La Casa del Habano first quarter of a century

[acidmase]

La Casa del Habano celebrated Wednesday its first quarter of a century with a special gala at the El Laguito protocol hall.

The function highlighted the significance of the first-ever house from this prestigious franchise that opened in Mexico’s Cancun, thus paving the way for a new and embracing concept that currently boasts 140 stores in over 65 countries.

“La Casa del Habano has managed to achieve its goal: to become a store specialized in the sale of habanos, featuring the best service and advisory, and where lovers of the ultimate smoke can buy and puff on the world’s finest cigars, let alone have access to the most exclusive assortment of items related to this deluxe product,” said Javier Terrés Ercilla, Development vice president with Habanos S.A.

In line with this celebration, Habanos honored the 20 founding Casas and rolled out an exclusive special box: a humidor whose design recreates a house of fancy columns and broad doors, delicately carved in precious wood by the most talented Cuban handcrafters. The refined case contains 30 cigars from the La Gloria Cubana brand, with vitolas especially handpicked for the occasion.

[oliverdst]

"To celebrate its 25th birthday, Habanos S.A. is presenting an exclusive and special case: a humidor boasting a suggestive design that recreates a house with elegant columns and large doors, with the franchise’s distinctive colors, delicately carved in precious wood by the very best Cuban handcrafters.

The case contains 30 La Gloria Cubana cigars completely rolled by hand with leaves from Vuelta Abajo. The vitolas selected for this occasion are exclusive for this particular humidor and are not part of the brand’s regular portfolio: 15 Pirámides La Gloria Cubana (ring gauge 52 x 156 mm long) and 15 Robusto Extra La Gloria Cubana (ring gauge 48 x 170 mm long)."

[terrantheman]

When do we get them?

[acidmase]

i assume its gonna be atlas 5 grand for the humidor

[CanuckSARTech]

Was hoping to at least see, if not try, one of these LGC releases during the festival last week.

Nope.

[SoCalSmoker]

Another picture.

Andrew Ryan tell us your thoughts

[Dozerhead]

I wonder when El Prez will have these on the 24:24?

[El Presidente]

Nestor Valera (head of LCDH) I know well from his time at PCC. Just a lovely human being.

As well as we get on, I doubt I will ever see one

[BonVivant]

Was it rolled at El Laguito, the best factory in Cuba? The same place, the celebration took place?

[Ryan]

Was it rolled at El Laguito, the best factory in Cuba? The same place, the celebration took place?

It wasn't at El Laguito the factory, it was at El Laguito the conference centre. It's a nice spot, much more airy than the Pabexpo (which is just awful), overlooking the pool that is the actual "El Laguito". It's very near the factory.

I don't know where it was rolled but La Corona rings a bell for some reason. I could well be wrong though.

I smoked the piramide last night. Very nice cigar, a little bit light for the size and the draw was a little loose, but not noticeably underfilled.

Nice construction, solid foot, nice wrapper.

I didn't smoke it with the thoughts of doing a full review but the main impressions were lovely "lively" flavours and aroma, very floral. As Prez has said before in a review of a Yolanda, a lot of seco, not very strong but very flavourful.

The was a little touch of "dryness" on the finish, that's the best way I can describe it, but that could be a sign of youth. More woodiness, cedar, came in in the second half. This cigar was not one that came in the gift box so it wasn't that. This was the loose one given out on the night, for smoking, it has been in a singles humidor since I got home.

Overall very impressed. I haven't been this impressed by a newly released Habanos production cigar since the Upmann Royal Robusto I had in early 2011.

Gift box on the night

There was this amount of waiters, maybe 200

And this amount of glasses, 7, per setting

And they still ran out of wine before the starters even arrived.

Speaking of the food, in typical Habanos event fashion, it was inedible.

I barely touched my H

But at least I had a date for the night

The first course was ceviche, that wasn't so bad.

Second course was "poultry terrine". "Cold Chicken McNugget" would have been more accurate.

The third course was a lump of raw tuna that I wasn't going to risk.

The dancers were nice though.

The company was very pleasant

Reza was in flying form

At the end of the night each table got a bottle of the (launched that night) Havana Club Union. A mix of Havana Club rum and some other rum, that went on sale in the shops the following day for 350cuc. I nearly had the table convinced to save it and we could swap it with Ernesto for free drinks for all of us all night in the Gato. Of course somebody had to have a taste, so that was that.

[Ryan]

Of course we ended up back in the usual spot anyway.

Yiorgos, Bogusha, Laura, Gordana

Yours truly, Stuart Fox and Albert Stagnetto.

[Jeremy Festa]

Great update Andy! And Happy St Patrick's Day! Sláinte

Sent from my iPhone

[madandana]

Thanks for the picks. Good to see Yiorgos. And I assume Stuart is Rob brother?

[Ryan]

Thanks for the picks. Good to see Yiorgos. And I assume Stuart is Rob brother?

That he is.

[Strada]

Good write up Andy! The Unión was quite nice but when I saw the 350cuc price the next day I thought yikes...

Let me add that anyone interested by the #0001 of these can look for it in Mtl...

And for the box codes ninjas, here is the back of the two cigar box given out.

[Ryan]

So Partagas.

I haven't bothered to look at the bottom of my box!