From February 29 through March 4, Havana will have the pleasure of hosting the 18th Habano Festival, the country’s largest celebration of Premium (hand rolled) cigars, an event which will be dedicated to the country’s most emblematic and exclusive brand, Cohiba, celebrating its 50th anniversary.
In honor of the occasion, new products from both its special edition and standard lines will be presented, stated Inocente Núñez Blanco, co-president of the joint venture Habanos S.A representing the Cuban side, speaking to Granma International at the Miramar Trade Center.
Núñez noted that Cohiba’s 50th anniversary make this year’s event extra special, while at press time more than 1,600 participants from 60 countries are confirmed to attend, including distributors, cigar enthusiasts and “people who love and are familiar with the strength and quality of premium Cuban cigars. Participants come to sample the products and interact with one another, as well as explore future business opportunities in the field,” he stated.
Núñez Blanco explained that the Hoyo de Monterrey brand also will also have an important presence at the event with the launch of its Reserva Cosecha 2012, just like Cuaba, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and will present a special edition of cigars sold exclusively in La Casa del Habano stores; while the brand H. Upmann will offer participants to this 18th edition of the festival new products from its standard line.
Also presented during the festival will be cigars from Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta and Trinidad’s 2016 limited edition lines, as well as new two selections from the Habanos Añejados line: Partagás Coronas Gordas Añejados and Hoyo de Monterrey Hermosos Nº4 Añejados.
The Co-president of Habanos S.A noted that the festival will take place over five intense days dedicated to the full enjoyment and appreciation of Cuban cigars, with participants taking part in a comprehensive agenda of activities on the best tobacco in the world.
Among the highlights of the program Núñez Blanco mentioned the inauguration of the Trade Fair, February 19, which will mark the official start of the festival, and a Welcome Gala the same evening, at the Almacén del Tabaco y la Madera which overlooks the beautiful Havana Bay, during which the vitola Epicure no.2.from Hoyo de Monterrey’s Reserva Cosecha 2012 line will be presented.
According to the Habanos S.A representative other noteworthy activities include the International Cigar Seminar, scheduled for March 2, which will feature master classes and conferences led by renowned experts from the world of cigars, and once again see Habanos presented alongside exquisite gastronomic offers.
He highlighted for example, the combination of Habanos with various Havana Club rums: a flavorful, authentic and typically Cuban pairing. Another important moment will be the customary International Habano sommelier contest, celebrating its 15th edition, where representatives from across the world will demonstrate their expertise, while this year’s event will see some changes with a new judging system to decide who will be crowned the “master or masters.”
Likewise, the third edition of the longest ash competition will be among the principal activities taking place at the Havana Convention Center.
Other special moments of the festival include visits to tobacco farms in Vuelta Abajo, Pinar del Río, where the best tobacco in the world is grown; a private tour of the El Laguito factory, home to the famous Cohiba brand; and the Cigar Roller Tribute Gala, on March 2 in El Laguito’s main function room, in a special and delightful soirée dedicated to this emblematic figure of the cigar industry, as well as to factory staff.
Rounding off the festival on March 4, will be the International Habano sommelier contest finals, followed by the conclusion of the Seminar and Trade Fair; all culminating in an evening gala to end the 18th Habano Festival, with a fitting tribute to Cohiba on its 50th anniversary. The event, which promises to be full of surprises and outstanding musical performances, will end with the presentation of the Habanos Awards and customary Humidor auction, which this year will feature an important novelty, with profits as always going to Cuba’s Public Health sector.
NEW HORIZONS, NEW CHALLENGES
Núñez Blanco went on to highlight that Habanos S.A.’s portfolio features 27 100% hand made, premium cigar brands, with a total of 321 lines, all protected designation of origin (P.D.O) registered. “Of these 27 brands six our globally renowned: Montecristo, Partagás, Romeo y Julieta, Hoyo de Monterrey and H. Upmann, and constitute around 80% of total cigar sales,” he noted.
Núñez Blanco added that due to armed conflicts across the world and international health restrictions on cigars, the company, just like all other global businesses, is facing a difficult economic situation, “However, in 2015, Habanos S.A saw a 4% growth in sales (its products can be purchased in around 165 countries worldwide), which should continue to rise in 2016,” he stated.
With stores distributed across 106 cities in 61 nations, Núñez Blanco highlighted the important role of the 140 Casas del Habanos in such efforts, which represent “an important space where Cuban cigars are promoted, and where many of our hopes are invested,” stated the Habanos S.A co-president, who also noted that together with the Tobacco Business Group Tabacuba, the entity has a national development program, geared toward continuing to increase the value of its products, through innovation and constantly improving the quality of its cigars.
COHIBA
Cohiba is the most prestigious brand in the cigar world. Created in 1966, for many years, Cohibas were only produced as gifts for government, national or visiting figures.
Since its international launch in 1982, the most demanding smokers in the world have been able to enjoy limited quantities of Cohiba cigars. The brand’s name comes from the old Taino (indigenous people who populated the island of Cuba) word to describe tobacco leaves rolled and smoked by these people; Cohiba - the original name for cigars.
These world famous cigars are produced using the “very best” leaves from the five top tobacco farms located in the zones of San Juan, Martínez and San Luis in Vuelta Abajo, Pinar del Rio province.
Cohiba is the only brand in which three of the four types of leaves used to make its cigars: seco (medium grade of filler tobacco), ligero (strongest, thickest grade of tobacco) and medio tiempo (the rare top two leaves of a tobacco plant), undergo an additional fermentation process; giving the leaves a special aroma and taste, exclusive to the brand.
Cohiba has four different lines: Classic, featuring six vitolas developed between 1966 and 1989; its 1492 range which was launched in 1992 with five vitolas; 10 yeas later in 2002, the VI Century vitola was created, an importance reference in the world of tobacco. The Maduro 5 line was presented in 2007 with three new vitolas featuring wrapper leaves aged for five years, and in 2010 the brand launched its most exclusive range, Cohiba Behike, which incorporated the medio tiempo leaf into its three vitolas for the first time, giving the cigar exceptional character and flavor.
Through continuous innovation, Cohiba has maintained its position as industry leader, and was the first brand to launch a Reserva collection in 2002, followed by its Gran Reserva in 2009, created with tobacco leaves aged for three and five years, respectively. (http://www.habanos.com)
