets another cigar business shark, Jose Manuel Garcia, with whom he starts a business relationship and establishes the Menendez and Garcia company. The Spaniards knew where to direct their forces - to England, because it was she who was the main consumer of cigars.

The volume of the Montecristo brand was limited, so all five formats in which the cigars were sold sold out like hot cakes. The Cuban Revolution forced the Menendez family to emigrate to the Canary Islands, where they launched the production of Montecruz cigars. The further fate of the brand depended on many factors, but the Europeans’ craving for the legendary took its toll. Production did not stop for a minute, and personalities such as Alfred Hitchcock managed to obtain cigars of this brand even during the Second World War.

4. Cohiba Robustos

Those who smoke Cohiba will never die of cancer, but those who do not smoke will die of envy.
– Cuban aphorism –

A true classic that has good strength, as well as the aroma of herbs and spices. If you are a beginner, then the first puff should be smooth and leisurely, otherwise the strength of the cigar will cause a stingy male tear. However, you quickly get used to it, and now the aroma of herbs and spices that comes from an unlit cigar is replaced by the pleasant smell of chocolate and heavy cream. Cohiba Robustos is one of those cigars that reveals its flavor as you smoke. In other words, at the beginning it will be completely different from how you feel at the end. A very wide flavor palette: wildflowers, dense wood, juicy greens, coffee, chocolate, earth and a finish with elements of cayenne pepper and leather. You need to try this cigar at least once in your life.

The history of the Cohiba brand itself began in 1966. Of course, Cuba, and of course, Fidel Castro, who doted on this particular brand. In truth, the factory itself originally made cigars exclusively for the Cuban government. If it weren’t for Castro, you wouldn’t be holding any in your hands. Comandante financed a twenty-year-old boy, Eduardo Rivera, who rolled cigars for himself, friends and a small circle of insiders. His cigars ended up on Castro’s table completely by accident. Either at the suggestion of the driver, or at the suggestion of a bodyguard named Chicho. Fidel liked the cigars so much that he ordered the creation of a separate production facility for them, which initially employed only 18 people. Only in the 80s did Cohiba enter the large market, where they introduced three cigar formats: Lanceros, Corona Special and Panatella (they were specially prepared for the World Cup in Spain). Over time, more formats appeared, and Cohiba increased its production capacity, while remaining manufacturers of luxury cigars.

5. Partagas Serie P No.2

A spicy cigar that has unique property progress in strength as smoking progresses. You can feel the aromas of wood, ground pepper and cream in it. Moreover, everything is served in an extremely balanced form - there is no taste that vulgarly sticks out to the fore. For this reason, the cigar smokes easily and with pleasure.

Partagas produce strong and, if we talk about Cuba, fairly inexpensive cigars. They have been rolling them by hand (we wouldn't recommend machine-rolled cigars) since 1845. The brand itself has a reputation as one of the oldest in Havana. The founder of the factory, Don Jaime Partagas, produced cigars already in 1827, but then he did not yet put his name on the packaging. Partagas' cigars were popular at international tobacco exhibitions, where they won gold medals at least three times (1867-1884). Even before the nationalization of production, Partagas had a fairly wide range of formats. However, one of the most famous cigars from Partagas was and remains. In the 1980s it was called one of the best cigars in Cuba. Today its quality has only improved. Woody and plant aromas stand out especially. It's worth a try, just keep in mind that it is quite strong.

Fidel Castro is one of the most colorful and legendary rulers in world history. He is known as an ardent revolutionary who fought alongside Che Guevara against the dictatorial regime of Batisto, Grand Comandante of Cuba. He was also one of the most avid and sophisticated cigar connoisseurs. The cigar was his constant companion always and everywhere, even at official receptions. It is not surprising that in every interview there was always a question about what cigars Fidel Castro smoked.

The fate of the Cuban leader is interesting and full of unexpected turns. He was born into a landowner's family. Mother was a cook. The father started out as a simple peasant, but over time he became quite wealthy and made every effort to give his son a good education. Fidel went to a good school. Teachers noted the student’s extraordinary mind and amazing memory. He later studied to become a lawyer at the University of Havana. It was during his student years that an inquisitive young man read the works of K. Marx and other communist leaders and became imbued with the revolutionary idea.

