XIII Habanos Festival, February 21st - 25th 2011

Monday, December 6th, 2010

13th Habanos Festival

Like every February, Havana will become the stage of the world’s largest cigar gathering. The 13th Habanos festival will be taking place between February 21st and 25th 2011. Like every year, the festival will give the participants a chance to experience first hand the whole process of making a Habanos cigar, as well as a chance to enjoy some of the new releases and learn about the history and traditions of the Cuban cigar industry.

The program of the festival is as followed (from Habanos.com website)

Sunday 20/02
10.00-16.00 hrs.	Registration (Palacio de Convenciones)
Monday 21/02
09.00 hrs.	Registration (Palacio de Convenciones)
9:30 -10:30 hrs.	Press conference. Handing out of the press dossier on the XIIIth Festival. * (Hall 3) (Palacio de Convenciones)
10.30-17.00 hrs.	Preliminary International Habanosommelier Contest. (Hall 5) **
14:00 hrs.	Trade Fair opening
14.30 hrs.	Preliminary Habanos/Cuban Rums combination (Hall 6) **
19:00 hrs.	Welcoming evening Concert: “All Brouwer” with music composed and conducted by the famous Cuban composer and musician Leo Brouwer, winner of the 2010 Latin Grammy
20:30 hrs.	Welcoming cocktail party dedicated to the Partagás brand
* For the accredited press and Exclusive Distributors **Invitation required
Tuesday 22/02
07.00 hrs.	Visit to plantations
10.00 hrs.	Preliminary blind tasting of Habanos with the participation of factory tasters, sommeliers and aficionados (Hall 6)**
** Invitation required
Miércoles 23/02
10.00-10.15 hrs.	Opening of the International Seminar
10.15-11.15 hrs.	Master Lecture: “Origin and Evolution of Aluminium Tubes for Habanos”. Simon Chase (Hall 4)
11.15-11.45 hrs.	Coffee Break
11.45-13.15 hrs.	Master class on cigar rolling technique made totally by hand. Making a Belicoso. (Hall 1)
13.15-14.45 hrs.	Lunch at “El Bucán” restaurant.
15.00-16.30 hrs.	Flavors and Aromas: Marriages of Habanos with coffee, brandy, tequila and other products
20:00	H. Upmann Evening
Thursday 24/02
09.00-12.00 hrs.	Visit to Habanos factories
12.30-14.00 hrs.	Lunch at “El Bucán” restaurant
14.00-15:30 hrs.	Habanos final blind tasting. (Hall 4)
15:30-17:00 hrs.	Final Habanos/Cuban aged rums combination (Hall 3)
Friday 25/02
9:30-11:00 hrs.	International Habanosommelier Final Contest (Hall 3)
11:00-11:30 hrs.	Coffee break
11:30-12:30 hrs.	Cuban cacao: perfect combination for after-dinner chat. Cuban chocolates/Habanos marriage. (Hall 1)
12:30- 13.00 hrs.	Closing of the Seminar and Trade Fair (Hall 1) Awarding ceremony: - Best stand of each category - Winner of the International Habanosommelier Contest
13:00 hrs.	Lunch at “El Bucán” restaurant
19:00 hrs.	Montecristo Gala Evening: PABEXPO. Hall C

The Cigars.ie gang will be there with daily coverage of the festival, for those of you that will not be able to make it. However, if you are still itching to join us, drop us an email and we will do our best to persuade you!