21st Festival Del Habano: A Week of Cigars Celebrations

EXCLUSIVE EVENTS. INTERNATIONALLY POPULAR. A CIGARS PARTY.

It’s that time of the year when serious Habanos smokers from all over the world gather to share their love for Cuban Cigars. We at EGM Cigars are looking forward to attending the 21^st Habanos Festival and first-hand experiencing all the new cigar releases, activities, and cigar related events that the hosts have prepared for us this year.

The XXI Festival Del Habano is scheduled to take place from February 17^th to February 22^nd, and will provide its attendees a week full of informative classes, entertaining ceremonies, and, of course, excellent Cuban Cigars.

Left: The outside of El Laguito factory in Havana, Right: Tobacco plantations in Cuba

"A VISIT TO THE TOBACCO PLANTATIONS AT VUELTA ABAJO"

NOCHE DE BIENVENIDA – The week will kick off with a splendour party, celebrating the start of the 21st Habanos Festival. The ceremony - officially welcoming the guests to this year’s festival will be devoted to the 20^th anniversary of the San Cristobal de La Habana brand and, especially, to the 500^th anniversary of the city of Havana.

VUELTA ABAJO – The second day of the 21st Habanos Festival will follow with equally exciting events, like a visit to the tobacco plantations in the Vuelta Abajo region – Cuba’s most prominent tobacco land. The tobacco plantations at Vuelta Abajo are world widely known for producing excellent tobacco leaves, like the ones used for the Partagas Salamones Cigar. Delicately handmade using the finest tobacco leaves from the Vuelta Abajo region, this LCDH Editions puro is capable of delivering a delicious, flavourful smoke. Another cigar crafted from the high quality tobacco of Vuelta Abojo plantations, the Vegas Robaina Unicos Cigar, is a medium to full bodied cigar, which delivers complex and strong flavours over the course of the smoke – perfect to smoke during our trip to the Vuelta Abajo region.

Left: A picturesque alleyway in Havana, Right: Cuban cigars enjoyed with the company of a refreshing Mojito

"THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRINIDAD BRAND"

TOTALMENTE A MANO – Wednesday will be a busy day for the guests of the 21^st Habanos Festival. The day will begin with a master class on the totalmente a mano (totally handmade) rolling technique, used for creating fine puros like the Cohiba Exquisitos Cigar - a perfect puro to smoke between our breaks. The seminar, hosted by Miguel Barzaga, will guide us through the making of a parejo-shaped cigar with a pigtail. The day will end with a special night dedicated to the Hoyo de Monterrey Gran Reserva 2013 – an exclusive invitations-only party that we are proud to say we will be attending.

CLOSING GALA – On February 21^st, the fourth day of events - the day will be full of exciting tours, like a visit to the Habanos factories, followed by a lunch at the “El Bucan” restaurant - just to catch our breaths and discuss with fellow cigar aficionados about this year’s highlights. After a week of new product launches, informative seminars, and opulent ceremonies, the 21^st Festival del Habanos will say goodbye to this year’s guests by accommodating the last yet most glamorous event of the entire festival. The Friday Gala Evening will be dedicated to the 50^th anniversary of the Trinidad Brand and is another exclusive invitations-only event that we will be attending during our stay in Havana. During the Gala, Habanos S.A will host a humidors auction as to raise money for the Cuban healthcare system - including a selection of special humidors from brands like Montecristo, Hoyo De Monterrey, and H. Upmann. Learn more about the items of the 21st Festival del Habanos here.

The full programme of the 21st Habanos Festival

The annual Habanos Festival is the most popular celebration of Cuban Cigars Online and attracts cigar aficionados from all over the world. We at EGM Cigars will be covering day by day the events of the 21^st Festival del Habanos. Check out our blogpost series where we covered last year's 20th Habanos Festival: