RAQUEL QUESADA A CIGAR PASSIONATE WOMAN WHO GREW UP IN THE TOBACCO DYNASTY

It is 2023 year and a woman from the fifth generation of the Quesada Family stands out in the tobacco manufacture in a company that has more than a century of history. This is Raquel Quesada, a woman who has grown up in the tobacco sector, who feels great passion for this industry and has a lot of experience to tell us about.

CIGARRO DOMINICANO: How has your experience life growing up in the tobacco world been? How has your responsibilities at Quesada Cigars evolved from your beginnings to date?

RAQUEL QUESADA: My childhood growing around tobacco has very fond memories, I remember running around the bales and my grandfather showing us around the warehouses, the tobacco aroma that goes thru my veins always takes me back to those beginnings where I was just learning every process step by step because as my father always told us we needed to learn from the bottom to top so we knew what was happening in every process. I started learning with Fajardo the general manager at the moment. I went from making cigars to stripping, to classifying colors overall, everything. I ended up working the production for quite some years and bought tobacco from our suppliers, after that I would work private labels projects, European market, and now I work with sales department with all the international clients and other markets for private labels, participate in the tasting panels, and push the brand in social media so together with the Quesada account we make great things happen and our brand is recognized in the entire world thru my knowledge, family history and all the experiences with my father.

CD: Tell our readers how a typical day is like on your job.

RQ: If I’m not travelling and I’m in Santiago I wake up at six in the morning and prepare my son for school, then I get ready to go to Quesada Cigars and start the day.

CD: Raquel at the tobacco farms, Raquel at the cigar factory, Raquel at fairs, Raquel at events... What is Raquel’s stage that you enjoy the most?

RQ: I believe I enjoy every stage of it all, when I’m at the farms I enjoy the cold breeze of the early mornings and the sound of the beauty of the leaves, the variety of colors, the whole process. At the factory I enjoy sharing the day with our big Quesada Cigars family, listening to the “chavetas’’ dance in the rhythm of the merengue music playing in the background. At the fairs sharing unforgettable moments with so many friends, clients and aficionados. At events sharing my history, knowledge and passion makes it so rewarding and makes me enjoy every step of the way.

CD: Which experience made you doubt your future working for Quesada Cigars?

RQ: I never doubted my future with Quesada Cigars, once I was in, I knew I was never getting out!

CD: What has your sister Patricia represented at work level for you and how have you felt after she left the industry?

RQ: My sister is one of the most special people in my life, we worked together for quite some time, and we had amazing and unforgettable moments that will always keep in our hearts, we were a great team together but once you find your happiness in what you love in life you feel happy for that person and that’s how I feel about her.

CD: Who would you say is your biggest inspiration?

RQ: My mom and Dad. From my mother

Raquel Quesada quinta generación tabacalera de la Familia Quesada // Raquel Quesada, the fifth generation of the Quesada Family

I get that genuine, sensible feminine touch that makes me much more human and from my dad, the courage and passion for this incredible industry that I was born in.

CD: In the face of international restrictions against smoking premium cigars, what a person like you, who is involved in the operational part of this industry, can tell society about these?

RQ: Something that I have learned from my father is that people that enjoy cigars will always be faithful and will always remain. Keep enjoying and smoking amazing cigars!

CD: Of Quesada’s releases, what is your favorite line? Why?

RQ: Wow, that’s a difficult question! I think every single one has their own essence. The Quesada Reserva Privada, Quesada 1974, Casa Magna Connecticut, Casa Magna Colorado, Casa Magna Liga F all of them have their specific characteristics to be enjoyed by many different palates.

CD: On regarding of this special edition about Women in the Tobacco Industry, what’s the proportion of women working at Quesada Cigars?

RQ: 70% of our personal is women and in all different departments from supervisor, cigar makers, stripping, classifying so proud of that!!!!!