Knežević Won CSWC Montenegro

For the first time ever, Montenegro’s Cigar Smoking World Championship qualification round wasn’t decided by a 15 minute penalty for burning of the ring. In 2023 then newcomer Udo Becker lost the title because of that, in 2024 he instead won because of that, but this year he had to settle with third place despite any penalties involved.

The event was as always held at Aleksandar Đuretić’s Casa de Puros in Podgorica, and it brought together passionate cigar lovers from both Montenegro and abroad.

“Casa de Puros proved once again that it can host a world-class competition with style, precision, and warm hospitality,” CSWC founder Marko Bilic says.

The competition was judged by Đuretić himself and Milica Popović, and in the end last year’s runner-up took a step up on the podium to claim the title.

Stefan Knežević, who was not the one receiving the decisive penalty last year, smoked for 1 hour and 10 minutes, beating Branko Bošković by seven minutes and Becker by eight.

1. Stefan Knežević 1:10
2. Branko Bošković 1:03
3. Udo Becker 1:02