CubaPLUS Magazine

Cuba will once again show the world the superb enjoyment of a good cigar. This year's event is quite special as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Festival's creation. The event will take place from February 25 to the 29 at its usual venue in Havana‘s Convention Palace.

According to Habanos Intemational's public relations representative Eloisa Castellanos, this year's program is intended to fulfill all the expectations of the many distributors, specialists, and cigar lovers attending the festival.

The always popular and well attended events like the Welcome Evening and the Great Gala Dinner will take place with the best cigars, drinks, and food in the country, Castellanos added. The program will be filled out with the usual activities such as a trade fair, international seminars, and visits to tobacco related places of interest.

This festival attracts distributors, owners of La Casa del Habano retail outlets, producers, product traders, and other members of the cigar industry. There are also artists, individual cigar aficionados, collectors, and representatives of smokers club attending the event.

During the recent Havana International Trade Fair, FIHAV2007, the "Cohiba Maduro 5" cigar was awarded a gold medal for product quality. Regarding its characteristics, Lourdes de la Noval, head specialist in communication for Habanos S.A. explained that the leaves used are from the highest part of the plant. The mixture of colours and texture are the result of a long and complex fermentation process lasting five years. This cigar line is made up of three vitolas or cigar measurements: Genio (52 by 140 mm), Mágicos (52 by 115 mm), and Secretos (40 by H0 mm). The Genie has been the most successful in the international marketplace.

Habanos SA. distributes more than 240 types of handmade Cuban cigars under premium brand marks in more than 120 countries. Among the most famous ones are Cohiba, Trinidad, Montecristo, Partagás, Bolivar, Romeo y Julieta, Hoyo de Monterrey, and H. Upmann.