The great annual habanos meeting returns
- The new launches from the Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta brands will take centre stage at the XVII Habanos Festival.
- The old Almacén del Tabaco y la Madera (Old Tobacco and Wood Warehouse), a unique enclave and part of Havana’s industrial heritage, will for the first time provide the setting for the Welcome Evening.
- The individual registration period has begun and bookings can be made exclusively through the website www.habanos.testwalking.com
The countdown begins to the highly anticipated annual meeting of enthusiasts of the world’s best tobacco. From 23rd to 27th of February, Cuba will showcase all its delights at the Habanos Festival, an event that, as with every edition, incorporates numerous new features. The Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta brands will be the focus of Habanos s.a.’s launches for 2015 and will be exclusively sampled during the event. The location chosen for the Welcome Evening will be, for the first time, the historic Almacén del Tabaco y la Madera, situated in the port of Havana. All individual participants who would like to visit the birthplace of a century-old tradition on the island can discover these delights and more at the XVII Habanos Festival by registering on the website: www.habanos.testwalking.com
The opening of the Trade Fair at Havana’s Convention Center (Palacio de Convenciones), the ideal opportunity for technical and commercial exchanges between businessmen, producers, and suppliers from the tobacco world, will mark the official start of the event on 23th of February. That same day will witness the Welcome Evening at the Antiguo Almacén del Tabaco y la Madera (Old Tobacco and Wood Warehouse), in the San José area. This unique place, with a beautiful view over the bay of Havana, dates from the 18th century, a time when this coastal area in Cuba’s capital saw the renovation of the port. Romeo y Julieta and its Gran Reserva Cosecha 2009 will take centre stage at the soiree, which will include performances from renowned artists from Cuba and across the world.
The International Seminar will once again bear witness to pairings between Habanos and exclusive gastronomic products. The incredible array of flavours uncovered by the Alliance with prestigious Chianti** wines in Italy will be one of the most anticipated new features of this edition. Other activities taking place at the Palacio de Convenciones throughout the week include fascinating lectures on the Habano, master classes, the Habanosommelier International Contest, which is celebrating its fourteenth edition, and the second staging of the longest ash contest.
During the week, the traditional visits to the best plantations in the (Pinar del Río*) and the historic La Corona and H. Upmann Habanos Factories* will take place on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. On Wednesday 25th of February, the Salón de Protocolo de El Laguito will host an evening commemorating the 25th Anniversary of La Casa del Habano, a very special tribute to the prestigious network of more than 140 Habanos points of sale worldwide, which stand out for their vast knowledge and customer service.
The XVII Festival will draw to a close at the much anticipated Gala Evening. The prestigious and renowned Montecristo brand will see the launch of its special 80th Anniversary vitola, which will be sampled for the first time during the dinner. The evening will close with the Habanos Awards in the various categories -Production, Communication, and Business- and the customary Humidors Auction, the entire proceeds of which will go to the Cuban Public Health System.
*D.O.P. (Denominación de Origen Protegida – Protected Appellations of Origin).
**D.O.C.G. (Denominación de Origen Controlada y Garantizada – Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin).
