Habanos Festival 2024: A Historic Finale with Auction Milestones
The Habanos Festival, a notable event for cigar enthusiasts, wrapped up this year in Havana with record-breaking success.
This year’s event showcased the well-known grandeur and prestige of the tobacco industry. The final auction reached historic height, showing the enduring appeal of luxury cigar culture.
The star of the Habanos Festival auction was a Cohiba humidor. It fetched an amazing 4.5 million euros ($4.9 million) and set a new record for the highest bid at the festival.
The evening's theme was the 55th anniversary of the Trinidad brand. It introduced a set of unique and highly sought-after humidors, with most getting bids well over one million euros.
Guests enjoyed an abundance of Trinidad cigars, available in various sizes like the popular Fundadores, throughout the event.
This significant fundraising event, yielding more than 17 million euros ($18.5 million), was dedicated to enhancing Cuba's public healthcare initiatives.
The festival's commitment to philanthropy was evident through this auction. It reinforced the notion that this annual gathering serves purposes beyond mere enjoyment and camaraderie among cigar aficionados.
Gala Night and Exceptional Auction Results
The Habanos Festival, held at the prestigious PabExpo Center, honored the distinguished Trinidad brand on its anniversary. The gala provided an immersive experience, with guests indulging in various sizes of Trinidad cigars.
It showcased remarkable auction results, with expertly crafted humidors winning admiration for their artistry.
An unlisted item kicked off an auction unexpectedly and captured the audience's attention: the "Cohiba Tributo," a distinct Year of the Dragon humidor crafted by Elie Bleu. This particular piece set itself apart primarily due to its more modest dimensions.
Contrary to the typical large-scale humidors, designed to accommodate vast quantities of cigars, this one adopted a more conventional approach. It contained 55 select Cohiba Lanceros. This set it apart from its larger counterparts and made the auction's start more exclusive.
Following the initial surprise by Cohiba, the auction moved on to a Hoyo de Monterrey humidor containing 375 cigars, which was sold for 1.15 million euros (around $1.2 million).
It was quickly followed by a sale of a H. Upmann humidor with 350 cigars, reaching a final bid of 2 million euros ($2.2 million). Romeo y Julieta humidor filled with 400 cigars was snapped up for 1.6 million euros (approximately $1.7 million).
The Partagás and Montecristo humidors also achieved remarkable sales. Containing 425 and 450 cigars respectively, humidors closed at sums of 2.2 million euros (about $2.4 million) and 2 million euros (about $2.2 million).
The auction concluded with items presented by Alexandre Avellar from Brazil, alongside Habanos vice president José María Inchaurbe.
The strong interest in the Trinidad humidor, a stylish cabinet made by DeArt S.R.L, was evident. Marking the 55th anniversary, this year's special humidor contained 450 cigars. There were also unique editions from previous years such as Torre Iznaga and Casilda, as well as Cabildos, the 2024 Limited Edition, which has not yet been released.
The Trinidad humidor, with its rich history and exclusive cigars, was sold for an impressive 3.8 million euros (about $4.1 million).
These auction sales figures are especially noteworthy since before 2020, no item at the auction had ever sold for over a million euros. This year, however, each significant item quickly exceeded that price as soon as the bidding began, setting a new record.
The auction was enriched with a blend of live music and vibrant dance performances. The highlight was the charismatic presence of Habanos co-presidents, Luís Sánchez-Harguindey and Maritza Carrillo González. They shared insights into the brand's legacy and future aspirations.
Stellar Philanthropy - Fusion of Luxury, Culture, and Community Support
The philanthropic achievements of the festival were significantly bolstered by the auction of prestigious humidors, which contributed greatly to the total funds raised.
The climax of the auction was the total funds that reached 17.8 million euros ($18.5 million). It marked an unprecedented achievement for the Habanos Festival. This remarkable success significantly contributed to Cuba's healthcare system.
The generosity underscores the festival's role in supporting broader community welfare.
This blend of luxury, culture, and philanthropy represented the essence of this year's Habanos Festival. It will be remembered as a significant event on the global tobacco industry calendar.
Even as the auction was being wrapped up, the festivities were far from over. The entertainment highlight, The Village People, ignited the stage close to 1 am. In the vibrant city of Havana, this was merely the beginning of the night's adventures.
Celebratory Releases at the 24th Habanos Festival
The Habanos Festival has also announced a series of new Cuban cigars, each marking significant anniversaries within the prestigious cigar industry.
Trinidad Marks 55 Years
Celebrating its 55th anniversary, Trinidad has reintroduced the Robusto Extra, now available in regular production with redesigned packaging.
Additionally, the Trinidad Cabildos, a 2024 Edición Limitada, has been announced, alongside a luxurious S.T. Dupont humidor filled with aged Trinidad Fundadores.
Special Editions
The festival spotlighted two more Edición Limitadas: the Ramon Allones Absolutos and the H. Upmann Magnum Finite. They promise unique experiences for cigar lovers, with more details to follow on these exclusive releases.
Quai d’Orsay's 50th Anniversary
Quai d’Orsay celebrates its half-century mark with the Especial d’Orsay. It is a new size presented in 20-count boxes, signifying the brand's transition from a France-exclusive to a globally recognized label.
San Cristobal's Silver Jubilee
San Cristobal commemorates 25 years with the introduction of the 25 Aniversario size and the exclusive Reinas size for the Colección Habanos. Both will be presented in limited-edition formats to celebrate this milestone.
Romeo y Julieta's New Reserva
The festival also previewed the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill as the forthcoming Reserva release, crafted from select 2019 harvest tobacco, available in elegant glossy boxes.
Online Cigars will feature all of these exciting new releases once they become available. Be sure to visit our website to explore these distinguished additions to the Cuban cigar legacy. Stay updated with us to secure your piece of these historic anniversaries and special editions.
The Lasting Impact of the 2024 Habanos Festival
In retrospect, the Habanos Festival once again showcased the finest in Cuban cigar artistry, including the much-anticipated unveiling of new exclusive humidors. But above that, it underscored the profound camaraderie and philanthropic spirit within the cigar-aficionado community.
The unmatched success of the auction in raising funds was coupled with the depth of cultural and social engagement it promoted. All this established a new gold standard for similar events in the future. Ultimately, it solidified its reputation as an indispensable rendezvous for cigar enthusiasts from across the globe.
