The 23rd edition of the Habano Festival Gala humidor auction raised a record 11.2 million euros to go to the Cuban public health system.
After two years of absence because of the pandemic, Habanos, S.A. returns with the live Festival.
The Festival wound up with a spectacular Gala night and the auction of humidors.
The five-day event brought together cigar aficionados from around the world. Over 1,200 people from 70 countries showed up.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel attended the Habano Festival Gala which was held at the Pabexpo fairgrounds in Havana.
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz also attended.
The auction offered exclusive humidors of the most prestigious brands in the Habanos’ portfolio: Upmann, Hoyo de Monterrey, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás, and Cohiba.
Diaz-Canel signed one of the auctioned Cohiba humidors.
Habanos featured the new Partagás cigar’s Maestra Line of three vitolas: the Origen, the Rito, and the Maestro.
The Partagás vitolas are made with tobacco from the San Luis plantation in Pinar del Rio and “contain a very special aromatic complexity,” Habanos executives said.
Havana’s most glamorous night wrapped up the Habano Festival Gala with performances provided by Cristian Alejandro, Zule Guerra, Bárbara Llanes, the Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba company, and the Manolito Simonet and Trabuco Orchestra.
Canadian company Fireworks FX Inc., with a long history of pyrotechnic displays in Cuba (most recently for the Habana 500 anniversary), provided the fireworks for sparkle columns on the stage for the Habano Festival Gala dinner.
The week’s events included presentations of new cigars and tastings, workshops, visits to the Partagás and La Corona factories, and the tobacco plantations in Pinar del Rio.
In addition, there was also the cigar trade fair with 270 exhibitors from 10 countries.
Habanos corporation begins global marketing of the Partagás brand in the upcoming weeks.
Habanos S.A. reported $545 million in sales in 2022, a 2% increase over last year.
From our staff writers and editors.
