The XIX Habano Festival, the largest annual international event for the lovers of the best tobacco in the world, kicked off yesterday, February 27th, and runs until March 3rd. This year, the main protagonists will be H. Upmann, Montecristo and Quai D’Orsay, the Habano brands that will introduce important new releases in their portfolios.
In the press conference hosted by Leopoldo Cintra González, Commercial Vice President, and Javier Terrés de Ercilla, Development Vice President from Habanos, S.A., announced the main launches for this year, highlighted with the new Montecristo Línea 1935.
The new Línea 1935 takes its name from the year of this legendary brand foundation being the premium line of the Montecristo brand, and will be made available in three vitolas: Maltés (53 ×153 mm [6" x 53]), Dumas (49 x 130 mm [5" x 49]) and Leyenda (55 x 165 mm [6½" x 55]). The first two vitolas are brand new vitolas in the Habanos portfolio, and the third one takes the form of the special limited edition Montecristo 80 Aniversario, launched in 2015 to commemorate the brand’s 80th Anniversary. The Habanos of Montecristo Línea 1935 have a new and differentiated presentation and a full-strength flavor blend for the first time in this brand.
One of this year main releases is the launch of H. Upmann Sir Winston Gran Reserva 2011 (47 x 178 mm [7" x 47]), in which the filler, binder and wrapper leaves used have undergone a long and careful five-year aging process. This is the first Gran Reserva by H. Upmann, and is presented in a unique and exclusive selection of only 5,000 numbered cases. The Welcome Evening of the Festival was dedicated to the H. Upmann Sir Winston Gran Reserva 2011, which took place at the Club Habana, an historic venue in Havana.
The new design of the Quai D’Orsay brand will be also presented in the XIX Habano Festival, and includes two new vitolas in its portfolio: No 50 (50 x 110 mm [4⅓" x 40) and No 54 (54 x 135 mm [5⅓" x 54]), in order to create an attractive brand portfolio that will be available worldwide through the Habanos international distribution network. The brand Romeo y Julieta presents Petit Royales (47 x 95 mm [4" x 47]), a totally new vitola that will join this product portfolio, with a heavy ring gauge and short length, a format that is increasingly appreciated by the current Habano lovers.