The XVI Encuentro Amigos de Partagás, for the first time, has become an Habanos official event. This recognition awards the hard work put in place in the last 15 years from Francesco Minetti (President of the Cigar Club Don Alejandro Robaina), and all the staff of the club.

The event gathered around 1.000 people from over fifteen different countries. Beyond doubt, those figures highlight the notoriety and importance of the event not only in Italy but also worldwide.

There were important personalities like five of the most famous Habano Awards, three of the most recognized cigar rollers -torcedores in Cuba, the managers of La Casa del Habano in Partagás and Romeo y Julieta, H.E. the Cuban Ambassador in Italy Mirtha Granda, the amazing Cuban singer Haila María Mompié ‘La Diva’, the famous Cuban singer and record producer Aned Mota Centeno, the singer Pilar Bojero, the Cuban presenter Raquel Mayedo and the Cuban Chef Luis Ramón Battle.

In addtition to the themed dinners celebrated during the 4 days of this outstanding event, were held a number of seminars and tastings that no aficionado wanted to miss. All tickets were completely sold out.

The first seminar was dedicated to Lilliputano, a vitola that has disappeared for over half a century, and was led by Maestro Torcedor, as well as Hombre Habano, (Josè Castelar Cairo) named “Cueto” and Valerio Cornale (collector, expert on Cuban memorabilia and Hombre Habanos 2015). During the two seminars of “La Historia se contarà”, the greatest Cuban torcedores, Leopoldina Gutierrez Espinosa (La China), Juana Ramos Guerra (Juanita), and Josè Castelar Cairo (Cueto), were interviewed by Luigi Ferri, with the translation by Andrea Vecchione, on the procedures and techniques that permeate the world of torcedores and catadores. Another seminar was “Dal Parlamento dei fumatori alla Cumbre”, an interesting meeting with guests Valerio Cornale, Salvatore Parisi, Andrea Molinari, and Paul De Sury, who told in person about the advent of Cuban cigars in Italy.

As it could not be otherwise, the main character of the event was the Habanos with two high-level tastings. One dedicated to the Cohiba Lanceros & Havana Club Tribute 2021 led by three great experts, Cosimo Attanasi, Valerio Cornale, and Paul De Sury. The second one dedicated to a vintage cigar, the Punch Royal Selection No.11 from 2000, paired with Champagne Henri Giraud Fût de Chêne MV10 and Henri Giraud Ratafia and led by the great experts Alberto Lupetti, Giuseppe Dussin, and Valerio Cornale.

Diadema S.p.A., the exclusive importer and distributor of Habanos for the Italian market, had the opportunity to present on Friday’s dinner a national preview of the Diplomaticos No.2, brand that has been recently registered in the local market for its sale. Additionally, Diadema presented in the Gala dinner a world preview of the new Edición Regional reserved for Italy, the Ramón Allones Noellas 2020. Both cigars were tasted during the event.

Last but not least, aficionados had the opportunity to see for the first time (and before the official launch) the new commemorative jar of the XVI Encuentro Amigos de Partagás, this year dedicated to the Montecristo No.1.