Festival del Habano 2024. What did we get for our Money?

[@jasimahmedoficial]

Superb video. Congratulations Signor 😊

[@jonathanstirewalt874]

As always, an excellent recap of the events Laurent. Thank you for sharing you opinions and value of gifts received.

[@habanonews]

My pleasure!

[@seankwong2686]

Thank you so much for doing all the work in details. I really really, really appreciate it. Your effort is priceless it is worthwhile to be your subscriber.

[@habanonews]

thank you for the supporting comment!

[@AntonioRabello44]

Great, excellent.......

[@philiploveswatcheswhiskies9832]

Great content new 2 your channel , I agree food should be excellent or not, cigars look tasty

[@habanonews]

Welcome aboard!

[@YousefAAlkaabi]

You're welcome and nice recap.

[@keithmancinelli3170]

Great video. Thank you for being so detailed in the desciptions!

[@habanonews]

My pleasure!

[@pman31604]

Appreciate the effort to make this video and the list of cigars!

[@habanonews]

Thank you very much it did indeed take me a long time…

[@illestism]

Thank you for this. I may just get me a ticket for the 25 festival. It is definitely worth it

[@habanonews]

You should!

[@neilmcdonald3475]

Thank you for the very interesting, in depth report Laurent. It looks like you get a good haul of Havana cigars and the Dupont lighter looks superb. Cheers.

[@habanonews]

Thank you very much !

[@David-my3uu]

A wonderful report - thanks very much! It’s a bit if a surprise they aren’t featuring their fine local chefs; that seems a very easy fix, as you say.

[@habanonews]

Thank you it is sometimes the easiest things to change that are the most difficult to change.

[@saadhawas2905]

I mean an st dupont lighter that's nice

[@brentandellesoutdooradventures]

We just returned from Havana. While there we discussed the Havana’s festival, and what the costs might be. So thank you for putting this detailed report together.

[@habanonews]

Thank you for the comment!

[@andrewzacks]

Well done, Laurent. Very informative and further motivation to do everything I can to attend in 2025 and hopefully have an opportunity to meet you in person. Best, Andrew

[@habanonews]

I hope so too!

[@pman31604]

Maybe 10 years ago at the Friends of Partagas dinner at The Havana Libre we had a little issue with the first course of carpaccio. Probably 600 plus folks so you know thing are prepared in advance. In a volume situation, you would slice the filet and carefully arrange on the plate and keep in the cooler until service. In the case the plates were kept in the freezer and no one brought took then out to temper. The frozen plates were delivered. Some sampled what we called beef sorbet, others used their new gift lighters to warm the plates and thaw the dish. 😂

[@habanonews]

This is funny ! You right in saying that things are prepared in advanced and it is not that difficult to cook for 500 people or 1,000 as long as you don’t forget to take the food out of the freezer before you serve it! Thanks for the comment!

[@kevinsenior8155]

Thanks so much for that Laurent. Around $4k is actually very cheap when you factor in European prices (for me in the UK, that's a big "ouch") and the amazing selection of cigars provided. That Trinidad ST Dupont lighter looked interesting.... as best I can tell, it is based on the Biggy model. I guess a Perfect Ping was too much to ask for!!!!

[@habanonews]

You're welcome, my pleasure!

[@LukeEdwards-x8c]

I hope they are doing a festival again in 2025 in London. I will definitely attend 😊

[@habanonews]

Please do!

[@ir0n2541]

Great insight, thank you for sharing. another value which was not mentioned is the networking that can be established between different people during the event, these encounters may open up business opportunities.

[@habanonews]

You are totally right. As I said during the video the best place to meet the big players is during the 2 days of the Habanos World Challenge.

[@DESCENDINGDR]

Excellent review!!!!

[@habanonews]

Thank you kindly!

[@chuck3835]

Thanks so much for going over everything at the festival. When I was in Havana a while ago, the food wasn't as good as other places, which is fine while you're travelling, but at the prices at those levels, I understand your concern. Would you mind listing the books about cigars behind you, please? I'd like to look them up.

[@habanonews]

Surre I am preparing a video about the books I use and that I believe are important !

[@chuck3835]

@@habanonews Awesome, thank you so much!

[@cigarexpeditions8247]

Good Stuff. 2 years ago when I enquired about the event they had said that you have to also stay at the events hotels. Is that still the case? Great video.

[@habanonews]

Not at all. I have never met anyone who stayed in this hotel!

[@KashifMotenShow]

Excellent review loved it. Can you please guide me as to where I can purchase cuban tobacco to roll and age my own cigars. Thank you

[@habanonews]

I have not seen loose Cuban tobacco for sale.

