FESTIVAL DEL HABANOS FEBRUARY 2009

FESTIVAL DEL HABANOS
27th FEBRUARY 2009

28TH FEBRUARY 2009
It’s 2 a.m. and the Gala dinner has just finished. Possibly the slickest of all the gala dinners I have had the privilege of attending over the last 11 years with incredible entertainment and of course the best of company.

My table included the Managing Director of Hunters and Frankau, Jemma Freeman, as well as Marketing Director Simon Chase.

Simon conducted the most successful auction achieving almost One Million Euros which I believe is a new record. The proceeds go entirely to the Cuba National Health Service.

Each lot was a work of art and photos will be on the website in the next few days

The auction lots and results were as follows

Lot 1 - Sold for 61,000 Euros
H Upmann humidor
50 Magnum 46
50 Sir Winston
50 Upmann no.2
50 Noellas
25 Robustos
25 Grandes
50 Magnum 50

Lot 2 - Sold for 140,000 Euros
Hoyo de Monterrey humidor
50 Epicure Especial
25 Epicure no.1
25 Epicure no.2
50 Double Coronas
50 Extravaganza
50 Particulares
50 Gran Piramides

Lot 3 - Sold for 140,000 Euros
Romeo humidor and 120 bottles of Torres wine in cooler
50 Churchills
50 Short Churchills
50 Romeos
25 Exhibition no.2
50 Cazadores especial
25 Hermosos no.2
50 Fabulosos no.6
50 Petit piramides

Lot 4 - Sold for 75,000 Euros
Partagas humidor
50 Salamones
25 P2
50 898
25 SD no.4
50 SP no.1
50 Lusitanias
50 Sobrasalientes
50 Gran Piramides

Lot 5 - Sold for 120,000 Euros
Montecristo humidor
25 A
50 Petit Edmundo
50 No.2
25 Eagle
25 Master
25 Regata
25 Junior
25 Double Coronas
50 Edmundo
50 no.4
25 Maravillas no.1

Lot 6 - Sold for 95,000 Euros
Trinidad humidor
50 Robusto extra
50 Fundadores
75 Coloniales
50 Reyes
75 Robusto T
50 Ensueno
50 Torre Iznaga

Lot 7 - Sold for 350,000 Euros !
Cohiba humidor
25 Genios
25 Magicos
25 Secretos
50 Siglo II
50 Siglo IV
50 Esplendidos
50 Robustos
50 Lanceros
25 Gran Corona
25 Sublimes Extra
25 Siglo VI

We enjoyed a variety of Cohiba cigars over the evening including the incredible 5 year mature Cohiba Reserva…oh boy what a difference 5 years makes…simply incredible smoke

Saludos desde La Habana

Mitchell

This blog comes to you from warm and sunny Havana where I am doing one of my usual fast as lightening 4 day trips…this time for the annual Festival

A pilgrimage to the Mecca for cigar smokers where friends from all over the world meet up to find out what’s happening in the industry generally and what are the plans for new cigar releases for this year…. as well as herf the Festival week away

There is still no sign of the Romeo antique humidor although I understand it may be available from next week…. strange as the Festival will be over on Saturday.

I took a tour round El Laguito (the Cohiba factory) today and was more impressed than ever at the layers of quality control in place. All vitolas of Cohiba were being rolled including the new Cohiba Siglo VI Reserva which is being introduced tomorrow evening at the Gala Festival dinner.

I had the opportunity to smoke one of the Cohiba Reserva and the difference that 5 year aged tobacco makes is simply incredible. The presentation of this cigar in black lacquered boxes of 15 cigars is breath taking and only 5000 boxes will ever be made.

I also broke down and opened a Cohiba book of Sublimes Extra and smoked 2 of these fine cigars which were indeed… extra sublime.

The Hunters and Frankau Group toured the Pinar Del Rio today but I chilled out at the Partagas LCDH and herfed with numerous friends whilst sipping HC7 which worked very well with the La China Ideales that I was smoking

The new Montecristo “Open” range has also been introduced and looks interesting but I’ll reserve judgment till I have had the chance to try all the new vitolas

I tried the new Trinidad robusto and can confirm that it will be a most welcome addition to the range, soft and subtle with typical Trinidad flavours. Presented in tubes as well as hinged cabinets of 12 and 24, this cigar will be a big success.

The usual cigar stores are full of “regular” cigars so nothing much to get excited about.

Met up with some of my antique dealer friends and as ever will be importing some incredible one off 1950’s humidors that are quite breathtaking.

This evening I bumped into David Soul at an evening organised by Boisdale at 18/30 to introduce some great apartments that are being sold in Varaderro. There was also a whisky tasting but couldn’t stay as I had to meet clients for smokes on the veranda of the Nacional (the best place in the world for a cigar)

Had a quick chat with the Managing Director of Hunters and Frankau Jemma Freeman and if all goes to plan I understand that the UK exclusive Por Larranaga humidor of 50 Magnificos will be released early April. Pre register interest fast as we will sell out within nano seconds! …oh and C.Gars Ltd will ask Jemma Freeman, Ana Lopez and Simon Chase to kindly sign the humidors for us as well…. talk about a collectors item! wowwwwww :-)

OK have to dash as I still have time to smoke one more Cohiba Sublimes extra

Saludos from La Habana

Mitchell

Zaff and Mitchell at the Habanos Festival Dinner.

Photos courtesy of Eric Rigori

Zaff, Mitchell and Simon Chase of Hunters and Frankau.	Simon Chase - Hunters & Frankau MD Mitchell Orchant - C.Gars Ltd MD Jemma Freeman Hunters & Frankau MD	Mitchell with the auction lots.

*Mitchell and Zaff with another auction lot.*	Master class: Cigar Rolling

Master class: Cigar Rolling		Welcome Night. Launching of the Montecristo OPEN Line Karl Marx Theatre

Welcome Night. Launching of the Montecristo OPEN Line. Karl Marx Theatre.

Gala Night. Launching of COHIBA GRAN RESERVA followed by the Auction of Humidors. Pabexpo


Habanos with Rums tasting		Habanosommelier Contest

Habanosommelier Contest	Trinidad Night. Tasting of Robustos T Habana Libre Trip Hotel. "Embajadores" Room.

Trinidad Night. Tasting of Robustos T Habana Libre Trip Hotel. "Embajadores" Room.	Preliminary: Combinations of Habanos with Cuban Rums.

Opening of the Trade Fair.

*Festival Dinner Menu*


*Festival Dinner Ticket*

*Cohiba Cutter Festival 2009*	*Cohiba Paddle Festival 2009*	Cohiba Siglo VI Reserva case from Festival Gala dinner 2009

*El Laguito Factory*

*El Laguito Factory*

*El Laguito Factory*

*El Laguito Factory*

*El Laguito Factory*

Cohiba Gran Reserva rolled at El Laguito....I got there first!