Monde du cigare

The Cuban woman previously worked at Havana House, the Habanos exclusive distributor in Canada. She succeeds Enrique Babot.   Damarys Maldonado is the new co-CEO of Coprova, alongside Antoine Bathie. The Cuban national took up her position at the exclusive distributor of Cuban cigars in France in early 2026, succeeding Enrique Babot, who returned to Habanos S.A.’s headquarters in Havana

Several European Habanos distributors have had their bank accounts closed in recent weeks, according to our sources.   Although Chen Zhi is not officially sanctioned on the Continent, several European Habanos distributors have in recent weeks faced banking restrictions, including outright account closures. According to our sources, Laguito 1492 (Benelux) and Fifth Avenue (Germany, Austria, Poland) have had their bank

More than 11,000 hectares of tobacco will be harvested. This is better than last year but less than the initial target of 14,000 hectares.   The 2025-2026 tobacco season in Vuelta Abajo province has ended with 11,426 hectares planted, according to Cuban press reports citing officials from the state-owned company Tabacuba. This figure, a slight increase compared to the previous

The Italian government recognizes “a production tradition that for more than two centuries has combined territory, artisanal know-how and quality,” the group believes.   Toscano cigar has just been recognized as a “Historical Trademark” by the Italian Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Manifatture Sigaro Toscano (MST) announced in a press release. This distinction is reserved for brands used

Meanwhile, liquidation proceedings are underway in the British Virgin Islands to lead to a final dissociation of Chen Zhi.   Tabacalera SLU has filed for “pre-insolvency” (pre-concourso) in Spain, a step it describes as strictly preventative and intended to “protect the company’s day-to-day operations and ensure business continuity .” According to sources within the company’s communications team, this decision is

Scandinavian Tobacco Group (Macanudo, CAO, Silencio…) has confirmed to L’Amateur the elimination of 54 positions, including 47 redundancies.   This is information the group had not previously made public. Contacted by L’Amateur, Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s (STG) communications department officially acknowledged the elimination of “54 positions”, including 47 redundancies, with “the majority being in Europe”. The remaining seven positions were vacant

The organizers of InterTabac Dortmund sign a partnership with the European Cigar Manufacturers Association (ECMA).   The European Cigar Manufacturers Association (ECMA) and Messe Dortmund, organizer of InterTabac, the world’s largest tobacco trade fair, are joining forces to “strengthen the show” and “revitalize the cigar segment.” “Following the show’s expansion to include new nicotine products, strategic adjustments are necessary to

He received the Habanos Award (Production category) in 2014 for his entire career. Photo of Arnaldo Vichot Rojo published on February 19, 2026 on Tabacuba’s Facebook page   Arnaldo Vichot Rojo, former master blender at the Partagás factory, has died, the state-owned Tabacuba group announced. “It is with deep respect and great admiration that we bid farewell to Arnaldo Vichot

The fire, probably caused by a spark, resulted in no injuries. 1,200 square meters of infrastructure were reduced to ashes.   A fire caused nearly $200,000 in losses on Friday, February 13, when it ravaged a drying warehouse belonging to Tabacos de Oriente de Nicaragua, a subsidiary of the Plasencia Cigars Group, one of the world’s largest cigar tobacco producers.

Official confirmation. The Organizing Committee of the Habano Festival announces a “postponement” of the 2026 edition. A new date “will be announced in a timely manner.”   Official confirmation of the information published by L’Amateur earlier today. The 2026 Festival del Habano, initially scheduled for February 23-27, has been postponed “with the aim of preserving the highest standards of quality,

The event was scheduled to take place from February 23 to 27 in Cuba. It will be rescheduled, according to multiple sources. The 2026 Habanos Festival will be postponed, according to concordant sources, although Habanos S.A. has not yet made an official announcement. The event was scheduled to take place from February 23 to 27 in Cuba. However, the island

The group led by Dominique Gyselinck and Frederic Dechamps is recruiting the former Managing Director of Maori Tabacs, distributor of Cuban cigars in Andorra.   Dominique London announces the appointment of Miquel Angel Palacios i Moliner as Group Operations Manager. “This strategic appointment further strengthens the group’s global management structure and supports its continued expansion across key international markets,” Dominique

The regional marketing director of the Asian group has resigned. He will leave PCC at the end of June.   Norio Hattori, regional marketing director for The Pacific Cigar Company (PCC), will be leaving the exclusive distributor of Cuban cigars in Asia at the end of June, he announced to L’Amateur de Cigare. The French-Japanese executive joined PCC in 2012

The prices published in the Official Journal show an average increase of approximately 5%.   The retail prices of Cuban cigars in France will increase by approximately 5% starting February 1, 2026, according to the price list published on January 13 by French Customs. The Partagas D4, one of the best-selling cigars in France and worldwide, will thus increase from

The Cambodian businessman of Chinese origin has been indicted by US authorities for massive cyber fraud.   Chen Zhi, a shareholder of Habanos SA, who was being prosecuted by US authorities for massive cyber fraud, has been arrested in Cambodia and deported to China. Cambodian authorities “arrested three Chinese nationals, Chen Zhi, Xu Ji Liang, and Shao Ji Hui, and

All tickets for the 26th edition of the Festival del Habano (February 23-27, 2026) have been sold through exclusive distributors.   “Due to the extraordinary demand generated by Cohiba’s 60th anniversary, all tickets have been sold exclusively through the Habanos SA distribution network,” the Havana-based group announced in an email to these distributors two months before the 2026 Festival del

Is Tabacalera de Garcia, which employs 2,000 people in the Dominican Republic, likely to close due to US sanctions against the Cambodian businessman?   The Dominican Republic’s Tabacalera de Garcia, the world’s largest cigar factory, can no longer sell its cigars in the United States due to sanctions imposed by US authorities against Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi, accused of massive

Elite Trading Scandinavia AB, a subsidiary of Habanos SA in Sweden, has until December 10 to prove that it has no connection with Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi, who is being prosecuted by US authorities for cyber fraud.   Wherever he is, Chen Zhi, the Cambodian businessman of Chinese origin, is watching the empire he built in about ten years crumble