Habanos S.A. Generates Nearly $20 Million During 2024 Humidor Auction

Tonight, Habanos S.A. concluded its annual Festival del Habano, the annual gathering of the Cuban cigar world in Havana, with a formal gala featuring an auction of elaborate humidors, each dedicated to a different Cuban cigar brand. In total, eight lots generated a combined sales of €17.8 million ($19.3 million), record sales for the Cuban cigar monopoly.

Last year the auction generated a then-record of €11.22 million, though it should be noted that those sales were generated by just six humidors. This year, the company announced seven humidors for auction: the same six brands as in 2023, plus Trinidad, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. There was a surprise lot, a Cohiba humidor, that kicked off the auction. Unlike the rest of the lots, which are 1/1 items commissioned just for this event, the surprise Cohiba humidor is a limited edition commercial release.

Still, the average lot sold for €2.25 ($2.4 million) compared to €1.87 million last year.

Proceeds from the sale of the auction are donated to the Cuban Public Health System.

While it might have been a major year for Trinidad, the flagship Cohiba brand still commanded top dollar. This year’s Cohiba humidor, which can rotate 360 degrees, sold for €4.5 million, likely making it the most expensive humidor ever sold. Last year, Habanos S.A.’s Cohiba humidor sold for €4.2 million, which was believed to be the record.

Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuba’s president, will sign the humidor. Díaz-Canel appeared at the festival on Wednesday and was on hand during the gala dinner. This is the first time Habanos S.A. has announced that he will sign a humidor.

The auction is perhaps a microcosm of the weeklong celebration the cigar giant has been enjoying. Similar to how this year’s auction shattered the previous record-setting year, Habanos S.A. announced that it generated $721 million in revenue last year, more than $150 million more than the previous record year.

Both Habanos S.A.’s annual revenue and these auction results have exploded post-pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. Where they differ is the levels of exponential growth.

In 2020, the entire auction generated €4.27 million in sales, that was a record then but a figure that is now less than just the Cohiba humidor. Those auction results are now up more than 300 percent from 2020 to 2024 and 58 percent from last year to now.

For more information about the humidors, click here.

Lot 0 — Cohiba Tributo Year of the Dragon Humidor.

Sold for €550,000 ($595,000)

Created by Elie Bleu

A surprise lot before we get started, Habanos S.A. is auction one of the new Cohiba Tributo Year of the Dragon Humidors, an Elie Bleu-made humidor that contains specially-banded Cohiba Lanceros. There are 188 of these humidors made for the Asian market.

• 55 Cohiba Lanceros (Tributo Year of the Dragon Humidor)

Lot 1 — Hoyo de Monterrey

Sold for €1,150,000 ($1,245,000)

Created by Group Union Humidores, Alejandro García Llapir and Jackmel Llera Cotarelo

Dimensions: 105cm x 70cm x 70cm

375 Cigars Included:

• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Belicosos No. 1
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Colosales
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Churchills
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.1
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.3
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Extravaganza
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Grand Epicure
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoya Rio Seco
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoya de San Juan
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Particulares
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Pirámides
• 25 Hoyo de Monterrey Regalos

Lot 2 — H. Upmann

Sold for €2,000,000 ($2,165,000)

Created by DeART

Dimensions: 178cm x 192cm x 74.6cm

350 Cigars Included:

• 25 H. Upmann Butifarra No.2
• 20 H. Upmann Connoisseur No. 1
• 20 H. Upmann Connossieur No. 2
• 20 H. Upmann Connoisseur
• 25 H. Upmann Grandes
• 20 H. Upmann Magnum 46
• 20 H. Upmann Magnum 56
• 25 H. Upmann Magnum 50
• 25 H. Upmann Magnum 54
• 25 H. Upmann Magnum 52
• 25 H. Upmann Magnum Especial
• 25 H. Upmann Magnum Finite
• 25 H. Upmann Sir Winston
• 25 H. Upmann Super Magnum
• 25 H. Upmann Upmann No. 2

Lot 3 — Romeo y Julieta

Sold for €1,600,000 ($1,735,000)

