About Us

My name is Jorge Doctsch, and cigar making is part of my family’s history. My grandmother, Natividad Vega, was Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s personal cigar roller. She was also the person who taught me the craft that would become my life’s work.

Natividad began learning her profession at just twelve years old. She spent many years at Cuba’s El Rey del Mundo cigar factory, earning a reputation for her skill and dedication. The factory stood across the street from the headquarters of the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba, the Cuban workers’ federation. Che, then Cuba’s Minister of Industries and an enthusiastic cigar smoker, frequently visited the headquarters and the nearby factory. In time, my grandmother became his cigar roller of choice.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Che established his command post at Cueva de los Portales, a cave in the province of Pinar del Río. My grandmother was brought there to make his cigars, becoming a firsthand witness to a defining moment in Cuban-American history.

Years later, her knowledge would shape my own future. In 1987, when I was eleven years old, she was rolling cigars at home for Cuba’s underground market. I asked her to teach me. What began with that simple request became an apprenticeship built on patience, close observation, and respect for the tobacco. Her experience and passion remain the foundation of my work.

I went on to work as a cigar roller at the Romeo y Julieta, J. Canon, and H. Upmann factories. At H. Upmann, I achieved Category 7, the highest professional classification for a cigar roller. Those years strengthened my technique and taught me the discipline and consistency required in a demanding, competitive profession.

In 1999, I sought asylum in the United States, where I continued building my career in the cigar industry. Since 2003, my work has taken me to more than thirty-five states and several countries, demonstrating the craft and sharing the traditions I inherited from my grandmother.

Today, with nearly four decades of experience, I bring that same commitment to RollersChoice. Through practical tools, instruction, and knowledge gained at the rolling table, our purpose is to help others learn, practice, and carry this craft forward.

For me, cigar making is more than a profession. It is a connection between generations—and a tradition I am proud to share.