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Epicure No. 2, Hoyo de Monterrey

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Petit Edmundo, de Montecristo

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Magnum 50

OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, THE UTMOST WORLD EVENT ON PREMIUM CIGARS HAS SPREAD THE HABANO CULTURE AND LEGEND AS A GENUINE CUBAN REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH STANDS OUT AMONG THE MOST EXCLUSIVE AND LUXURIOUS PRODUCTS ON THE PLANET

In its 20th edition, the Habano Festival undoubtedly stands out as the most important international event in the premium cigar realm, since it has spread the word out on such famous and genuine Cuban product, which in turn has become one of the most exclusive products on the face of the earth.
Just as planned by its organizers –Habanos S.A. and TabaCuba- this annual event since its creation back in 1999, has also spread the culture and legend of Habanos and has become an important showroom for its most emblematic and new products, which have set trends in the cigar-related world.
The first edition of the Festival was held in 1999 and, among other events, it hosted the world premiere of Trinidad brand and the rollout of Reserva del Milenio –porcelain jars representing such brands as Cohiba, Montecristo and Cuaba. Moreover, a humidor was raffled, which was part of a limited series made up of 21 pieces that contained 2,000 Habanos.
The second edition took place a year later and it included origin reviews and tasting sessions, focused on the anniversaries of internationally prestigious brands: Hoyo de Monterrey celebrated 135 years of existence; Romeo y Julieta, 125; Punch, 160; La Gloria Cubana, 115; Partagás, Ramón Allones and Sancho Panza, 155; Montecristo, 65 and San Luis Rey, 60.
The celebration of brand anniversaries continued in 2001 during the third Festival. Cohiba’s 35th anniversary took center stage in this event.
The fourth edition’s program paid tribute to the fifth anniversary of renowned Vegas Robaina brand. The event also paid homage to the 95 years of Belinda brand, Bolívar’s centenary and El Rey del Mundo’s 120th birthday.
The fifth Festival was organized in 2003 and history played the leading role in this edition, since most of the event was dedicated to the 510th anniversary of Habano’s arrival in the Old World. This edition displayed the most prestigious brands in the cigar realm, such as Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás and Hoyo de Monterrey. On the other hand, attendees celebrated the fifth anniversary of Trinidad brand.
Edmundo de Montecristo is a standout among these exclusive treasures. It was launched in the sixth edition of this festival, back in 2004, when special tribute was paid to Winston Churchill. His passion for Cuban Black Tobacco gave birth to one of the most renowned sizes –Churchill- which is presently a member of Habanos S.A.’s well-assorted vitola portfolio.
Pirámide de Partagás (Serie P Nº 2), put out in the 2005 edition, is also outstanding; as well as Short Churchill de Romeo y Julieta and Cohiba Behike in 2006, Reserva de Montecristo No. 4 and Línea Maduro 5 in 2007, Cohiba’s new Cuban mature wrapper called maduro. Its three vitolas are Genios, (ring gauge 52 x 140mm), Mágicos (ring gauge 52 x 115 mm), and Secretos (ring gauge 40 x 110mm).
Reserva de Montecristo was also unveiled as a tribute to Montecristo No. 4, the bestselling vitola in history, with a billion cigars rolled since 1935 when it was launched.
A year later, Epicure Especial de Hoyo de Monterrey and H. Upmann Mágnum 50 were the stars during the 10th Habano Festival held in 2008. During its first decade, the event became the most outstanding international space in the cigar realm.
The 11th edition of the Habano Festival in 2009 put Montecristo Open, the first line of its most renowned brand, on the map. And so did with Cohiba’s first Gran Reserva de Habanos, the most prestigious line in the cigar world, with its emblematic Siglo VI vitola (ring gauge 52 x 150mm long).
The launch of Montecristo Open increased the range of choices within Montecristo’s portfolio with four vitolas to please those who love this brand: Eagle (ring gauge 54 x 150mm long), Regata (ring gauge 46 x 135mm long), Master (ring gauge 50 x 124mm long) and Junior (ring gauge 38 x 110mm long).
Trinidad brand portfolio was beefed up by Robustos T (ring gauge 50 x 124 mm long). This vitola adds the brand’s classic blend and taste.
