For Long-term Success in the Family Biz, Look to Daughters (Feat. Raquel Quesada) | Box Press Ep. 51

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:

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

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