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			Cuban accent Sometimes in order to understand that you love something very much, you have to do without it. And to really know yourself, you may have to quit your family business, and then finally one day return to it. This was something that Rafael Nodal, President of the Havana Cuba Cigars Company, learned from his own experience. Before producing his Oliveros and Havana Cuba cigars, he worked for many years in the medical world, running a network of American Day medical centres. A Spaniard by nationality and a Cuban by birth, Rafael Nodal has lived in the United States for twenty-five years. In Miami, he speaks almost entirely in Spanish; but in Moscow, where he flew specially to take part in the VIth Big Smoke Festival, he read a lecture and gave interviews in English – with his inimitable Cuban accent and real Spanish fervour. You were born in Cuba, so why did you leave the island? For political reasons. It was back in 1980. My family and I spent four long and terrible days on the open sea before we got to the United States. It all seems like a terrible nightmare to me now. Have you been back to Cuba? Unfortunately, I have not been back since I emigrated. And I shall only be able to return, if the political situation in Cuba changes radically. But I’d love to be able to go back and make cigars there. Basically, that’s the reason why my company, which has been going for more than three years now, is called Havana Cuba Cigars. Why after being seriously involved in the medical business did you decide to make such a radical change in your work? It didn’t happen all at once. My family in Cuba had been involved in the tobacco business for three generations. They grew tobacco in the Pinar del Rio region. And like many Cubans connected with the tobacco business, they originally came from Spain. How did your cigar business start? The company that had been selling Oliveros cigars in the United States since the brand had been started had to close. So I decided that the time had come to return to my roots and get back into cigars again. I started in 2001 by distributing Oliveros, which was what the Havana Cuba Company was originally set up to do. At the time, Oliveros was exclusively a flavoured-cigar brand and the cigars were extremely popular due to the cigar boom in the States. But despite this, Oliveros had no clear business plan or marketing strategy, which meant that despite their high quality, these cigars were not selling well. So that was something I had to get organized. And when Havana Cuba finally took ownership of the Oliveros brand, we developed a completely new business strategy. Was that the time that it was decided to produce unflavoured Oliveros? Yes. In 2002, Havana Cuba began to work together with the Tabacalera Perdomo Company, and started production of the first unflavoured Oliveros premium class cigars, the Oliveros Grand Reserva, at its factory in Nicaragua. As previously, flavoured Oliveros were still produced in the Dominican Republic, but today the old factory belongs to my company. Quite recently in March 2004, we opened a new factory in the Dominican Republic, which apart from flavoured cigars now produced Oliveros for Men and the Oliveros Classic Collection. So you’ve gone from being a distributor to being a manufacturer? We still are distributors – despite the fact that we produce cigars, we continue to sell them. And we’re involved in practically the whole process of cigar-making, though it’s true that we still don’t possess our own tobacco plantations, as my family did in the past. Do you intend to continue the family traditions? I certainly do. We’re already growing tobacco experimentally on farms in the Dominican Republic, and I hope that it won’t be too long before Havana Cuba cigars are made from tobacco grown on Havana Cuba plantations. Where do you get your tobacco from at present? The present situation with tobacco is the main reason why we ourselves have decided to grow it. We have to mix tobacco from various parts of the world. Take the Oliveros XL for Men: the wrapper leaf comes from Brazil; the binder is an American ‘Connecticut’; and the filler comes from Nicaragua, as that tobacco has the closest taste to the Cuban. Growing our own tobacco will be a lot easier than making a cigar out of strands gathered from all over the world. But isn’t American ‘Connecticut’ a tobacco that has traditionally been used for the wrapper leaf – I mean, it’s very expensive! And yet, you use it for binding… And it’s a maduro leaf – which makes it doubly unusual. It was an experiment, which many people looked upon with amazement. We were advised to do it by an American tobacco specialist, whose family has been growing ‘Connecticut’ for several generations. He told us that it could result in something out of the ordinary – and we’re always aiming for something new – and the result has indeed been spectacular. Where do you mix the tobacco and roll the cigars? Both at the Tabacalera Perdomo Factory and at our new factory. Sometimes, it’s easier to take the tobacco and use it at a local factory than ship it to another country. I know that the Dominican Republic has a long tradition of producing cigars and growing tobacco, but in my opinion, Nicaragua is a cigar region that is in no way inferior to the Dominican Republic and is currently showing