In the 50s bougies would smoke cigars all the time, usually Cubans. Not only are they enjoyable but they're also part of a Bourgeois image.
Then comes Castro. Total commie chad that always has a cigar in his mouth. Dressed in fatigues to symbolize the ongoing struggle against imperialism and capitalism. His cigar has basically become an integral part of his image. American mayos start thinking about communism when they see cigars, especially around the time of the Cuban missile crisis. First came the ban on Cuban cigars, and then eventually less and less porkies were slonkin on stogies, usually switching to cigs and then eventually quitting in the 90s
There was a big cigar craze in the mid 90s when Cigar Aficionado* took off, with a lot of celebrities being open about their habit and new companies getting into the business. Then there was a huge crash in Central American tobacco prices after they caught up with demand and flooded the market with product of questionable quality.
*Cigar Aficionado was one of the few American media outlets Fidel would give an interview to .
This is interesting, I was way too young to know this was happening.
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