Our Story

Our journey began during a period of personal challenge and healing, sparked by a career in the fire service that led to a struggle with PTSD. In the midst of this battle, founder and CEO Chanelle Smith, discovered the art of rolling cigars as a meditative practice. Inspired by this transformative experience, she decided to elevate her passion and share it with others.

​​

Among those was her wife, Rachel Smith, who was a novice smoker and overwhelmed by the complexity of traditional cigars. Her aversion to whiskey made the classic pairing of whiskey and cigars unappealing and complicated her introduction to them. Chanelle, determined to create an enjoyable experience for her, worked tirelessly to create a cigar that would shift her perspective.

​​

As a lover of natural cigars, Chanelle was met with the challenge of creating an inclusive cigar that stayed true to its authentic tobacco flavor. Through trial and error, she accomplished her mission by crafting a flavor infused cigar that would enhance, not hide, the already aromatic flavorful notes of premium aged tobacco. To address Rachel's opposition to traditional cigar pairings, Chanelle took it a step further and designed Raquel cigars to be paired with cocktails Rachel enjoyed. From smokey notes of tequila to sweet profiles of rum, our current line of Mint, Vanilla, and Cognac flavored cigars pair seamlessly with staple cocktails. After reflecting on the idea that others may feel similar about navigating natural cigars and typical drink pairing, Chanelle began to produce them on a larger scale. As an homage to her inspiration and Rachel's Puerto Rican heritage, she branded her cigars "Raquel". 

 Raquel cigars are a women owned, minority owned business who's mission is to redefine the cigar experience. We aim to create a space where flavor meets community, and every draw is a testament to the passion behind our brand.