Non-smoker makes world's biggest cigar

Dominican man rolls world's longest cigar: Guinness
at 23:24 on May 19, 2005, EST.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A Dominican man living in Puerto Rico rolled a 19-metre-long cigar earlier this year and now it's been declared the world biggest.

Patricio Pena's nine-kilogram stogie, rolled at a vegetable market in Puerto Rico's capital, easily beat the previous world record of 14 metres. Pena, who has lived in Puerto Rico for about three years, received confirmation his mammoth cigar was the largest from the Guinness Book of Records on Wednesday, his 44th birthday.

"I'm so happy, you can't imagine," Pena said Thursday.

"It was my birthday gift."

Guinness also confirmed Pena's feat in an e-mail Thursday.

Pena, who normally rolls regular-sized cigars, completed his masterpiece in January. The event drew curious onlookers as nine assistants turned the cigar while Pena wrapped it with leaves for about 90 minutes.

It took nine kilograms of tobacco and 100 leaves to complete the giant stogie, Pena said.

Pena, who doesn't smoke, said he may have to adopt the habit.

"I just might have to smoke one of my cigars to celebrate," he said.