• Submitted by: lena campos
• Events
• 11 / 21 / 2012

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Cuban tobacco industry earned new recognition at the 23rd International Meeting of Clients and Friends of Partagas, with the attendance of 270 persons of 15 countries.

The traditional party of aromatic smoke continues until next Friday the 23rd, with meetings, visits, habano tasting trials and professional exchanges with the participation of experts or simple Cuban habano lovers, considered the best in the world in the handmade Premium category.

 The director of the Casa Partagas, Rene Valdes, acknowledged this event picks up steam every year with new participants.

 The establishment belonging to the Commercial Group Tiendas Caracol is one of the most relevant in the Casa del Habano chain of stores.

 This franchise is managed by the Habanos S.A. International Corporation and was founded in 1990, starting with a tobacco house in the Mexican beach resort of Cancun, followed by the Casa Partagas the following year.

 La Casa is located in the ground floor of the Partagas factory, founded in 1845, when the brand made its debut, presented by Spanish merchant Don Jaime Partagas.

 This year, the event is attended by businesspeople, collectionists, executives, artists from Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Italy, France, Spain, United States, Holland, Mexico, Japan, Portugal, Switzerland, South Africa (for the first time) and Cayman Islands.

 Valdes announced that during the week, participants will taste habanos of the highest quality, old famous and new, as Series C No.3 and E No.5 of Partagas.

 There will also be, he said, a forum on commercial experiences, an auction of humidors and cigar chests, as well as a raffle of new vitolas, crates and works of art linked to the world of habanos.

 The auction produce will be donated to the Cuban national health system.

 Cuban artist Zaida del Rio will be the main course at the gala and closing ceremony of the event, when she will paint a canvas on the history of tobacco which will also be auctioned, together with other valuable items.

 Since the opening in 1991 until now, the Casa Partagas has contributed 47 million CUC (one CUC or Cuban Convertible Currency is equivalent to 1.10 US dollars at present exchange rate).

 The celebrities who have attended this event include US filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Jack Nicholson, French Gerard Depardieu and the leader of Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro, from a long list of participants.
Source: Prensa Latina