only one torcedor per box

[straizor]

I don't think my arguments are contradictory. All rollers' cigars go through the same quality control i.e. The same percentage of cigars are draw tested etc. in no factory does it happen that roller x's cigar are tested less frequently than roller y's because roller x has more experience.

Cubatobaco encourages quality by encouraging competition between teams of rollers on a floor. Cigars going to the draw testers etc are not labelled by roller but by team (I believe 4 to 6). A team with a higher than expected number of failures will hear about it very quickly.

Cigars from different rollers end up in the same box as lots of rollers roll the same shape on any given day and cigars are sorted for each box primarily on colour.

Of course we would all prefer our cigars to be rolled by a well known roller but I'd be sceptical of the notion that anyone could tell the difference between roller A's cigars and roller B's cigars at 100-120 petit coronas a day. Other than some of the minor flourishes of the dimple pressed into the binder etc.

There might sometimes be a difference from one factory to another, I think that is much more attributable to the rigor of the quality control though.

Have you heard 'officially' that Cubatobaco assures quality by spreading risk between rollers in a box? I've never heard that. It would make sense but I've never heard of that as ever being policy, from people within Cubatabaco/Habanos or people who used to be in either.

I think Habanos have started attaching rollers names to releases now as it's good marketing for high end products, rather than the cigars would be any better than those from dozens of other rollers.

Rolls Royce does it, as does Palio when they ship their cutters. They are selling perceived quality with personal touch.

For example, Hunters got Juramys not because she is better than every other roller in Partagas. They got her because they met her when she toured the UK last year. That's all.

Edit. Having said that, Juramys is lovely, not just in looks and she rolls good cigars.

just learnd something new. thanks ryan.

and best edit ever

[Colt45]

For a distributer or a retailer?

Distributor, I know. If you have enough money, and "friends" in low places - the world is your oyster!

On a side note, Ayala flying pigs one thing, sausages, another.....

[El Presidente]

Unless I am mistaken, It has been some 2 years since the "Star Rollers" have been permitted to travel overseas for their 3 month exhibitions for distributors.

Whether it was factory manager or star roller open access to distributors, wealthy/connected privateers etal....it proved to be a disaster for HSA/Tabacuba leading to fraud on different levels.

There is a risk to the promotion of "stars".

In our town here, we have some excellent restaurants owned and run by celebrity chefs. Yet the largest, most profitable and longstanding ones are those where the chef/chefs are never trumpeted. having spoken to many of the owner of thee restaurants, the last thing they want is to develop a business around a star chef. The pitfalls are many.

[SCgarman]

Padron cigars employ the method by which one roller has rolled every cigar for the entire box. I believe there is even a stamp on the box with his name on it. Anyway in my opinion, they are the most consistently rolled cigars in the world. The draw is loose compared to a Cuban, but I have never had a plugged Padron, ever. They are expensive, but they never disappoint.

[mk05]

Hey Andy, understood on the level, I am saying that it is implicitly done, probably unintentional, nevertheless it addresses risk.