Catador

A Catador (Plural: Catadores) refers to a cigar factory in Spanish language.

A "catador" is part of the cigar manufacturing process although they never touch the tobacco leaf. The catador sits in front of the Torcedores (Cigar rollers) and reads them the newspaper or books as entertainment during their monotonous work.

Some Cuban cigar brands (like Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta) are named after the famous books of Alexandre Dumas and William Shakespeare, which were among the favorite books of cigar rollers at that time.

Correction:

"Catador" is a Spanish term that can refer to either the cigar factory itself, or to the person who tastes or samples the cigar (which is much more commonly used). The above states that a "Catador" is one who reads to the cigar rollers, but this is false. The readers are known as "Lectors". and is shown to be connected to the cigar rolling process under "other". Also, if you use a Spanish to English translator, to translate "Catador", you will find that the term "taster" is almost always the result, whereas the term "reader" is never found.

References

• Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Havana Cigars, 3rd Ed.(2005), Richard B. Perelman ISBN 1-893273-06-7.
• Cultivating a tradition of perfection : an enthusiast's guide to Habanos, 1st Ed.(2002), writing: Mark Brutton, ISBN 0-9508573-2-7.
• "The Cigar Companion", Bati, Anwer (1997, Reprinted: 1998-2000, 2003), ISBN 1-84092-413-6