enormous potential. You always say ‘we’. Whom do you have in mind? Well, in the first place there’s my business partner, Hank Bischoff. He’s a surgeon by profession, so it’s not too difficult to guess that we became acquainted when I was in the medical business. Then, there’s my wife, Alina, who was also trained as a doctor and who has helped us very much. Her ancestors, incidentally, were also in the cigar industry. And although she’s not on the board of the company, she takes an active part in promoting our cause. She’s permanently involved in what we do and always gives sound advice. Incidentally, she’s got a Russian first name – we’ve been told that many Russian princesses had that name. And the Perdomo family? From what I’ve heard, you’re very friendly? Hank introduced me to them. I became friends with Nick and Bill Perdomo a little before I decided to get involved in cigar manufacture. They are my neighbours in Miami Lakes, where we live. I’m on good terms not only with the Perdomos, but with a lot of the other cigar producers too. We’re also members of the RTDA, the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America, which provides services for retail tobacconists in the sale and promotion of tobacco products, and we work closely with them. Do you often have a beer together in the same bar? Unfortunately, we have to do a lot of travelling, so we’re away from home for longish periods. Nevertheless, we’re very much together – particularly when problems with the Inland Revenue arise (he makes a sound to ward off trouble). Miami Lakes is a small town, but it is where the head offices of three cigar companies – Oliva, Tabacalera Perdomo and my own Havana Cuba Cigars – are located. Since our offices are situated in the same quarter, we meet up frequently in the town, when we’re taking our children to school or going to the shops. We, cigar manufacturers, basically stick together. For example, last Independence Day the guys from Puros Indios came over to see me, as did the Perdomos and lots of other friends that would take me half an hour to count. Well, friendship is friendship, but what about competition? If you think carefully about it, you can come to the paradoxical conclusion that cigar manufacturers throughout the world are not actually in competition – which is wonderful news for aficionados. Because the better the cigars we make, the more space we get for ourselves on the market, and the more we stand up for the benefits of the cigar over the cigarette, the better that is in the end for both customers and producers. You can’t be serious! I certainly am. And, furthermore, I’ll say this. Small family businesses, like my company and Tabacalera Perdomo and many others are in competition with the big corporations, particularly the Altadis Group, which sells cigars in the United States under Cuban brand names. But among ourselves, there’s no possible competition between us. What’s more, when I want to launch a new cigar, I’ll ask advice from the other cigar makers about what to do to make it better, how to go about producing it, and why make it one way and not another. Supposing they advised you to do something that wasn’t right? No way! Look, it’s all very simple. If a smoker doesn’t like a particular cigar, it’s not the company that made it that ultimately suffers, but the industry as a whole, because the customer will simply not want to smoke cigars any more. But if they were to give me unsound advice – and that’s very unlikely! – I’d complain to my wife, and she would sort things out. You’ve lived for a long time in the United States but, as someone from outside, tell me this: do American tastes differ from those of the rest of the world? At present American cigar preferences have a serious influence on the tastes of smokers in other countries. I’ll explain: Cuban cigars have not been sold in the United States for several decades and during this period – the time of the embargo – small companies like ours have not ceased to develop new taste combinations and new blends. We have always been able to experiment, mix and combine without any worry. And whereas at one time the correlation between Cuban and non-Cuban cigars in the world was about 90 to 10, today it’s a firm fifty-fifty, and in some countries the market is pretty well led by non-Cuban brands. For us, the main thing is quality, and that’s what makes it possible for small family companies not only to survive, but to become popular – both in the States and in other countries. So my company is now working actively in the European and Russian markets. And what are you expecting from Russia? Well, first I’d like to make a few compliments. I’d like to say how happy I am to be in Moscow. I’m full of admiration for your magazine and for the Moscow cigar shops that I’ve been to. I’ve told the RTDA about the seminars that you’ve organized here within the framework of the Big Smoke Festival, and we’re interested in making use of your know-how. We would also like to put on similar explanatory courses for the staff of tobacco shops. And at a time when people here want to learn more and more about cigars and the cigar-smoking culture, it seems to me that my company’s future in Russia looks very promising. Do you mean you’ve had problems in training sellers in your shop in Miami Lakes? Not really, but… You see, my shop is not really a shop. I keep