[@علي-ت5ث7س]

Can Can you show us the parties and the condition of the hotel?

[@habanonews]

Some Hotels are great. Some older than others but the quality of hotels in increasing thanks to Bouygues mainly.

[@robertkurttreffny6820]

Thank you very much for this review! I am just wondering whether you really smoke a whole cigar per course for example at this Wednesday dinner - or do you start and "stop" after a certain duration for the next course...? Sorry if that might sound "strange" to you, but for some of the cigars for dinner I would need 60 to 90 minutes each. Thank you again!

[@habanonews]

You are totally right. You cannot smoke 4 cigars during the dinner. I usually do not smoke the cogars offered during the dinner until I leave Cuba. It is too difficult to appreciate new cigars in this environment for me. I prefer to smoke something easy.

[@robertkurttreffny6820]

@@habanonews Thank you very much!

[@FlourescentPotato]

I have a question, as someone who knows nothing about this topic. Won't people who go to many events have dozens of cutters, lighters, ashtrays etc.? It makes me wonder if it feels useless to be given even more, after a while

[@habanonews]

As Coco Chanel used to say: You cannot have to much Sex, too much Caviar or too much Money! Can you have too many cutters and lighters?

[@mrmisc8427]

Havana is such a beautiful city and the people are amazing. Only thing putting me off going back is the food. Even went to the best Italian restaurant they had and it was disgusting. It’s not their fault due to the circumstances they find themselves in but it really has put me off returning.

[@habanonews]

You are right. I tend to bring my own spices and cans of tuna when I go there.

[@Dash_Akol]

Cool, do u want to sell something of these beauties!?

[@habanonews]

No Sir but some people are already selling on BondRoberts

[@frederickmooney2581]

I love Trinidad, but I think that Habanos dropped the ball with new pricing. They’re objectively not worth it anymore.

[@habanonews]

With the exception of the Esmeralda I believe you are right

[@LukeEdwards-x8c]

New world cigars are so good too. What is the incentive to buy Cuban? I guess the flavour is different and the history of Cuban cigars is lovely 😊

[@caddyrack]

Awesome video Laurent, excellent explanation of the event. I usually attend Encuentro amigos de Partagas in November and I have a blast. I noticed in your vid that Cohiba wasn't mentioned, any reasons? I have several Behike 56' that are sleeping in my humidor for some time and I should light one up soon Keep up the great work. Cheers from Vancouver Canada

[@habanonews]

No Cohiba in the event this year indeed. 2021 was the 55th anniversary 2026 will be the 60th!

[@caddyrack]

@@habanonews Thanks for the update, I should be ready for the 60th. Cheers

[@alonso11h]

amazing in-depth analysis. im also thinking of attending. can i just have a question, i am a pretty unusual cigar smoker in that i dont eat meat and also nearly no alcohol (i can be pursued for a sip of louis roederer but thats about it), so my question is, do they offer vegetarian options and mocktail alternatives? (obviously not for the champagne pairing, i understand it is set there champagne with cigar, ok, makes sense, but for the other lunches and parties and dinners, do they cater mocktails or non-acoholic alterntavies, or you can drink water instead?) many thanks

[@habanonews]

Thank you very much. What we must understand is that Cubans, like most people living in emerging economies in Asia or Latin America, do not understand that people prefer to eat vegetables over meat as meat is so scarce. There is fish, seafood , rice and beans. You can also find good even very good pizza or pasta places. Even if you do not eat meat, like me by the way, I don't have issues in Cuba. Regarding alcohol, no problem, there is mineral water and in bars or events, they prepare non alcoholic drinks for you. Some times you'll have to tell them what to put in the glass but nowadays there is a sommelier association and they are getting very good at accommodating the wishes of visitors. Regarding the seated dinners, there was no vegetarian option but you could ask for fish over the meat. By the way, during the all conference water is offered on the tables. You can attend a Rum and Cigar pairing without drinking the Rum and just enjoying the cigar. You neighbour will be more than happy to drink your rum.

[@alonso11h]

@@habanonews many thanks for your kind response, it makes sense. i think i will still attend, sounds amazing just to be so close to all that knowledge and tradition. (my personal take on "catering" is that it is "carrying" , which means if i cater i care for whoever comes to me, which i do for my meat-eater friends gladly and from the heart, i do even ask meat eaters if im buying the good stuff, just to make sure...still thats another topic and a matter of culture, i will sure not let that ruin the experience, maybe I get lucky with an extra scoop of rice:) many thanks for the informative videos (from zermatt, also schönen abend noch)