The year was 1492. Christopher Columbus not only discovered a New World, but a wonderful new enjoyment that is delighting connoisseurs throughout the entire world to this day: Tobacco.

From tobacco, came the cigar, and with it the unprecedented popularity that spread throughout Europe and the United States, attracting presidents, kings, generals, gentlemen, and a fair number of women. In fact, in 1900 an estimated four out of five men in the U.S. were cigar smokers.

Cuba led the way in the cigar industry. Early in the 16th century, Cuban peasants became tobacco growers. Later, the cigar became the country's national symbol and the Havana cigar became recognized as the world's finest.

The take-over by Fidel Castro and the subsequent U.S. embargo were the start of events that began to challenge Havana's supremacy in the world of cigars. Former Cuban cigar-makers took their skills and seeds to the Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Honduras and Mexico and began producing high-quality premium and super-premium cigars for the American public.

Today, the pure pleasures of the premium cigar are all the rage. Cigars handmade by experts from a choice blend of top-quality tobaccos and aged to perfection are referred to as premium cigars.

The Dominican Republic alone produces almost half of the hand-made cigars sold in the U.S.

Cigar smoking has burgeoned. Celebrities, industry leaders, politicians, sophisticated women and men are seen at dinners and at smoking clubs enjoying luxury cigars. The cigar is alive and well, and here to stay.

The history of wine in many ways coincides with the history of the western world. Historians generally agree that wine was probably discovered accidentally in the Fertile Crescent area, the region between the Nile and Persian Gulf during the time of the world's first civilizations between 4000 and 3000 B.C. As small settlements grew into city-states and trade began to develop on a large scale throughout the Mediterranean, the grape enjoyed transport by peoples such as the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans until the knowledge of winemaking spread throughout the Mediterranean region and eventually through much of Europe.

Ancient man was most certainly familiar with grapes. The walls of ancient caves have turned up drawings of grape seeds. Historians believe that grapes most likely first fermented by accident with the help of wild yeasts which must have been present when grape skins were held in storage. It is Egypt and Persia, two areas of the Fertile Crescent that most probably witnessed the birth of the fermented spirit. By 3000 B.C., both regions appeared to have simple early winemaking methods down.

Egyptians grew grapes in the fertile Nile delta region—probably a white wine made from the what is today called the Muscat grape of Alexandria. They then stomped and fermented the grapes in large vats. It is not surprising that the early Egyptians attributed this drink with the god Osiris and used it during funerary rituals.

In Persia, wine was also thought of as a divine gift. Today, it is thought that some of the finest grape vines today stem from precursor species cultivated by the Persians. However, it is believed that the Phoenicians, masters of seafaring, were the people responsible for the spread of winemaking techniques to such areas as Greece and Italy—especially the region of Tuscany.

While wine was popular in Rome it was forbade by the Islamic Code and consequently the areas under Muslim control—Southern Spain to North Africa to North India—saw a ceasing of winemaking. Winemaking greatly prospered under the Catholic Church who held widespread influence over Christian Europe. Eventually, winemaking capability and practiced extended to far-flung places like England who enjoyed wine varieties of Sherry, Port and Madeira.

Christian monks of France and northern Italy kept records of their winemaking practices and grape cultivation. These records helped various regions match themselves with the best variety grape for their soil. By 1800, France would be recognized as the best of the wine-producing regions of the world.