it only so that I can smoke at work. What do you mean? The point is that under Florida law, you can only smoke in an office if the owner sells cigarettes. I was part of the action committee that fought to get that amendment adopted. And it’s the only exception – in other public places, smoking is strictly banned. I’ve always adopted an uncompromising position on this issue. In my opinion, this ban limits personal freedoms, and anomalous laws of this kind are brought in by those who use eloquent arguments to ban us all from smoking. But isn’t it generally agreed that passive smoking is a health hazard? I agree that smoking in any form is harmful. But the majority of passive smokers don’t breathe in cigar smoke! If you’re sitting in the park or on the beach, either alone or in the company of people who don’t mind you smoking, you should be allowed to smoke – not be banned by law. In my opinion, American anti-smoking laws are nothing else but interference in people’s personal lives. Apart from which, cigar smokers are radically different from cigarette smokers. Cigars are a festival, and if you are prevented from celebrating it, how can you not get indignant about it! Apart from which, an aficionado is always attentive about the circumstances in which he smokes, and if it’s going to disturb someone, he will always put away his favourite cigar and wait till he is alone. What do you think of the recent ban on smoking in Cuba? Another populist measure? The whole history of Cuba is the history of growing tobacco and the culture of smoking it. And it was from Cuba that smoking spread across the whole world. The point is that the authorities there do everything in their power to attract public attention just so as to give them a reason for being spoken about – particularly by us. As for the Castro regime, I’m of the opinion that everyone believes what they want to believe. I could say a lot of unpleasant things about Castro and his politics – but would anyone be interested? So let’s change the subject. Wouldn’t it be more interesting to discuss cigar production?.. (Laughs.) I think so. Where shall we start? What about starting with your factory in the Dominican Republic? It’s not every day that cigar factories are opened. We opened it in the small town of Tamboril in March last year. Here, at the old factory, we produce all the flavoured cigars – not only the traditional Oliveros Flavors, but other lines like Oliveros Classic Collection, Oliveros Gold Series, Oliveros Platinum Series, and Oliveros XL for Men, together with the Cuban Pleasures line, which comes under the Havana Cuba brand. Incidentally, Tamboril is where the best rollers in the Dominican Republic live, and they are so famous that they get invited to other towns. The factory is not very big and employs only forty rollers and another twenty men doing related jobs like packing. But this number of workers is quite enough to ensure the proper quality of our products. Furthermore, cooperation with the Perdomos has made it possible for us to increase cigar production volumes outside the Dominican Republic, while in Nicaragua they are not only producing the above mentioned Oliveros Grand Reserva, but other cigars as well. Why is it that you produce exclusively flavoured cigars in the Dominican Republic? Oliveros cigars were being produced there, when I was only starting to get involved in the business – but that’s not the main thing. The real point is that Dominican tobacco – like no other in the world – is wonderfully suited to aromatization. It is as if it were created for just this purpose. It’s milder than and not as strong as the tobacco in other regions and, consequently, it is more ‘obedient’. What sort of technology is used for aromatizing cigar tobacco? Before answering that question, I would like to point out that the very first cigars that our ancestors were smoking, when Columbus arrived, were actually aromatized. The Indians added various spices, aromatic seeds and even flowers. So, historically, the Cubans added a variety of things to their tobacco at all the different stages of drying, maturing and even fermentation. But they did it just for themselves in their own homes – there was no business involved. I can even remember my father rolling cigars and sprinkling the leaves with rum or brandy. We’ve improved the technology. There are two production technologies for the different brands. The first is used in preparing cigars for the Oliveros Gold Series. Cognac or bourbon are applied to the filler leaves by hand during the maturing process, which comes after the fermentation. To produce the Gold Series, we use the seventy-year-old Kelt Cognac, which is also called the ‘sea traveller’, because it sails in casks on ships all over the world. It is thought that the different atmospheric pressures in different parts of the world contribute to the fact that it matures in an unusual way. You might say that I did the same thing to the cigars I brought to Russia. Is it only the filler leaves that are flavoured? For the Oliveros Gold Series – yes. But I’d like to point out that the Gold Series is a kind of intermediate stage between flavoured and non-flavoured cigars. There are people who occasionally when smoking a cigar will dip its tip in cognac or brandy so as to achieve a complex and unusual aftertaste. My intention is to achieve this throughout the