Business

A court ruling in the British Virgin Islands paves the way for companies linked to the Chinese-Cambodian businessman to be returned to their directors — a development that could further complicate operations across the Cuban cigar industry. It is a victory for Chen Zhi. But not necessarily good news for distributors of Cuban cigars. On October 21, a judge in

“Fifth Avenue is insolvent, not because it cannot pay, but because it is not allowed to,” says its insolvency administrator. Fifth Avenue has substantial cash reserves and well-stocked warehouses. Yet the exclusive importer of Cuban cigars in Germany, Austria and Poland has now entered formal insolvency proceedings. The Local Court of Waldshut-Tiengen opened the proceedings on Sunday, November 1, and

Founder of the American magazine Cigar Aficionado in 1992, Marvin Shanken died on October 29 at the age of 83. He did not start the cigar boom of the 1990s, but he played a significant role in fueling it. Marvin Shanken, founder and publisher of Cigar Aficionado, died on Thursday, October 29, at the age of 83, the American magazine

The cigar manufacturer has signed an agreement with Florida International University (FIU) to develop new tobacco production methods. The goal is to improve yields and quality while reducing costs. Initial experiments are scheduled to begin in 2027. Tobacco production methods have not evolved as quickly as they should have. With this in mind, Christian Eiroa, owner of CLE Cigars, has

With Germany’s Habanos distributor in insolvency proceedings since early September, Habanos S.A. is refusing to allow the country’s La Casa del Habano stores to sell cigars from other origins.   In a letter sent on October 22 to German La Casa del Habano (LCDH) franchisees, a copy of which was obtained by L’Amateur de Cigare, Fifth Avenue reveals that discussions

Named La Gran Cata (the grand tasting), this first edition will take place from January 23 to 27, 2027. Tickets are on sale on the event website. Registration is now open for the inaugural Honduras Cigar Festival, which will take place from January 23 to 27. Following the arrival of international participants on January 23 at Palmerola Airport (XPL), the

The Havana-based group announces a new Quality Director. Further personnel changes are expected. Update (October 21, 2026) — The reorganization of the Habanos S.A. executive team continues. Following the recent appointment of Dariel Regal Veitia as Director of Operational Marketing and the confirmation of Alberto Donar Cruz Rojas as Vice President of Sales, the group has announced the appointment of

In a dramatic turn of events for the Norwegian cigar industry, the Ministry of Health and Care Services (HOD) has officially called off the collection of registration fees following a major pushback by the country’s leading importers and the threat of imminent legal action Norwegian authorities have ultimately sided with cigar importers united behind companies such as Augusto International and

The Bundestag has passed the tobacco tax reform, rejecting the dramatic increase that had threatened cigars and cigarillos. The ad valorem tax rate will ultimately rise to 3.83%, rather than the 21.05% envisaged under the worst-case scenario. The German Cigar Manufacturers Association (BdZ) welcomes a compromise that has averted the worst. Update, October 16, 2026 — Relief is now official

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The target of 12,000 hectares of plantings in the province of Pinar del Río is close to the results of previous years. The 2026-2027 Cuban tobacco season was officially kicked off at the La Palma tobacco collection and processing company (ABT) in Pinar del Río, singled out for its results during the previous season. The state-owned group Tabacuba plans to

Nine years after its London launch as a Limited Edition, the Cohiba Talismán returns to the British capital as a regular-production cigar. Its presentation in London on October 7, before some 400 guests, also marked the start of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Habanos’ most prestigious brand. There was a certain logic to seeing the Cohiba Talismán return

After thirty years in Cuba, British American Tobacco has sold its 50% stake in Brascuba to Tabacuba, leaving the state-owned group with the keys to the cigarette company. British American Tobacco (BAT), the British giant, no longer has any presence in Cuba. Last February, it sold its 50% stake in Brascuba, a cigarette-manufacturing joint venture created in 1995 with the

To mark its centenary, VCF (Oliva, Nub, Aliados…) wanted to share a century of family history and Belgian roots with the public through an exhibition at the National Tobacco Museum in Wervik. The municipality rejected the project, citing anti-smoking legislation. VCF has publicly expressed its regret over this decision. A century of history, yet no exhibition to tell the story.

A Spanish national of Cuban origin traveling by bus between southern Spain and Paris was intercepted with a thousand illegal Cuban cigars.   During a routine check at the La Jonquera border crossing on September 23, the National Police border unit seized 997 cigars from well-known brands, according to the Spanish daily La Vanguardia and the local newspaper Diari de

📌 OUTCOME (October 21, 2026) — Total victory for the Norwegian cigar industry: facing legal action from importers, the government has officially suspended the collection of registration fees until a fair sector-based levy is introduced in spring 2027. Read our latest article Hundreds of thousands of cigars stuck in warehouses or, worse, destined for the flames of an incinerator. This

At Intertabac, New World manufacturers and importers are no longer taking quite such pleasure in Cuba’s troubles. The tongue-in-cheek “thank you, Cuba!” heard from many industry professionals after Covid has given way to deeper concern over the troubles facing Cuban cigars and the continued absence — or under-representation — of Habanos in cigar shops around the world. The Germans who

The importer continues to supply cigar shops. But every one of its financial transactions must now be cleared by Spanish authorities. Because of the European sanctions against Chen Zhi, Tabacalera SLU’s bank accounts are frozen and the company is now operating under close supervision from the Spanish state, L’Amateur de Cigare has learned. Unlike German importer Fifth Avenue, Tabacalera still