One of the most anticipated cigar gatherings of the year kicked off this Thursday in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. More than 100 cigar enthusiasts from different parts of the world gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Amicigar.
The event could not have started in a better way. In the year that the Habanos Festival was postponed and with the world going through a particular time, Ho Chi Minh City was set as an oasis for friends to reunite, celebrate friendship, and share a cigar together.
The cigars started to burn, and the conversation started to flow early at the Cigar Trophy-winning lounge, named the best in Asia in 2025. The La Casa del Habano was the meeting point, as the guests came to register for the event and took the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere at the four-story cigar shop, which is definitely one of the most impressive cigar lounges in the world.
But the event only officially started at 7 pm with the welcome dinner at Shri Restaurant. The rooftop offered an amazing view of the skyline of Ho Chi Minh City, and the guests enjoyed not only the view but also a dinner filled with premium wines, spirits, and special cigars. Gino Iannilo, one of the founders of Amicigar, welcomed the guests and was followed by Daria Spitsyna, from Avanti Group, and Thuy Van Kot, from Golden Phoenix, the co-organizers of this year’s Amicigar. The music, the fun, and the conversation flowed from 7 until 11 pm.
But those who usually attend cigar events know well that there is always a desire for one last cigar and drink, and no place could be better to fulfill this desire than the La Casa del Habano. At least 40 people went to the restaurant on the fourth floor and finished the first night of activities of this year’s Amicigar edition, where the day had started.