whole time the cigar is being smoked. So for the Oliveros Flavors, the Oliveros Platinum Series and the Cuban Pleasures line, which comes under the Havana Cuba brand – that is for those cigars that we consider to be aromatized in the broadest sense of the word – another principle is used and, consequently, a slightly different technology. Here, the leaves both for the filler and for the wrapper are matured with the addition of a mixture consisting of honey, wine and molasses – a special syrup that is obtained from converting black sugar into white. The process of maturing the tobacco leaves together with the flavourings can take – depending on the type of tobacco, its sort and the tier of the bush from which it was taken – from three to six months. For aromatizing, we use ligero and seco and volado. Thus the production process of the cigar can be drawn out much longer. There is also a third technology for aromatizing – sprinkling with alcohol. A couple of years ago, we used alcohol to aromatize our cigars. But one fine day, I happened to notice that expensive cognac like Kelt or brandy seemed to be getting used up very quickly, while at the same time the rollers all looked very happy at their work. It didn’t take me long to realize what was going on. So a decision was immediately taken for brushes to be used for putting alcohol on the leaves. Now it’s much easier to keep track of it. But the workers are presumably a lot less happy? Not really. Now they all get issued with a bottle of cheap rum. But why are we cracking all these jokes? So let’s be serious. Let’s take flavoured cigars. Now the majority of the smoking public in Russia would not consider these as worthy of attention. They are associated either with machine-rolled cigarillos or with cigars designed for women. Can you destroy these stereotypes? I can try. The mass market is, of course, dominated by cigarillos. But in the United States, flavoured cigars take ten percent of the premium market, and that – you must agree – is no small amount. Many men smoke flavoured cigars and get keen on them – so our company’s marketing research claims. Incidentally, for someone who turns to cigars to stop smoking cigarettes, it’s better and easier to start with flavoured cigars – that’s a fact. We offer a varied line, in which large formats predominate. Apart from that, we use maduro as a wrapper leaf, which is not usually associated with aromatized cigars. So you’ve taken a step forward? Unquestionably. It used to be thought that the tobacco used in flavoured cigars was worse than that used in ordinary cigars. Part of my company’s strategy has been to explain to the consumer that when he buys a flavoured cigar, he is getting a product made of excellent tobacco that has been hand-rolled – in other words, a cigar that is exactly the same as its non-flavoured premium analogue. Furthermore, a flavoured cigar has a much higher concentration of aroma and taste. This segment of the market is not great, but Havana Club is gaining new positions in the other markets, thanks to its production of non-flavoured premium cigars. Do you personally control all stages in the production of your cigars? Yes. Complete control over manufacture is the most important condition for creating a successful and quality product. The most interesting aspect of the work for me is creating new aromas and new blends, and combining different sorts and types of tobacco. But this alone is not enough for a brand to be successful. I enjoy doing everything that is necessary for being able to work in the modern cigar industry – and that means marketing and planning. But I also like the things that at first sight seem like trifles: for instance, choosing a suitable design for the packaging or the cigar bands. And I feel responsible for every cigar we produce. I was really pleased yesterday, when I went into a tobacco shop in Moscow, and a customer came up to me, shook my hand, and said: “You’ve got wonderful cigars. Tell me more about them.” This really made me feel pleased. And can one person control the whole process: from tobacco growing to marketing policy? He should be able to. One way or another. But it requires titanic efforts. To grow good tobacco, you need to know all the nuances. It’s because I know how important it is to be involved in all the details of cigar production that I am able to turn to reliable partners and trusted people. Incidentally, this year together with these trusted partners, Havana Cuba is launching a new brand, under which several lines will be produced. We plan that in terms of mixture, taste, and even external appearance and presentation, these cigars will be just like Cuban cigars. I won’t reveal all the secrets to you, but soon you will know everything and be able to try them for yourselves. There is a belief that a professional no longer gets enjoyment from the subject in which he has been involved for so long – that even the most interesting things start to get boring… That probably relates to everything except cigars. I don’t know anyone in our business who could loose their passion for them or cease to be an aficionado. I love my work very much – now, maybe even more than when I started it. At the age of forty, I know exactly what I want to do – I want to work a lot, because I get a lot of sheer joy from what I do. And I know where I’m heading. by SVETLANA TARASOVA