Rolling with Casillas

T

tzaddi

jardinero de la selva
Seed to Cigars

Last Sunday morning my wife Jill, two youngest boys and myself all took a day trip to Casillas Cigars in Citrus Heights, CA, that's not to far from Sacramento. About a 2.5 hour drive for us.

I had called Pedro earlier in the week to let him know that we would be delivering a couple of tobacco plants and dang if he wasn't pretty excited about the whole thing.

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My wife had picked up a few cigars for me several months ago while working in the area and when she was there she mentioned that I grew tobacco. Pedro presented her with a small packet of seeds that a friend had sent him from "Miami". He mentioned that he did not have much luck growing and perhaps the seeds where not viable. She let him know that I would do my best to see what we could get growing.

For those of you that have read or followed my "Cigar Birthing" thread you are familiar with the plant that I delivered to Pedro.

When we arrived it was like we where family dropping in for a Sunday visit after church. Pedro and his son Pierre Perales where excited and pleased with the two small tobacco plants we had brought them as was the head torcedor, Marvin Ruiz, AKA "The Doctor". One of their partners, Ricardo was there helping Pierre and Marvin prepare for a trip to Calistoga where they would be rolling cigars as part of the wedding celebration.

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It wasn’t long before I was being asked what size cigar did I want Marvin to roll for me. I stood there amazed as he bunched the filler, applied the binder and finished the wrapper with a bit of glue to secure the cap.

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Marvin started rolling at the Padron Nicaraguan factory as a small boy of 7. His father was working there at the time. Marvin’s nimble fingers completed the requested toro vitola in short time.

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It wasn’t long before I was being instructed on how to roll a cigar. It was a transcending moment, devoid of time. He ended up rolling several more as we talked about tobacco. As you can see Marvin even rolled one to match the size of my wedding ring, apparently a skill that many enjoy at wedding celebrations.

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Soon Pierre, Marvin and Ricardo had the car loaded and where ready for there trip to Calistoga. Jill and I with the two boys took this opportunity to get some lunch nearby. After our meal Jill returned me to the company of Pedro while her and the boys went shopping. Pedro and I proceeded to smoke one from his personal stash while we talked. He told me stories of the little valley on the "island" where he once lived, as we smoked our cigars the occasional customer strolled in for a purchase. Pedro was soon making coffee, drawing diagrams for making box pressed cigars and eventually ended back at the rolling table tutoring me further.

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When Jill and the boys returned we finished our cigars, took a few more photos and said our goodbyes. Pedro gave me some additional seeds and I promised I would give them my best effort. Indeed a special day thanks to my family.

Perhaps a cigar is like a family, a blend of various personalities from different times, sometimes from different places, held together with skill, subtle grace, beauty and a kiss from the Divine.

If you would like to view the entire series of photos please visit my website by clicking here.

—Richard
 
Those photos are great, I can't get enough, let alone imagine what it was like to get to do that.

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Also, what's the vitola on that enormous cigar?!
 
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I'm not sure if it's the same folks or not...but casillas cigars in Reno, NV was always a good time...

Thanks for the pics and the story!
 
Thanks for the pics.

Looks like you are a roller now.... they look good and the prices are not bad either.
 
screwbag said:
I'm not sure if it's the same folks or not...but casillas cigars in Reno, NV was always a good time...

Thanks for the pics and the story!
Click to expand...

They have a store in Sparks, NV called Dimas Cigars. Marvin does most of his rolling at that location. I am looking forward to trying the box press cigar that they gave me, it is supposedly a tribute to Marvin's days at Padron.

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In this photo it is the one to the far right,
the one third from the left is the one that I was coached on rolling
and the two to the far left are the rough ones with the easy draw that Pedro rolled for me,
I had one the other day with coffee and it was incredible.
Pedro told me that the look is not that important when you are rolling for yourself and want an easy draw.
When he was tutoring me he focused on rolling for a good draw, educating the hands.
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...A roller now, not close, but just maybe a start, many, many more stogies to go....:)

—Richard
 
That looks like an amazing time! I only hope that one day, I get to roll a cigar for myself to smoke.

Thanks for all the pictures, they were a blast to look at!
 
congrats on a great day brother, I know that was right up your alley! You done good, and thanks for reporting
 
That's amzing Richard, do you plan on contiuning practicing rolling for yourself and others? I'd love to have that talent once I have practiced growing the tobacco themselves.

I have one question, the glue they apply, or the solution in the 3rd picture of the 2nd post he's got his finger in, do you know exactly what that is made out of? I've been wondering what they use to seal everything together with. Thanks for the help man.

- Tyler
 
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