Some were his fans and perceived the Comandante as a great fighter against American imperialism. Others were ardent opponents and argued that Castro was a terrible tyrant himself. One thing is obvious - there were no indifferent people to this extraordinary personality. We will not delve into the biography or political career of Fidel Castro; we will leave historians the right to evaluate his activities. We are interested in the politician’s attitude towards smoking cigars, what role this habit played in his life.

Cigars that Fidel Castro smoked: who was one of the most famous smokers of the last century?

He had an amazing oratorical talent; with his speeches he could hold the attention of the public for several hours in a row. By the way, it was thanks to his oratory that he entered the Guinness Book of Records for a speech that lasted more than 7 hours.

Another record for the Comandante is the number of attempts on his life. No ruler in the world has gone through so many attempts to poison, shoot, or eliminate by any means as the Cuban leader. According to biographers, the number of attempts on his life reaches 630 times.

If we talk about unique abilities Castro, everyone knows his gift for determining the quality of a cigar without even tasting it. Fidel himself said that he “sees through cigars” (as, read more in the previous article).

It all started when the future commander was 15 years old. His father was also a great connoisseur and fan of good tobacco. One day he gave his son a cigar and taught him to enjoy its fragrant smoke. From this first cigar, Fidel appreciated the real taste of smoking and continued to smoke almost throughout his life.

About the Comandante’s great love for Cuban cigars...

Later, having already become a participant in the revolutionary movement, Castro draws a parallel between cigars and the revolution in Cuba. He described how persistently a small sprout of tobacco strives for life, how, after going through a lot of obstacles, it finally becomes a delicious aromatic cigar that is valued all over the world (tobacco products from Cuba are known for their impeccable quality). In the same way, the small republic of Cuba is gradually winning its right for independence, flourishing and being reborn, and winning its place in the world community.

The leader of the island state attached great importance to the development of cigar production in Cuba and considered it strategically important for economic development countries. At the same time, he treated the craft as an art based on tradition and great skill. Castro compared the creation of Cuban cigars to writing music, where you not only need to master the instrument, but also have inspiration.

How much did Fidel Castro smoke? Interesting stories about the Comandante as a lover of a good cigar

The Cuban leader's passion for cigars was legendary. In one of his interviews, Fidel talked about how a cigar helped him survive difficult moments during military events. Then the supplies were serious problems Therefore, when there was only one cigar left, the revolutionary saved it until he received news. If good news arrived, he lit a cigar as a sign of triumph. The fragrant smoke helped maintain morale when the news was bad.

Fidel Castro never let go of a cigar for 44 years. Therefore, it is no wonder that many interesting, funny and fictional stories have accumulated with the ruler’s habit. One of these stories dates back to the reign of Leonid Brezhnev in the USSR. The Secretary General’s habit of kissing his colleagues on the lips three times at official receptions was known all over the world. To turn away from the leader of another country was to publicly insult him. Many believe that Castro deliberately kept the cigar in his mouth during meetings with Brezhnev. This way he avoided unpleasant greetings without offending his diplomatic partner.

What did Fidel Castro smoke? Favorite cigars of the famous Cuban Comandante

The Comandante lived a long life. He died at 90 years old. In many photographs and posters he is depicted with a Cohiba Churchill cigar. This is how the image of Fidel Castro has been preserved in history. But there are two inaccuracies in the current picture.

1. Due to a serious illness, Castro did not smoke at all since about 1985.
2. Fidel Castro's favorite cigars were not so large. The Comandante smoked Romeo y Julieta Churchill, Partagas, H. Upmann and others, but most often he had a small Cohiba Esplendidos in his hand. Even when the leader of Cuba was forced to give up his addiction, he could simply hold it in his hands without lighting it.

Interestingly, Cohiba cigars were little known or popular. During the revolution, Fidel Castro had a bodyguard who was also a cigar lover. When he smoked, the Cuban leader admired the aroma of smoke from his cigars. One day he asked his bodyguard who produces such excellent tobacco products. And after the first tasting, Cohiba could no longer refuse them until he finally quit smoking.

For the comandante’s 90th birthday, the eminent cigar maker Jose Castelar made a huge cigar 90 meters long from the best snuff. It weighed 80 kg and took 10 days of hard work to create. This product helped the master get into the Guinness Book of Records for the sixth time, as it surpassed the record previously set by Castello (a cigar 81.8 meters in length).