Native Cuban hand rolls cigars on Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

TARPON SPRINGS

Lazaro Victores became interested in cigars at age 12.

Victores, now 21 and a Holiday resident, would sit in Tarpon Springs with elder cigar rollers who would show him the intricate process of neatly and snuggly wrapping the tobacco filler.

Victores can be found daily at Dream of Cuba on the Sponge Docks, hand-rolling cigars.

"It's very interesting to be rolling cigars in Tarpon Springs because everybody is Greek," Victores said. "You're there, rolling cigars at the table and you have people all the time, they come watch you and they are fascinated with what you do. It makes you feel real good."

Victores arrived in the United States from Cuba in April 2001. He said his parents were selected in a lottery by the United States government to leave the Communist country.

"We had no felonies and were good people, so we were able to get selected," Victores said of his parents and younger sister. "We got our visas and passports and we were able to make it."

For a cigar aficionado, this may be the closest he or she can legally get to a Cuban cigar. And it's not just because of the quality tobacco and wrappers.

"It's a cigar being rolled by a Cuban," Victores said.