THE XX HABANOS FESTIVAL COMES TO A CLOSURE WITH A GALA EVENING DEDICATED TO PARTAGÁS

• During the evening the new Línea Maduro of Partagás was presented
• 1,485,000 euros were raised in the traditional Humidors Auction
• Orishas provided the music to an evening that gave the final touch to the 20th Anniversary of the Habanos Festival
• The actor Demián Bichir, with an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, was one of the guests

The XX Habanos Festival has come to an end with the Gala Evening -- in tribute to a very special edition, that of its 20th Anniversary- for the world’s best tobacco lovers from more than 70 countries. The new Línea Maduro of Partagás was presented, incorporating two new vitolas characterized by their maduro wrappers.

Attendees tasted the new Maduro No 2 (55 x 120mm) and Maduro No 3 (50 x 145mm) vitolas and, also, the Maduro No 1 (52 x 130mm), presented for the first time in 2015 for La Casa del Habano and Habanos Specialists, that now joins the regular portfolio creating this new line. Their maduro wrappers, as a result of an extra period of fermentation, enhances their full-strength blend in line with Partagás traditional and intense flavour.  These Habanos are made Totalmente a Mano con Tripa Larga - Totally by Hand with Long Filler - with specially selected leaves from Pinar del Río*, Cuba*.

The Gala Evening featured performances by artists as Elain Morales, Yaser Manzano, Carlos Varela and Edesio Alejandro, Laritza Bacallao, Waldo Mendoza and Irene Rodríguez and Habana Compas.

Orishas, the Cuban group who are highly regarded internationally, delighted all the attendees with their unmistakable rhythm and musical quality.

The Habanos Festival concluded with the traditional Humidors Auction with 7 humidors auctioned, raising 1,485,000€ for the Cuban Public Health System.

The 2017 Habanos Awards prizes were given to: Franchesco Minetti, Communication Category,   Ercan Hazar, Business category, for developing the Habano cigar market in Austria; Virginio Morales, Production category.

Darius Namdar from Great Britain won the XVII Edition of the International Habanosommelier Contest. Finalists were faced with a practical Habano cutting and lighting test and a descriptive tasting and pairing session with different beverages.

The aficionados winning couple of the I Habanos World Challenge were Alexis Tsielepis and Raffi Der Gara Betian from Cyprus.

This special 20th Anniversary edition of the Habanos Festival has brought together over 2,200 participants from more than 70 different countries.