The world of cigars

Exactly one year after their presentation at the Festival del Habano 2023, some cigars from the Partagás premium line arrived in the cigar shops in Cuba, the first country to market them.     Boxes of the Partagás Línea Maestra went on sale in Cuban La Casa del Habano during the Habano Festival 2024 and the week that followed. A

The author of the “bible” of vintage Havanas died on Saturday March 9. Min Ron Nee’s signature appearing at the bottom of the preface to his book (© DR) Min Ron Nee, cigar collector and author of An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars, a reference book for fans of vintage Havana Cigars, died this Saturday, March 9. L’Amateur de

L’Amateur de Cigare reveals the identity and functions of the woman who bought the Cohiba humidor for €4.5 million this Friday March 1 in Havana. Xiaohong Hu at a reception at the Kempinski Hotel on Saturday, March 2, the day after the XXIVth Habanos Festival.   Xiaohong Hu, chairman of the Chinese media group ZSHK, is not only the proud

Annie Lorenzo, Managing Editor of L’Amateur de Cigare, received the 2023 Habano Award in the Communication category this Friday March 1 in Cuba. Annie Lorenzo is part of the team that founded the French magazine in 1994, exactly 30 years ago, under the leadership of Jean-Paul Kauffmann, also winner of the Habano Award in 1999. This year, the other two

Dag Holmboe, CEO of The Pacific Cigar Company, exclusive distributor of Cuban cigars in Asia, denies the rumors. And confirms that the shortage of Havanas is global. Excerpts from the interview he gave us in L’Amateur de Cigare English edition #16, currently available for subscribers.   Interview by Jean-Pascal Grosso, our special correspondent in Hong Kong   L’Amateur de Cigare:

The Dominican Republic brand, La Flor Dominicana presents an exclusive cigar for the Canadian market. The “Exclusivo Canada” cigar was produced in a limited edition of 6 000.  The figurado measures 165 mm x 52 and comes in boxes of 20.  What is very interesting and cool about this cigar is that it features a special tobacco in the shape

Announced more than three years ago by Habanos S.A., this 2021 Limited Edition will be launched in London on February 7.   Third and last limited edition 2021 after the Cohiba 55 Aniversario and the Hoyo de Monterrey Monterreyes Nº 4, the Bolívar Regentes, announced for more than three years, will be officially launched at London’s Boisdale Canary Wharf on

In a letter sent to French cigar shops on September 29, Coprova does not see any improvement in supplies.   “The latest information received from our supplier [Habanos SA, editor’s note] indicates to us that difficulties relating to availability will continue to affect the various Habanos markets around the world,” write Enrique Babot and Antoine Bathie, co-general managers of Coprova,

The cigar industry won a historic victory in a federal court in Washington. While commentators considered this hypothesis most unlikely, the US Department of Justice has decided to appeal the judgment of August 9 in favor of the premium cigar industry, announced to L’Amateur Fred Vandermarliere , president of Oliva cigars. “It wasn’t really expected, it’s a shame,” he said.

On August 9, a federal judge in Washington canceled the FDA’s handmade cigar market regulation. Rocky Patel was the face of this fight which lasted almost eight years. We met him in the aisles of the Intertabac trade fair in Dortmund (Germany) on September 15.   L’Amateur de Cigare: What was your first reaction when you learned the victory against

More than 60 dryers have been partially or totally destroyed, according to the official Cuban press. Heavily hit by Cyclone Ian last year, the region of Pinar del Rio (west) was again hit by a hurricane at the beginning of last week, even if the damage was less extensive. The roofs of 13 natural dryers were partially damaged, as were

After the victory of the cigar industry over the FDA, the gap is widening between an American market still as little regulated and European markets which are sinking into repression. Analysis.   The decision of the federal judge is a clear and fully deserved victory for the cigar industry in the United States. A clear victory because the judge completely

According to our sources, the buyer of the Cohiba humidor, whose sale set a new record last night during the closing party of the 23rd Festival del Habano, is one of the main shareholders of Habanos S.A., via the Allied group, owner of 50% of the shares of the Havana-based company.   This Chinese businessman based in Laos was represented

  Summary Editorial There is no reason why the cigar world would escape the widespread inflation that is affecting all four corners of the world, but Cuban cigar lovers thought that they had already paid their share with the “hammer blow” they received last July (see L’ADC English edition #8 and #9). Habanos S.A.’s Chinese shareholders, who have embarked on

The increase announced by Habanos SA to its distributors came into effect two days ago. For many years as director of an important cigar shop, clients regularly asked “Is this cigar really worth $100?”.  The reply was always a variation of “It all depends on what $100 means to you.”  And so, cigar lovers occasionally treated themselves and purchased that

The Diplomáticos PCC 30th RE Asia-Pacific was premiered. The Pacific Cigar Company (PCC), exclusive distributor of Cuban cigars in some fifteen countries in the Asia-Pacific zone, celebrated its 30th anniversary on December 7 and 8 at the Kerry Hotel in Hong Kong. The 200 guests first had the Bolivar Silver Jubilee RE Hong Kong 2017, then the Sancho Panza El

Several distributors around the world are announcing price increases from January 1, 2023. Only a few months after a historic increase in its prices (see L’ADC English Edition #8 and #9), Habanos SA announces a new increase in the prices at which it supplies its cigars to exclusive distributors – which will have direct consequences on the prices imposed on

  Summary   Dominican Republic vs Nicaragua: Who is the real leader? The Dominican Republic’s total tobacco exports are impressive, but this figure includes both tobacco leaves as well as manufactured tobacco, including machine-rolled cigars. Moreover, the country also imports a lot of tobacco, in particular to offset its weakness in one area: the production of wrapper leaves. Nicaragua, meanwhile, can