in just a few weeks time the cigar world moves to Havana – again. The 11^th Festival del Habano will take place from Feb 23^rd until Feb 30^th. Some up and down we have faced in the last 14 years since I first attended one of these gatherings in Cuba, back in 1995. What started as a kind of a cigar family meeting quickly grew to a BIG cigar family meeting reaching its positive peak by the 1997 and 1998 Festivals. Fidel Castro attended, Compay Segundo auctioned his straw hat and we rocked Havana. In recent years it all changed a bit and for any reason the events are not as glamorous as they had been.

Christopher, Compay Segundo and his son in Havana 1997

Of course the cigar world changes as quickly as the rest of the surrounding world – but I like the old style world and it might be for sentimental reasons – however. A night out there in Havana is still a great event in itself and thus I will let you participate again this year via my

Habanos Festival BLOG on www.thecigarsmoker.com

Daily – from Feb 22^nd, 2009 – Mar 2^nd, 2009

Daily you will read about the hottest cigars, the best hangouts, great bars, gossip from inside the Habanos world and of course the hip people attending the biggest cigar show on earth.

Stay tuned to our website and you will be informed about every detail from Havana.