Music, gastronomy, dance and art mixed with the flavour and exclusivity of Cuban mini cigars at the annual dinner organised by Promocigar and ICT as part of the 24th Habano Festival, which highlighted the great results obtained by the business in 2023.
Once again this year, the week of the International Habano Festival featured a special night dedicated to the international distributors of the Cuban mini cigars’ business. On Thursday 29th February, “The Cuban mini cigars night”, organised by Promocigar (Promotora de Cigarros S.L.) and ICT (Internacional Cubana de Tabacos, S.A.), the marketing company and manufacturer of Cuban mini cigars respectively, welcomed 330 guests from all over the world to the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana, a charming setting where guests enjoyed an exclusive party to celebrate the successes achieved by the business over the course of 2023.
During the night those present were able to enjoy both an excellent gastronomic offer and performances by renowned artists, while savouring some of the most recent and successful launches of the Cuban mini cigars, such as the Cohiba Short and the new Cohiba Wide Short, a longer cigarillo and with a slightly wider ring gauge than the Short format, which was presented during the last Habano Festival and which has already begun to reach markets around the world. In addition, all the guests were able to entertain themselves and measure their skill with the darts in a nice welcome game that ensures a prize even for those with poorer aim. And everyone was honoured with the Cohiba Short 88 Year of the Dragon humidor, an elegant limited edition launched to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
A festive parade of stilt-walkers and a musical band of drums and brass players opened the evening to the best of rhythms, while guests enjoyed a welcome cocktail strolling through the museum’s open-air courtyard. And, after taking their seats at the stylishly decorated dinner tables, journalist Gretel Romero elegantly guided a gala that focused on the historic results achieved by Cuban mini cigars over the past year.
After the institutional information and greetings offered by Luis Ricardo Soler Silva, president of Internacional Cubana de Tabacos and Promocigar, and a video that reviewed the achievements of Cuban mini cigars in 2023 and the pillars of their essence and success, presented by Promocigar’s marketing director Jorge Fernández Cabezas, the dinner began. The carefully prepared gastronomic proposal was enlivened by brilliant performances by singers Heidi Chapman and Haila Mompié and choreographies by the Tiempos Company. The main theme of the gala was the four pillars of Cuban mini cigars’ success: the origin of the product, Cuba and its factory; the brands in its portfolio, the best in the cigar world and symbols of a way of life; the continuous innovation applied to its entire offer; and its solid and passionate distribution network.
And just like every year, the distributors were the winners of the event’s awards, presented by Armando Arroyo and Carlos Cespedes, CEOs of Promocigar, Luis Sánchez-Harguindey, vice-president of Promocigar, and Ricardo Soler, president of ICT and Promocigar. On this occasion, the winners were Tobaccoland Handels GmbH & Co KG (Austria), Kaliman Caribe LTD (Bulgaria) and Duty Free Aeropuerto Juan Gualberto Gómez (Varadero, Cuba).
The rest? Music, dancing, joy and many Cuban mini cigars to celebrate the spectacular growth of this business and the commitment of all those players who make it possible, as it deserves.
