Many famous people were and still are extremely fond of the Tuscan cigar: from Garibaldi to King Vittorio Emanuele II, from the actor Ettore Petrolini to the poet Giuseppe Ungaretti, the writer Mario Soldati, the journalist Gianni Brera arriving at today with our Renzo Piano and Clint Eastwood.

It's history is by now legend: Florence, August 1818, in the Tobacco Factory belonging to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand III, a shower caught  the Kentucky tobacco which had been drying outside by surprise.  Instead of throwing it away it was chosen to be used for making inexpensive cigars for the common people.  But what was considered to be a way of recovering an economic plight, was transformed into a huge success. 

The wet tobacco had fermented thereby giving the cigar a new taste which appealed to the people.  From that moment on the Tuscan cigar would be produced in Florence for the next 130 years; after the war production was moved to the Tobacco Factory in Lucca and Cava dei Tirreni.  Today it is produced in Italy by the Manifatture Sigaro Toscano S.p.A., owned by the Maccaferri family and other entrepreneurs such as Luca Cordero of Montezemolo.

The Tuscan cigar has the characteristic form of  'blunt' extremities with a diameter inferior to that of the central part.  Length varies from a minimum of 15.5 cm. to a maximum of 16.3 cm. the sole exception being  "Il Moro" which is 23 cm. long. 

The key to the manufacturing process, which has remained substantially the same over the last 200 years, lies in the fermentation.  The Kentucky tobacco on arrival at the Manifattura, is selected, placed inside huge crates and immersed into tanks of demineralised water.  When the temperature reaches 50/60°, in order to avoid possible rotting, it is cooled and aerated. 

Once the central vein of the leaf has been eliminated, the leaf is then placed in crates, called "marnoni", and fermentation begins. 

The tobacco to be used for filling is crushed or cut according to the type of cigar.  At this point the Tuscan cigar is prepared by hand, one at a time by the cigar makers.  Placed on special "racks" the cigars are left for a certain amount of time - 30 days, except for the Toscano Antica Riserva which is 60 days - in specific rooms at a controlled temperature and humidity.

Subsequently, the "conditioning" process is begun during which the cigars, now dry, are ringed and wrapped in cellophane paper.  The wrapped product is then placed on special "pallets" (made from wood and jute) and sent to the warehouse to mature for a period of no less than six months. 

The maturation phase is, together with fermentation, the one which influences the most the quality of the cigar: it is in this period that the cigars reach full maturity whereby the unmistakeable rich aroma and flavour  is brought out.