With welcome remarks by Habanos S.A. co-presidents, Inocente Nuñez and Luis Sánchez-Harguindey, and the premiere puff on H. Upmann Sir Winston Gran Reserva Cosecha 2011, the 19th edition of the Habano Festival –the world’s top event on premium cigars- opened Monday at the Club Havana in the nation’s capital.
In the press conference hosted by Leopoldo Cintra González, Commercial Vice-president from Habanos, S.A. and Javier Terrés Ercilla, Development Vice-president from Habanos, S.A, it has been introduced the main launches for this year, in particular, the new Línea 1935 from Montecristo. This new line takes its name from the year of this legendary brand foundation, being the premium line of the Montecristo brand. The new Línea 1935 has three vitolas, Maltés (53x153 mm), Dumas (49 x 130 mm), and Leyenda (55 x 165 mm).
The first two vitolas are brand new vitolas in the Habanos portfolio, and the third one takes the form of the special limited edition Montecristo 80 Aniversario, launched in 2015 to commemorate the brand's 80th Anniversary. The Habanos of Montecristo Línea 1935 has a new and differentiated presentation and a full strength flavor-blend for the first time in this brand.
One of this year’s main releases is also the launch of H. Upmann Sir Winston Gran Reserva 2011 (47 x 178 mm), in which the filler, binder and wrapper leaves used have undergone a long and careful five-year aging process. This is the first Gran Reserva by H. Upmann, and is presented in a unique and exclusive selection of only 5,000 numbered cases. The Welcome Evening of the Festival was dedicated to H. Upmann Sir Winston Gran Reserva 2011, and took place yesterday at the Club Habana, a historic venue in Havana.
The new design of the Quai D’Orsay brand will be also presented in the XIX Habano Festival. It includes two new vitolas in its portfolio, No 50 (50 x 110 mm) and No 54 (54 x135 mm), in order to create an attractive brand portfolio that will be available worldwide through the Habanos international distribution network.
The brand Romeo y Julieta presents its Petit Royales (47 x 95 mm), a totally new vitola that will join this product portfolio, with a heavy ring gauge and short length, a format that is increasingly appreciated by the current Habano lovers.
In the same, Cohiba Talismán, Partagás Series No. 1 and Punch Regios from Punch will come out as Limited Editions.
The XIX Habano Festival host again this year, the traditional activities during the week of February 27th to March 3rd, including the tour to the plantation in Vuelta Abajo* (Pinar del Río*) and the H. Upmann and La Corona factories, the International Seminar and tastings and pairings with exclusive gastronomic products. Also, this year the International Habanosommelier Contest celebrates its XVI edition.
The Festival also holds the Alianza Habanos (Habanos Alliance), with the objective of offering the most special alliances between Habanos (Denomination of Origin Protected) and the most exclusive spirits in the world. This time, the prestigious Brandy de Jerez (Specific Denomination) will pair four of its most representative brandies with two of the most appreciated Habanos by consumers all over the world: Trinidad Vigía and Partagás Serie D No 4. The brandies are: Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva (González Byass), Cardenal Mendoza Carta Real (Bodega Sánchez Romate Hnos.), Fundador Exclusivo (Bodegas Fundador) and Carlos I Imperial (Bodegas Osborne).
Over 2,000 delegates, 180 journalists and 67 exhibitors from 11 countries are attending this year’s festival.
