Memories of Italy: Toscano Cigars

In early May, we spent 16 days touring several of Italy’s northern regions. Beyond the great food, historic sites, and stunning scenery, I always look forward to the relaxed attitude toward enjoying a cigar in Italy.

Naturally, I packed a travel humidor full of cigars for the trip. I always bring more than I expect to smoke — I never know what I’ll be in the mood for when the time comes to light up. Early in the journey, I also picked up a few Italian Toscano cigars to enjoy whenever the moment felt right.

A Late Afternoon Smoke in Stresa, Piedmont, Italy

The dry-cured cigars are ubiquitous in the many tabaccherie found along nearly every street. In addition to Toscano cigars, a typical tabaccheria sells cigarettes, pipe tobacco, lighters, bus and train tickets, postage stamps, and the occasional souvenir. A few I visited also carried modest selections of Cuban and New World cigars.

Toscano cigars are distinctive for their use of dark-fired Kentucky tobacco rather than the Caribbean-style tobaccos common in Cuban or New World cigars. Much of the tobacco is grown in Italy — especially in Tuscany, Umbria, Veneto, and Campania — with additional Kentucky tobacco sourced from North and South America.

The cigars require no humidor storage and are intentionally rustic in appearance — think Clint Eastwood in the old Spaghetti Westerns.

Prosecco in ‎⁨Piazza del Campo⁩, ⁨Siena⁩, ⁨Tuscany⁩, ⁨Italy⁩
 -- site of the famous Palio di Siena 

Toscano cigars provide a relatively quick smoke and pair wonderfully with a morning cappuccino, an afternoon espresso, or a pre-dinner aperitif. Their smoky, woody character delivers notes of earth, charred oak, and subtle sweetness.

During a tour of Lucca in Tuscany, our guide mentioned that the city was the home of Toscano Cigars. That bit of trivia sparked even more cigar conversation among my fellow travelers, many of whom had already become familiar with my cigar affections.

The Toscanos are rolled as slim panatelas, roughly six inches long and tapered at each end. They are often smoked “ammezzato” — cut in half — for a shorter session. Historically, they were frequently split and shared, earning them the nickname “friendship cigars.” Most of the Toscanos I enjoyed on this trip were smoked ammezzato alongside a coffee or aperitif.

Morning Coffee in ‎⁨Campo Santo Stefano⁩, ⁨Venice⁩, ⁨Veneto⁩, ⁨Italy⁩

Lighting up a Toscano — or any cigar — is a simple pleasure easily enjoyed in Italy’s outdoor cafés and courtyards. Most tables already have ashtrays available and, if not, one is quickly offered. People simply seem less bothered by the occasional waft of cigar smoke drifting through the air.

While in Venice, a cappuccino at a café in Campo Santo Stefano was especially memorable. The square bustled that Saturday morning with both tourists and locals. A brief rain shower passed through, but under the café umbrellas it caused little disruption. I lit a cigar as we talked and sipped our coffees, enjoying the lively rhythm of the café and the surrounding piazza. It made for a refreshing and relaxing pause during our morning stroll through Venice.

While we were in Bolzano, I stopped into a tabaccheria that offered an especially extensive selection of Toscano cigars. There, I picked up a box of Toscano del Presidente 20th Anniversario. The special edition commemorates the twentieth anniversary of the Toscano del Presidente cigar. These cigars are aged for 20 months instead of the usual 14 and come packaged in a commemorative box of 20 that includes a ceramic tray bearing the anniversary logo, which also serves as an ashtray.

Since the cigars and presentation box are sold exclusively in Italy and unavailable online, I figured they would make a fitting souvenir — albeit a somewhat bulky and heavy one for a carry-on bag.

With these new Toscano acquisitions, along with the selection already resting in my humidor, perhaps I can partially recreate the memories of smoking, eating, and drinking in Italy — at least until the next trip.

Cheers!