The Habanos Festival 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most historic editions yet, not only celebrating the 15th anniversary of Behike but also unveiling something unprecedented, the Habanos Private Selection Program.
Hello dear reader,
The countdown is on. In just a few days, Havana will once again become the epicenter of the cigar world as the 25th Habanos Festival kicks off on February 24, 2025. Anticipation is at an all-time high, and while we’ve come to expect an incredible lineup of events and exclusive releases, this year’s festival has something truly groundbreaking in store.
Yes, we’ll be celebrating iconic brands with the Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Dinner, the H. Upmann Night, and of course, the Gala dedicated to Cohiba Behike’s 15th Anniversary. But Habanos is about to rewrite the rules of exclusivity with an announcement that could change the landscape for collectors forever—the launch of the Habanos Private Selection Program.
A Festival Brimming With Anticipation
Every Habanos Festival is special, but milestone years like this bring an extra layer of grandeur. Beyond the usual program of plantation visits, masterclasses, and factory tours, the evening events set the stage for major brand celebrations:
• Opening Night (Monday, Feb 24): Romeo y Julieta takes center stage in honor of its 150-year legacy, a brand that has stood the test of time literraly.
• H. Upmann Night (Wednesday, Feb 26): An elegant evening dedicated to one of Cuba’s most refined brands, where probably the new Magnum Finite Limited Edition 2024 will likely be the star of the show, unless Habanos surprises us with something new.
• Gala Night (Friday, Feb 28): The most anticipated event of the festival, with all eyes on Behike as it celebrates 15 years since its debut. With the rumors of a Behike 58, this is the night that could define the year for collectors.
Yet, this year, the excitement doesn’t just come from the cigars themselves, it comes from a historic shift in Habanos’ approach to luxury and exclusivity.
The Habanos Private Selection Program: A New Era of Exclusivity
For decades, the Gala Auction Humidors have been the pinnacle of cigar collecting, fetching millions of dollars for one-of-a-kind pieces crafted by Cuba’s best artisans. Owning one of these humidors has always been a symbol of prestige and passion.
But what if winning the auction didn’t just mean acquiring a rare humidor, but access to a completely new level of privilege in the cigar world?
That’s exactly what Habanos is introducing with the Private Selection Program, an exclusive membership offered only to the winners of the Festival’s famous auction humidors. This is the absolute collector’s item, it’s an entry into the most elite circle of Habanos aficionados ever created.
What Does the Private Selection Program Offer?
So, let’s say you win a $4 million humidor at this year’s Gala. Here’s what that gets you:
• Priority Access to Cohiba & Trinidad: You’ll have first pick of the most sought-after cigars in the world, including the hardest-to-find lines of Cohiba, Trinidad, and other luxury releases like Montecristo’s Línea 1935, Romeo y Julieta’s Línea de Oro, and Partagás’ Línea Maestra.
• Exclusive Access to Limited & Special Releases: While most aficionados scramble to secure Edición Limitadas and Regional Editions, members of this program will have priority allocation before these cigars even reach the market.
• Personalized Collection Curation: This is where things get truly unique. Customization at an unprecedented level. Habanos has hinted at tailor-made bands, custom seals, exclusive cases, and possibly even personalized cigar selections based on the buyer’s taste. It echoes the legendary Alfred Dunhill commissions of the past, but now on a much grander, global scale.
A Game-Changer for Collectors
This move elevates Habanos into an entirely new realm of luxury, aligning with how ultra-high-net-worth collectors approach wine, watches, and fine art. It’s no longer just about owning a rare cigar—it’s about being part of a private, invitation-only world where rarity and privilege go hand in hand.
We’ve seen incredible auction humidors before, but this program takes it to the next level doesn’t it?.
If the Cohiba humidor fetched $4.5 million at auction, imagine what prices could be like now that Habanos has introduced a loyalty program at the highest level of exclusivity.
While all this sounds absolutely amazing, is there someone being left out?
On paper, this sounds like a dream for high-end collectors. But what does it mean for the majority of cigar lovers, the ones who won’t be bidding on multi-million-dollar humidors? Or even worse, those that do bid but don’t win.
The most significant concern isn’t about custom humidors or exclusive cigars, it’s about priority access to the most sought-after Cuban cigars in the world. Does this mean that Cohiba, Trinidad, and the high-end lines of Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta will become even harder to find?
For years, availability has been one of the biggest struggles for Cuban cigar smokers. Anyone who’s tried to buy a Cohiba Lancero or a Trinidad Fundadores in recent times knows just how difficult it has become. Now, with an elite group being granted first access, does this mean even fewer cigars will ever reach the regular market?
I can’t even remember the last time I saw a Cohiba Lancero on a humidor shelf in my region or during my travels. And with this new program in place, will that ever change?
I guess we’ll just have to wait, hope, and see.
Wishing you rich flavors and good company—until we meet again.