This is not a column of superficial courtesy, but one of sincere recognition. A flower –on behalf of the gentlemen of the industry– for the women who have sustained, strengthened, and elevated the world of premium tobacco.
Long before the spotlights, the limited editions, and the international launches, they were at the farm sorting leaf by leaf, supervising fermentations, and detecting the imperfections that define the fate of an entire harvest. The excellence of a premium cigar is not born in advertising; it originates in a discipline that has worn a female face for generations.
Read in the magazine (rotate your device for a better reading experience):
Columns of Smoke
Without those expert hands, the ritual we proudly defend today would not exist. The evolution has been natural: from the soil to leadership.
In Mexico, Celina Turrent projects the legacy of Casa Turrent with a contemporary vision, proving that tradition and strategy can walk hand in hand. In the Dominican Republic, the owners of Quesada Cigars, Patricia and Raquel Quesada Vega, firmly uphold one of the most respected houses in the Caribbean, elevating their family name with business acumen and global vision.
Also in Santiago de los Caballeros, Lissette Pérez-Carrillo, within the structure of E.P. Carrillo, represents a generation that understands that inheriting a surname implies honoring it with hard work and excellence. We likewise recognize Inés Lorenzo, a pillar alongside the unforgettable Litto Gómez in the international consolidation of La Flor Dominicana. Behind every great house, there is shared leadership, stability, and strategic vision.
The present also vibrates with renewed energy. Leonor Abzaradel, at the helm of Platinum Nova Cigar, brings dynamism, a modern narrative, and international reach. Belkys Sánchez, with a trajectory spanning Elie Bleu, Crowned Heads, and now Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, confirms that female professionalism is not an accessory, but strategic and decisive.
Meanwhile, the consumer is evolving. Women no longer present themselves as occasional guests to the ritual; they are protagonists who ask about terroir, aging, and specific wrappers. They analyze construction, compare profiles, demand consistency, and elevate the conversation: thus, the industry matures.
As gentlemen of premium tobacco, we understand something essential: legacy does not belong to a gender. It is a shared responsibility, and the industry that recognizes merit, rather than stereotypes, is the one that will continue to grow.
Therefore, this first collective flower is for every woman working the land, in the factory, in the office, in sales, marketing, or in a lounge. For every businesswoman, executive, and aficionada… For all members of the Sisters of the Leaf Global Movement (SOTL) and for every lady who honors this ritual with character and elegance.
And now, I take a deeply personal liberty.
Isabella Alfonso, my daughter: You are entering an industry that today boasts extraordinary examples of firm, prepared, and supportive women. Observe them, learn from them, and listen more than you speak; surround yourself with their discipline, their ethics, and their mettle.
This is a business of one’s word, reputation, and legacy. Walk with dignity, build authentic relationships, enjoy every lesson, and honor your surname –but work every day so that your own name carries its own weight.
If the first flower was for all of them, this second one is only for you.
May you find mentors.
May you find purpose.
May you build with character.
With a father’s pride and the courtesy of a tobacco gentleman, I give you your flower.
Suscribe to our Newsletter
