Cigar mart rolls, courtesy women

The Indian cigar market is on a roll and cigar rolling itself is one of those jobs where women outnumber men by a huge margin.

To create something that, incidentally, men around the world have a passion for is a skill apparently passed down to the girls as a family tradition.

No wonder then that Godfrey Phillips India Limited, one of the major players in the growing Indian cigar market decided to fly down one of the best-known cigar rollers in the world to India, 23-year old Jessica Maria Travieso Irizarry.

The Indian cigar market is estimated to be around 1.5 million pieces and is growing at a healthy clip of about 30 per cent annually. Leading players like Godfrey Phillips introduced cigars in the Indian market in 2002 with brands like Don Diego, Santa Damiana, Hav-a-Tampa and Phillies, and today the company has a market share of around 35 per cent in cigars.

The cigars marketed by Godfrey Phillips in the country, range between an affordable Rs 7.50 to a whopping Rs 650 each with the most popular among them being from the Don Diego family of cigars which are in the premium range. Premium cigars from the Don Diego family include the 'Anniversario No 1 Rothschild' which is priced at around Rs 650 per cigar, while the Santa Damiana Limited Edition cigar can set you back between Rs 450 and Rs 500.

Jessica, an expert cigar roller who has been in the profession of cigar rolling for the last six years, says, "Cigar rolling has been a family tradition and I have now acquired the skill and dexterity to be a good cigar roller," even as she gracefully picks up the filler leaves of tobacco to arrange them in a bunch.

Born in La Romana, Dominican Republic, Jessica underwent training for six months to learn the intricacies of cigar-making and after six years in the profession she is today a master torcedor (cigar roller). Today she can make about 150 cigars in a day and the best part - she is not yet bored of her job.

"A machine can make thousands of cigars in a few minutes but they can never match the distinct taste and flavour of hand-made cigars," Jessica explains. So does she smoke the cigars that she makes? She just shakes her head, moving on to roll the bunch of filler leaves in a binder leaf, before pressing them in a wooden mould.

"Not at all. I am perfect," she quips on being asked whether constant exposure to tobacco gives her any health-related problems. Eric Piras, vice-president, business development (Asia) of Altadis USA, pitches in, "We have a very good work environment where there is music playing in the background to help the workers enjoy the job." Altadis is the world's largest cigar company and has an exclusive tie-up with Godfrey Phillips, for import of cigars into India. Smoking is, incidentally, banned in Altadis' factory.

While placing the wrapper around the bunch of leaves and trimming the cigar to the approximate size, Jessica says that she would like to later move on to an administration job and is therefore doing a short-term course for that.

"I would, however, like to continue in the same company, Altadis, but move on to a higher post in the administration side," Jessica says, while capping the cigar with vegetable glue.

Jessica has travelled for professional purposes to various countries like Taiwan, Australia, Korea, Malaysia and Hong Kong also. Altadis has about 350 cigar rollers in its factory with about 70 per cent of them being women.

"They have deft hands and the patience to make the finest cigars," says Piras, adding that Jessica is among the best cigar rollers in the world. So smoking may be a man's domain but cigar rolling definitely seems to be a woman's turf!