CSWC BY OLIVA CIGARS INDIA GROWING AND PROVIDING A GREAT NEW COMPETITORS WITH GREAT WINNING TIMES
- expertcigar
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
India, led by Rahul Kapoor and the India Cigar Club, is taking the CSWC to another level every year.
India Cigar Club, led by its founder Rahuul Kapoor and his team, once again did a great job this year organizing the CSWC by Oliva Cigars. They brought together experienced competitors while also attracting newcomers and audiences to what has now become a very important and traditional CSWC qualification event in India.
Kapoor created from CSWC greatcmpetition but and great social cigar tool to promote cigar culture
Very smartly, Mr. Kapoor also uses CSWC to spread cigar culture. He found it to be a great tool for promoting this culture, and with the appeal of the competition, he was able to attract occasional cigar smokers to become more engaged and immersed in it.
The results were proof of that – even though the winner, Laroiya, was already a more experienced aficionado, winning with almost two hours of smoking, second place went to Vishrut Rangwala, who lost by only a short margin due to 15 penalty minutes for burning the ring. What’s amazing is that this was only Vishrut’s second cigar ever.
The excitement was huge for him, as well as for the audience, other competitors, and the organizers. Third place, also with 15 penalty minutes, went to Vibhoar, who gave it his all and took every risk.
The competition, fueled by all these exciting factors, continues to grow, with more competitors joining each year for the CSWC India adventure. Big support and all that was possible because of India CSWC partners:
Luxury Ampersand Frolics Group
& Experiences
Shivalik Distribution Private Limited for TCL India
FMDL (Architects & Conceptuers) - Akshay & Amrita Kapoor
Sula Wines with The Source & Rasa
Proost Beers & Lagers
Loca Loka Tequilas
Himmleh Spirits with Kumaon & I Gin , Darma Whiskey, Neoli Rum, Hudka Vodka
DelhiRoyale
Organizer Mr. Kapoor observed: "CSWC India 2026 was a powerful reminder of how quickly and meaningfully the cigar community is growing across India. Through India Cigar Club, we have always wanted to build more than a members’ club — we wanted to create a serious, welcoming and culturally relevant platform for cigar appreciation in India. What made this year especially exciting was the mix of seasoned smokers and completely new competitors. We had six participants who had smoked barely two or three cigars in the last thirty years, and yet they came forward, competed, and embraced the spirit of the championship. That is exactly the kind of growth we want to see. The support from brands in complementary luxury and lifestyle industries also shows that cigars in India are moving into a broader cultural space — one that includes hospitality, wine, spirits, watches, fashion and refined experiences. Last year’s winner fought hard but was not able to retain his lustre this time. Looking ahead, we are excited to see whether Utkarsh, Yash or Vishrut can take pole position next year and break the 2:20:00 barrier. India is only getting started.”