Habanos Gala Auction sets new records
The 23rd Festival del Habano culminated in the spectacular Gala Dinner. Guests were treated to an evening of entertainment, fine food and, of course, fantastic cigars.
The evening, presented by Ray Cruz and Clarita García, featured two orchestras conducted by Maestro Manolito Simonet, as well as an audio visual, dance and circus show.
Among the artists who provided the entertainment for the evening were Zule Guerra, Lily Dayli, Vocal Leo, Bárbara Llanes, Leo Vera, Tammy López, Cristian Alejandro and Rodrigo Sosa. In addition, the dance companies Lizt Alfonso, Fumescu and Habana Compass Dance surprised guests with their performances.
The concert concluded with Boney M playing some of the disco classics for which they are so well loved.
The traditional auction took place and proved to be a record breaking event.
Six humidors, from the major global brands, were auctioned and raised a total of €11,220,000.
The Cohiba humidor, the biggest price on the night, fetched €4,200,000.
As with previous years, all proceeds from the auction will go to the Cuban Public Healthcare System.
The Habanos Awards (previously Habanos Hombre de Ano) were also presented during the evening. They went to:
Habano Award in Communication: Jasim Ahmed
He has become a benchmark on social media, with over 143,000 followers and his educational videos have reached over 31 million views.
Habano Award in Production: Yoandi Rodríguez Porra
Nominated in 2021 and 2022 he has been recognised as the best producer of wrapper leaf in the municipality of Sancti Spíritus and the best producer of wrapper for export in recent years.
Habano Award in Business: Blanca Alsogaray
She founded the first La Casa Del Habano in Argentina in 1992 which has gone on to become a world famous Habanos destination. She has gone on to become a leading figure in many of the clubs and associations dedicated to Habanos
The Habanos World Challenge was won by Mr. Antonios Pasparakis and Mr. Efthymios Karacristianoidis representing Greece.
