Just back from the XXI Festival in Havana celebrating the San Cristobal and Trinidad brands. This was the 20^th Festival that I have been privileged to attend and was in fact one that I enjoyed immensely. The weather in Havana was perfect, hot and sunny days warm balmy night… perfect for herfing. Flight arrived on time, cases came out super-fast and my colleague Roy from Turmeaus – North and I headed straight over to the Packard hotel where we were staying. I had previously stayed at the Manzana which was great but decided to try the Packard which was at least as good but much better value, with breath-taking views over the Malecon.

Getting into the herfing swing of things with a Partagas D.5 and a few shots of Havana Club Union at the hotels cigar bar before moving on for more rum and smokes on the terrace of the Nacional (when are they getting rid of that awful white furniture)?! We herfed at the usual spots, Partagas, Melia Habana, Nacional , Espacios etc and bumped into friends and customers just about everywhere! We did the healthy thing and met up every morning for a 5 mile ( rather hot!) walk in old Havana. Detouring down the side streets was quite a sorry site with worse condition that I have ever seen before, crumbling buildings, trash in the streets. Very sad state of affairs.

The gala evening was the usual super event and I had a great table in a perfect location to see the entertainment. The volume for a change was not quite ear bursting so it was actually just about possible to have a conversation with the great group of people that included Yadira from Hunters & Frankau ( TY H&F for the ticket) we were gifted a presentation box of Trinidad, ashtray as well as copious amounts of Trinidad  throughout the evening. The new Media Luna and Esmeralda were excellent if a tad fresh smokes. The 3^rd new Trinidad is the Topes which was last seen as a 2016 limited edition. The charity auction featured the most incredible humidors and raised around £1.3 Million for the Cuban National Health Service.

All in all a wonderful trip to Cuba which is probably my 108^th by my reckoning since 1997!

Seems that I brought the sunshine ( and jet lag)  back to London as it was 18C when I arrived home. Amazing and great for some open top car herfing, but back to reality and good to be in the UK for the next 2 months as we’re swamped busy at C.Gars and our Turmeaus shops are out performing our expectations for the first 2 months of the year. I can’t wait to get the new Turmeaus – Norfolk open which should be in the next week.

Good stocks have just arrived including:

Cohiba Siglo VI

Partagas Presidentes

All sizes of Montecristo La Linea and Por Larranaga ( smoking one now…very very good indeed !)

This Sunday our online auction will end  a rather huge 380 Lot auction. My auction team is available to advise 24/7 [email protected]. Lots are live and bidding open online on the Cigar Auction website. This will be the 29th cigar auction by C.Gars since the auction department was established in 2009. Almost 400 Lots of Vintage, Mature, Pre Embargo, Davidoff, Dunhill and Limited Edition Havana cigars on behalf of estates, investors and collectors are on offer. Auction Lots can be viewed online and bid on here.

Featured Lots in this sale include:

-Davidoff Dom Perignon, No.1, No.2 and Chateau Yquem

-Cohiba Sublimes, Gran Reserva, Majestuosos 50^th anniversary humidors and singles from Cohiba Behike 40^th anniversary humidor.

-Pre embargo H. Upmann Dunhill Double Claro Seleccion Suprema no.15

-Pre Embargo H Upmann Miniatura

-Pre embargo Romeo y Julieta Coronation de Luxe

-Pre Embargo Bolivar Mundiales

-Ramon Allones 225^th anniversary humidor

Have a smokey weekend

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell