Just came back from Havana, where the Amigos de Partagás Festival once again proved why it’s one of the most heartfelt gatherings in the cigar world.
Hello, dear reader,
Just back from Havana, with the warm air of the Malecón still clinging to my clothes and that unmistakable aroma of Partagás lingering through my luggage, I felt compelled to sit down and write about what unfolded last week: the Amigos de Partagás Festival, one of Cuba’s most intimate, soulful, and culturally rich cigar gatherings.
Unlike the grand scale of the Festival del Habano, this event feels like stepping into a private gathering of people who genuinely love the craft, a small yet deeply meaningful celebration dedicated to Partagás, its legacy, and the community that has grown around it.
This year’s edition balanced nostalgia, friendship, and a healthy dose of Havana glamour. What follows is a moment-by-moment walk through each event, as I lived it.
First, let’s talk about what the Amigos de Partagás Festival actually is.
The festival has always been more than a program, I see it as a reunion. A meeting point for aficionados, collectors, and old friends who share the same instinctive love for the cuban cigars. Historically founded in homage to the Partagás factory and its workers, the gathering reflects everything the marca represents: tradition, bold flavor, Havana culture, and the stories that cigars carry from one generation to the next.
This year’s program brought together heritage, relaxation, gastronomy, and one unforgettable gala night.
Welcome Cocktail. La Casa de la Amistad
The week began at La Casa de la Amistad, that stately colonial mansion where Havana’s past seems to walk alongside you. Once the site of masked balls with the kind of glamour that makes you wish the walls could talk, the venue set the perfect tone for the festival even though the weather wanted to intrude a bit.
The evening unfolded as you would expect, rum, cocktails, cigars and friends reconnecting after months or even years apart. But the highlight, at least for me, was the Partagás exhibition, a meticulously assembled collection of memorabilia from the original factory that tragically burned down.
Old wall décor, framed labels, vintage cigar bands, historic materials. These were fragments of pure Cuban cigar history. And what made it even more special? You could actually purchase them.
There was something profoundly moving about holding a relic from that era, a tangible reminder of the people and hands that built the brand’s legacy.
A Day at Marina Tarará. Beach, Breeze, and Cigars
The next morning carried us to Marina Tarará, one of those classic Cuban beaches where you forget about the time.
It was a day of pure leisure: sun, laughter, the rustling palms, and a seemingly endless flow of cigars passed from hand to hand. Rum and cigar tastings felt natural at this place
No pretension, no rush, just cigars and good company, which is perhaps the purest form of luxury.
A Day at Finca La Pinta — Countryside Calm
From the sea to the countryside, the festival shifted pace as we were welcomed to Finca La Pinta. If Marina Tarará felt like freedom, this felt like home.
Under the shade of tropical palm trees, we enjoyed a classic Cuban countryside lunch, served with the kind of warmth that defines rural hospitality on the island. Rum flowed generously, cigars were everywhere, and time again slowed down so we could properly enjoy the day.
The Gala Dinner, Cabaret Tropicana in Full Splendor
And then came the pinnacle of the week, the Gala Dinner at the Cabaret Tropicana.
If you’ve ever stepped into Tropicana at night, you know the place is electric. The open-air stage, the lush greenery, the swirling lights, it’s Old Havana glamour reborn in technicolor. But experiencing it during the Amigos de Partagás festival is something else entirely.
The evening unfolded with a seated dinner surrounded by spectacular performances, a soundtrack of Cuban rhythms, and dancers moving with that effortless Havana grace, and all this happening on a stage where Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and many others performed. Amid all that artistry, Partagás remained the anchor of the night.
Among the cigars that we were offered there was the Lusitania, a timeless choice for an evening like this and the Origen, which added a modern twist.
But another highlight came later in the night: the humidor auction, where two remarkable pieces were presented.
A Multi-Brand Humidor filled with an incredible selection of cigars, including:
Diplomaticos Leal, San Cristóbal 20th Aniversario, Romeo y Julieta Cupidos, H. Upmann Magnum Finite, Ramón Allones Absolutos, Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona
… and many more treasures.
The Cohiba Humidor containing: Behike 52, Behike 54, Behike 56, Cohiba Espléndidos Gran Reserva, Cohiba Ideales and Cohiba Vistosos
Together, the two humidors raised $140,000, all donated to the Cuban Health System, a meaningful reminder that cigar culture, at its best, gives back to the island that created it.
VIP Party, La Mansión Castillo
The “off the menu” event, the VIP Party at La Mansión Castillo, was an unexpected delight. Señor E. Castillo is a force of nature, a brilliant Cuban artist whose mansion feels like stepping into his imagination.
The space is filled with color, sculpture, and emotion, and wandering through with a cigar in hand felt almost surreal. The atmosphere was warm, lively, and deeply artistic. For anyone visiting Havana, this place is a must.
It was a big pleasure to participate in this festival again, a smaller but more authentic experience than the February festival but equally important to us cigar enthusiasts.
It’s Havana in its truest form: generous, cultural, emotional, and always accompanied by smoke rising slowly from our favourite cigars.
Wishing you rich flavors and good company, until we meet again.