When you share a cigar, you open up to each other. It’s no different for Raquel Quesada who  grew up in a cigar dynasty. She revealed some never-told stories to Boveda’s Rob Gagner over Quesada 1974 cigars at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas. 

Raquel talked openly about childhood hijinks; the least favorite training rotation of cigar operations; secret grows on the Quesada tobacco farm; and blending swaps she pulled on her dad, Manuel "Manolo" Quesada. As president and owner of the family-owned cigar factory, Manolo raised two strong daughters to succeed in the C-suite boy’s club of premium cigars. 

Highlights of the cigar conversation with Quesada include: 

• Shaking her booty to Dance VXN (1:07)
• Tweaking tobacco blends in dad’s cigar recipe (13:52)
• Coloring a box of cigars for consistency (16:07)
• Making your mark to get what you paid for (18:47)
• Studying and working at a tobacco shop in Boston—a tropical girl in the snow (21:20)
• Playing well with competitors strengthens the Dominican cigar industry (27:41)
• Jamming in a band with Nirka Reyes, Abe Flores, Litto Gomez and “Henke” Kelner (30:21)
• Being kids on a tobacco farm—Quesada exclusive (31:44)
• Putting the Quesada name on a cigar for the first time with the Quesada 35th anniversary blend (38:16)
• Hatching crazy ideas to expand the cigar brand—origin story of the of Quesada Oktoberfest (41:51)
• How Raquel Quesada is similar to Manolo Quesada (46:44)
• How Raquel Quesada is different than her dad (47:47)
• Growing wrapper for an upcoming cigar release—Quesada exclusive (1:00:15) 

Quesada Cigars protects its premium cigars by packaging with Boveda. You can protect your cigars just like cigars makers. Preserve your passion with Boveda, makers of 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy seasoning for wood humidors, humidor bags and one-step hygrometer calibration kits. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobacco

Quesada Cigars is a family-owned Dominican cigar operation. Its best known brands are Quesada, Casa Magna, Heisenberg and Fonseca cigars. Learn more about Quesada Cigars http://quesadacigars.com/

Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:

For My Humidor | Manuel Quesada (patriarch of Quesada Cigars)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR8Gkx47YQQ&t=10s

How Ferio Tego Cigars are Like Your Favorite Song (Feat. Michael Herklots) | Box Press Ep. 49

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYX2VJeHTjI

How to set up a new wood humidor with the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sub3mPJo1Tg&t=1s