Habanos World Day London

Hundreds of cigar lovers from all over the world have gathered in London for three joyous days of celebrating the Trinidad brand.

The huge affair – the first Habanos World Day which has been able to take place face to face – has brought hordes of cigar fans to enjoy a series of tastings, seminars and dinners in a remarkable mix of people and places to mark the great brand’s 55^th anniversary.

On Thursday night, the event kicked off with a Summer Cocktail Party in Belgrave Square where guests were welcomed by members of staff from Hunters & Frankau, the UK sole importer for Cuban cigars – and handed out the first cigars of what will prove to be a very smoky weekend indeed.

After a welcome from Jemma Freeman, Chairman of Hunters & Frankau, as well as several visiting dignitaries from Habanos SA, the Cuban company responsible for the marketing and distribution of Cuban cigars, guests were able to enjoy an array of cocktails, rum and whisky tents, a wandering oyster shucker, and copious Magnums of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne. Not to mention Trinidad Fundadores and fabulous Robusto Extra cigars which showed off the rich and versatile Trinidad tobacco.

Saturday morning featured a seminar, which included London cigar legend Edward Sahakian, renowned Mexican collector Max Guttman, Ana Lopez from Hunters & Frankau, who is a previous Habanos Director of Marketing, and several special guests from the tobacco world itself, all of whom were at pains to describe how precious the Trinidad brand is to both lovers of cigars and Cuba itself. Among those present were Miguel Barzaga, Director of the Cuban Tobacco Industry, eminent Tobacco scientist, Eumelio Espino and Juanita Ramos, one of only eight rollers originally employed to make the first ever commercial Trinidads.

Outside in the gardens was an exhibition of some of the oldest and greatest Trinidad releases and humidors since it first became a commercial project with the release of the Fundadores in 1998 after previously being made only for visiting diplomats.

Next, guests were taken through a pairing by Antonios Giannousakis and Robert Tomko of Birley Cigars, who had won the privilege by triumphing at an earlier competition to find the best Trinidad accompaniments. They paired a Topes with an ingenious twist on a traditional Cuban cocktail, as well as some specially prepared smoked chocolate from the Birley kitchens. The result was a remarkable and pleasing titillation of the tastebuds.

Later in the day, cigar specialists from across the country celebrated the anniversary with their own guests and their own choice of Trinidad cigars. In London, members of the cigar trade mingled in respective stores and caught up with the news, before ticketed guests arrived to join in the fun.

All that now awaits is they grand Gala Dinner, to be held in the magnificent Victoria and Albert Museum, where hundreds of diners in black tie will dine under the watchful eye of masterpieces by Raphael. The long-awaited Cabildos will be handed out, and an auction will be conducted, with some very special humidors up for grabs.

It’s already been a weekend to remember.