Bearing the decisive brunt of all processes related to the making of habanos, from the field and the hand-rolling tasks to the marketing of the end products, women have conquered a spot of their own in this industry, a powerhouse among Cuba’s traditional exports.

Logbooks have it that for many years the tobacco industry was exclusive men-only grounds until female sensitivity and tactfulness elbowed their way into the trade. As wick removers and ringers at the onset, women were little by little garnering the attention of industrials and as time went by they started moving to other tasks as well, as cigar rollers and even in managerial positions all across the tobacco industry and its related areas. Caress, passion, delicacy and lots of other female attributes mean today so much to the habano, a product touched by a remarkable sensuality and enchantment capable of convincing anyone that this is indeed an item thought out for women. No wonder the 10th Habano Festival dedicated part of its seminars and working sessions to address that issue. It’s been recognized that women got their big entry in the sector following the emancipating and equality winds that came along the 1959 Cuban Revolution. And a boldface name that must be mentioned in this effort is Celia Sanchez, a heroine of the revolutionary struggle who, in addition, saved a growing position for their female peers in the tobacco industry. The creation of the El Laguito Factory and its famous Cohiba habanos are major parts of this history. Timely enough, Partagas factory’s director Hilda Baro told us that in the past women used to work only in the wick removing and ringing departments. However, the start of the Cigar Factory Plan in 1967 caused women’s presence to expand throughout the entire industrial process. Out of 36 laborers working as wick removers at the Partagas factory, 32 of them are women. As far as the cigar rolling is concerned, 63 percent of the 375 workers are femmes. At the machinery department, for instance, all 11 people working there are female. For her part, Norma del Castillo, from Cuba’s Tobacco Research Institute, explained there are 163 women in a payroll of 406 workers. Those are the figures that mark Cuban women’s involvement in today’s cigar-making industry nationwide. Both women and tobacco are so much in sync in Cuba today that many artworks portray that kind of relationship in painting, music or sculpture. There’s much more to say about that art connection –it is not limited to mere evocations while it does talk about a close tie between the artist and the habano– that kicked off a whole lot earlier, especially when a considerable chunk of the rings and the images used to decorate and single out the cigar boxes and the brands called for beautiful illustrations of goddesses, well-shaped women dressed in luxurious gowns, gaudy bands, crowns and other portents. Today, though, tobacco and cigars are increasingly striking people’s attention in the fanciest halls and it’s becoming commonplace in gala dinners, artistic performances and other big-ticket events to see women puffing at habanos as a perfect end to a very special day. As a special hint at women in this one-and-only meeting for the lovers of the world’s finest Premium cigars, Habanos, S.A. will be launching its Julieta vitola from the traditional Romeo & Juliet brand, a one-of-a-kind gift for the most exquisite and profound enjoyment.