Havana, Mar 4 (EFE).- The 23rd edition of the Habano Festival in the Cuban capital came to a close with a record-breaking auction. A humidor, a specialized cabinet used to store tobacco made by luxury brand Audemars Piguet, was sold for 4.2 million dollars, making it the highest amount ever raised at this international event.
Organized by Habanos S.A, the festival brought together exhibitors, companies, producers, and tobacco enthusiasts for five days. The total amount obtained during the auction will be donated to public health.
The closing day also featured the traditional Habano Awards, with agricultural producer Yoandri Rodriguez taking home the award for best production. Blanca Alsogaray, manager of La Casa del Habano in Argentina, won the business award, while cigar expert and sommelier Jasim Ahmed received the communication award.
Attendees of the festival participated in international seminars, pairing workshops, and masterclasses on making a Habano. They also visited the La Corona and Partagás factories in Havana and the Vegas plantations in Pinar del Río.
For Ahmed, who shares industry trends with his 140,000 followers on social media, the area is “very important” for the tobacco culture in Cuba and provides a “wonderful experience” to learn about the value chain that surrounds this product along with the vegueros (tobacco farmers), torcedores (cigar rollers), and workers.
The international event also included the ‘Habanos World Challenge’ competition, which since 2018, has tested knowledge about the essence of this product historically linked to Cuban culture. Among the six finalists, the Greek team formed by Antonis Pasparakis and Efthymios Karacristianoidis won the final against Sanel Haddad and Hassan Tameemi from Kuwait.
Cigar specialist and jury member Alexandre Avellar told EFE that the contest consists of “a written knowledge test, a blind tasting of the Habano, a cutting and lighting demonstration, and a presentation of the Habano moment.” He advises participants to “study the brands, try different brands, and deepen their knowledge.”
More than 260 exhibitors from 10 countries – a 9% increase from the 2020 edition – displayed their products to two thousand attendees. The festival’s three gala dinners also served as a platform to present the new launches of the Montecristo, Bolívar, and Partagás brands. EFE