Attendees to the 12th Festival (2010) puffed on the Cohiba Behike vitola, Cohiba’s new line and the most exceptional of all, introduced with three vitolas: BHK 52, BHK 54 and BHK 56, with a blend that first introduced “Medio Tiempo”, a scarce tobacco leaf that delivers exceptional character and taste.
Other gems of Cuba’s tobacco industry are the first Gran Reserva Montecristo and the new Partagás Series E, which were rolled out in the course of the 13th edition of the Festival in 2011.
The new Montecristo No. 2 Gran Reserva Cosecha 2005, the brand’s first grand reserve, had a numbered production of 5,000 boxes.
Likewise, those who attended the 13th Festival enjoyed Partagás’ new products, with the introduction of Serie E No. 2 and Serie D No. 5. They also tasted the brand-new H. Upmann Half Corona, a size to be enjoyed at any moment by people cutting their teeth in the Habano culture.
On the other hand, Ediciones Limitadas 2011 included Cohiba 1966, factory vitola Cañonazo Especial, ring gauge 52 x 166 mm. This Edición Limitada commemorates the 45th anniversary of the creation of the Cohiba brand.
The list of new products included Hoyo de Monterrey: Short Hoyo Pirámides, factory size Forum, ring gauge 46 x 135mm; and Ramón Allones, Allones Extra, factory size Franciscos, ring gauge 44 x 143mm.
Romeo y Julieta’s first Reserva brought the 14th Habano Festival to a spectacular close in 2012. Two new products were unveiled and smoked during the event: Romeo y Julieta Churchills Reserva 2008, the brand’s first reserve, and Romeo y Julieta Petit Churchills, with a sought-after Petit Robusto size.
The 15th Habano Festival in 2013 was dedicated to Partagás brand with its Lusitanias Gran Reserva Cosecha 2007, made with long filler, a result of Master Blender Arnaldo Bichot’s meticulous selection, who handpicked leaves from the 2007 Harvest. Those leaves had gone through a five-year aging process in Vuelta Abajo, San Juan y Martínez and San Luis tobacco growing districts, all of them in Pinar del Rio.
The 16th Festival ushered in new products. H. Upmann’s first Reserva was put on the map, made with leaves from Vuelta Abajo’s 2010 Harvest, aged for three years and used to roll H. Upmann No. 2 Reserva Cosecha 2010 (ring gauge 52 x 156 mm long).
A year later, during the 17th edition of the Habano Festival (2015), the public eyed products from Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta, two of the most prestigious and renowned brands that basked in the limelight during the event. It was also a perfect moment to launch Montecristo’s 80 Aniversario special vitola.
A year later, the 18th edition of the Habano Festival in 2016 paid tribute to Cohiba’s 50th anniversary with the exclusive tasting of its new products: Hoyo de Monterrey’s Reserva Cosecha 2012, with its famous Epicure No. 2 vitola; H. Upmann’s Magnum 54, which joined the regular portfolio within the successful Línea Magnum, and a special commemorative edition called Cuaba 20 Aniversario.
Another newcomer was Cohiba Medio Siglo, a vitola that joined Línea 1492 and was born to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Cohiba brand.
Along with this launch in the regular portfolio, Cohiba presents another two outstanding editions. A vintage-style humidor was also put out, with a limited production of 1,966 numbered boxes that store the exclusive Cohiba Majestuosos 1966 vitola, characterized by an unprecedented format (ring gauge 58 x 150 mm).
Humidor cabinet “Cohiba 50 Aniversario” was another exclusive element in the Festival. This piece is a true work of art that covers with authentic Cuban tobacco leaves plated in 24-karat gold. This is a 50-unit humidor series which has been numbered and customized with the owner’s name.
Each Humidor harbors 50 Habanos of the like-name vitola, the first one in the history of Habanos to feature a ring gauge 60 (178 mm long).
In the Habano Festival’s 19th edition in 2017, H. Upmann, Montecristo and Quai D’Orsay brands took center stage with important launches for their regular portfolio.
H. Upmann’s vitolas were exclusively tasted, such as its first Gran Reserva Cosecha 2011, as well as Montecristo, which introduced a full line of exclusive products. Quai D’Orsay brand also entered into a promising stage by showing a new design and two new vitolas.
Today, Habanos S.A. presently distributes a range of products made up of over 300 references in 34 brands, such as Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás, Hoyo de Monterrey, Quintero, H.Upmann, Punch, San Cristóbal de la Habana, Trinidad and Cuaba, among others.