Regular Joe Takes Home Rolling Crown

Welcoming the newest member to the El Credito Hall of Fame, from left to right, Rick Rodriguez, Michael Giannini, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, 2009 Super Roll Champ Matthew Swick, Victoria McKee and Ed Lahmann.

David Savona
Posted: March 25, 2009

Rising to the top of a field of thousands of contestants from around the United States, 30-year-old Matthew Swick has become the 2008 La Gloria Cubana Super Roll champion.

Swick, a service coordinator for Sylvania Lighting based in the Seattle suburb of Puyallup, Washington, was crowned last week at El Credito Cigars in Miami, where La Gloria Cubana cigars have been rolled since 1969.

Swick and four other finalists earned a trip to Little Havana to compete for the title by winning one of the qualifying La Gloria Cubana rolling contests held at Cigar Aficionado's Big Smokes across the country. Swick won in November at the Las Vegas Big Smoke.

The qualifying contests required each contestant to put a wrapper leaf around a bunched cigar—no small feat. The finals, held in the rolling galleria on Calle Ocho where La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami cigars are crafted, was far more taxing—the contestants had to create an entire cigar from tobacco leaves, first making the bunch, then putting on the wrapper. It wasn't easy, and adding to the arduous task was a language barrier, as El Credito's rollers don't speak English—cues were given to the English-speaking contestants via hand motions, and they also picked up hints by simply watching the masters at work.

In the end, Swick's creation was judged the best by several experts: Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, the man who had run El Credito for decades; Leo Peraza, the lead roller of El Credito; and supervisor Roberto Ferriero.

"I came away from the event with a newfound appreciation for the art of cigar rolling," said Swick. "One thing's for sure: I'll be a devoted fan of La Gloria Cubana cigars for life."

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