20th Habanos Festival Innovations

This year, Festival del Habano celebrated its 20th anniversary and, like every year, we come across with a lot of innovations. 2018 seems to be very enjoyable for the Habanos.

But before we switch to cigars, I have to give some news that makes us proud. You know, every year the Habano Person of the Year - Hombre del Habano - is selected in different categories. Ercan Hazar Bey, who runs the Hazar Cigar Shop in Vienna, was chosen as the Hombre del Habano of this year in the trade category. We congratulate him once again and wish him continued success.

Let's come to the cigar innovations. Perhaps the most interesting part of the festival is a cigar and a humidor. Romeo y Julieta Churchill, which has diversified considerably over the years, also gained a new derivative at this festival; Grand Churchill. The cigar, which will be 190mm x 56 in size, was exhibited in the Elie Bleu humidor at the festival and found its owner by auction. Cigars are expected to be on the market in 2018, but Habanos' business will not be clear, it may extend to 2019.

Partagas adds No 2 (120mm x 55) and No 3 (145mm x 50) vitola to its Maduro range. If you remember, Maduro No 1 (130mm x 52) was launched in 2015 for LCDHs.

Not finished, the Le Hoyo Río Seco (140mm x 56) is added to the Le Hoyo line, which will be launched in boxes of 10 and 25.

Vegueros adds a vitola that can be considered thick in ring diameter to the vitola range. Centrofinos, which will be 130mm x 50 in size, will be a medium-hard body cigar and will be available in 16 metal boxes.

As for the Edicion Limitadas of 2018, unlike the previous years, two of the 3 ELs that will be released this year were chosen from relatively thin vitolas instead of increasingly thicker ring diameters. Habanos' Vice President of Business Development Jose Maria Lopez made such a decision this year, considering the feedback they received, considering the aficionados that prefer thin vitola. These two cigars will be Romeo y Julieta Taco 168mm x 49 and H. Upmann Propios 120mm x 46. 3. EL is Bolivar Soberano with a size of 140mm x 54.

I guess you are also eagerly waiting for the newly released cigars of this year. Personally, I am looking forward to RyJ Tacos and H. Upmann Propios in particular.

Have a pleasant smoke for you all ...