A couple of homemade products, the world-class French liquors and the famed Habanos, will try to show in a hard-fought competition what the best match between them really is

Born out of different weather conditions, soils and traditions, the Armagnac liquors and the celebrated Cuban cigars will get their own showdown at the Tenth Habano Festival, the perfect opportunity for connoisseurs and guests to choose what the best possible match between the two of them actually is.

This contest, that has increasingly become a tradition and held the first round in Paris, will feature a blindfolded tasting session to find out the finest match between a Habano and an Armagnac Assemblage, as well as between a Habano and an Armagnac Miléssime.

The competition will kick off on day one of the event pitting a couple of Cuban cigars with a dozen Armagnac liquors made by an equal number of distillers from that French region –six in the Assemblages and six in the Miléssime categories. For the grand finale, slated for the closing day of the Festival, two liquors from both categories will vie for the right to be the matching winners of the two Cuban cigars.

by Ernesto Montero Photos by Ferval

Armagnac liquors in contest at the Tenth Habano Festival

Armagnac Millésimes: Armagnac Castaréde Armagnac Delord Armagnac Jean Cavé Armagnac Domaine Boingnéres Armagnac Bouscau Vintage Armagnac Domaine de Joy

Armagnac Asemblages: Armagnac Baron de Sigognac Bas Armagnac Dartigalongue Armagnac Chateau de Briat Armagnac Chateau de Pellehaut Armagnac Chateau du Tariquet Armagnac Veuve Lafontan et ses enfants