Created by Nous Group & Cigarte

Dimensions: 190cm x 90cm x 55cm

400 Cigars Included:

• 25 Romeo y Julieta Belicosos
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Capuletos
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Churchills
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Cazadores
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Dianas
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Duke No. 1
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Exhibición No. 4
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Hermosos No. 1
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Hidalgos
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Maravillas No. 2
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Nobles
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Petit Churchills
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Romeo de Luxe
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills
• 25 Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills

Lot 4 — Partagás

Sold for €2,200,000 ($2,385,000)

Created by Union Humidores

Dimensions: 216cm x 161cm x 65.6cm

425 Cigars Included:

• 25 Partagás 8-9-8
• 20 Partagás 109
• 25 Partagás Aliados
• 20 Partagás Legados
• 25 Partagás Lusitanias
• 25 Partagás Maduro No. 1
• 25 Partagás Maduro No. 2
• 25 Partagás Maduro No. 3
• 25 Partagás Maestro
• 25 Partagás Origen
• 25 Partagás Presidentes
• 25 Partagás Rito
• 25 Partagás Serie D No. 4
• 25 Partagás Serie E No. 2
• 20 Partagás Serie E No. 2 Gran Reserva Cosecha 2015
• 25 Partagás Serie P No. 2
• 25 Partagás Salomones
• 20 Partagás Tropicales

Lot 5 — Montecristo

Sold for €2,000,000 ($2,165,000)

Created by ArtemaS.R.L.

Dimensions: 80cm x 170cm x 60cm

450 Cigars Included:

• 20 Montecristo A
• 25 Montecristo Almirantes
• 50 Montecristo Edmundo Reserva Cosecha 2018
• 20 Montecristo D
• 20 Montecristo Double Coronas
• 50 Montecristo Dumas
• 50 Montecristo Eagle
• 25 Montecristo Gran Edmundo
• 50 Montecristo Herederos
• 20 Montecristo Leyenda
• 20 Montecristo Maltes
• 20 Montecristo Maravillas No. 1
• 20 Montecristo No. 2
• 20 Montecristo Sublimes
• 20 Montecristo Supremos
• 20 Montecristo Wide Edmundo

Lot 6 — Trinidad

Sold for €3,800,000 ($4,120,000)

Created by DeART

Dimensions: 216.5cm x 161.6cm x 65.6cm

450 Cigars Included:

• 24 Trinidad 40 Aniversario
• 55 Trinidad Cabildos
• 24 Trinidad Casilda
• 20 Trinidad Coloniales
• 20 Trinidad Esmeralda
• 40 Trinidad Fundadores
• 24 Trinidad Ingenios
• 24 Trinidad La Trova
• 20 Trinidad Media Luna
• 24 Trinidad Reyes
• 24 Trinidad Robustos Especial
• 55 Trinidad Robustos Extra
• 24 Trinidad Robustos T
• 24 Trinidad Tapes
• 24 Trinidad Torre Iznaga
• 24 Trinidad Vigia

Lot 7 — Cohiba

Sold for €4,500,000 ($4,875,000)

Created by Nous Group

Dimensions: 155cm x 112cm x 85cm

500 Cigars Included:

• 20 Cohiba 55 Aniversario
• 20 Cohiba Ambar
• 20 Cohiba BHK 52
• 20 Cohiba BHK 54
• 20 Cohiba BHK 56
• 20 Cohiba Cafionazo Especial
• 20 Cohiba Esplendidos Gran Reserva Cosecha 2017
• 20 Cohiba Ideales
• 20 Cohiba Geniales
• 20 Cohiba Genios
• 20 Cohiba Gran Corona
• 20 Cohiba Lanceros
• 20 Cohiba Majestuosos
• 20 Cohiba Media Siglo
• 20 Cohiba Novedosos
• 20 Cohiba Piramides Extra
• 20 Cohiba Robustos
• 20 Cohiba Robustos Supremos
• 20 Cohiba Siglo de Oro
• 20 Cohiba Siglo IV
• 20 Cohiba Siglo V
• 20 Cohiba Siglo VI
• 20 Cohiba Sublimes Extra
• 20 Cohiba Talisman
• 20 Cohiba Vistosos

This story is part of halfwheel’s coverage of the Festival del Habano XXIV, the 2024 edition of Cuba’s annual cigar festival. For more coverage of the festival, click here.