The long-awaited event has started in Matelica, under the best auspices and with an extraordinary participation of enthusiasts, experts and operators in the sector. XX Amigos de Partagás. The 2026 edition of the traditional and celebrated Marche event dedicated to the culture of pure cigars and slow smoking opened on Thursday morning with the first series of technical seminars, confirming its status as an essential international platform for sensory and cultural exploration.
The Charm of Havana's Barrio Chino: When Tea Meets the Havana Cigar
The morning session opened by drawing a suggestive and profound cultural parallel between East and West. The focus of the meeting was the rediscovery of the elective affinities linking the age-old cult of Chinese tea to the world of Havana cigars: both products derive their nobility from the expert fermentation and meticulous refinement of special leaves, imposing on those who enjoy them a ritual marked by slow rhythms, reflective pauses, and gestures of profound introspection.
This philosophical connection has its roots in the history of Cuba itself. The famous “Barrio Chino de la Habana”, founded around 1874, was the largest Chinatown in South America (second only to that of San Francisco), playing an active and vibrant role in the historical and revolutionary dynamics of Isla Grande.
From a purely technical point of view, the session offered an extraordinary guided tasting aimed at exploring the aromatic evolutions of the cigar The Cuban Glory Medaille d'Or No.4. The elegant and sophisticated notes of the Cuban blend have been calibrated and combined with a rigorous selection of fine Chinese teas from the prestigious tea library by Luca Alves:
- Yin Zhen Yunnan Aged White Tea
- Pu'erh Sheng Cha Yunnan Tea
- Pu'erh Shu Cha Yunnan Tea
- Baoshan Yunnan Black Tea
The management of this refined sensory panel was entrusted to a chair of absolute importance: Luca Alves led the complex narration and organoleptic analysis of the teas, while the experts Cosimo Attanasi e Vincenzo de Gregorio they have masterfully curated the evolution of the cigar.
"Cuba Meets Scotland" Seminar: The Triumph of Trinidad Cabildos and Tormore Whisky
In the afternoon, the spotlight of the XX Amigos de Partagás shifted to the second seminar on the program, significantly entitled “Cuba meets Scotland”. A high-profile technical meeting that celebrated Cuban manufacturing excellence and the great art of Scottish distilling.
The absolute protagonist of the tasting was the monumental Trinidad Cabildos Edición Limitada 2024, a cigar that perfectly embodies the elegance, prestige, and aromatic finesse of the Trinidad brand. To maximize its complexity, a tailored pairing has been created with single malts from the historic Speyside distillery, Tormore.
The experiential journey offered attendees a perfect balance: the typically earthy, rich, and honeyed notes of Trinidad Cabildos blended impeccably with the purity, fruitiness, and stylistic precision of Tormore whisky. An ideal combination, uniting Cuba's deep tobacco tradition with Scotland's production expertise.
Internationally renowned panelists were called to lead the audience in this unprecedented cultural exploration:
- The world of cigars: the complex technical and evolutionary narrative was managed by the great experts Valerio Cornale, Cosimo Attanasi e Alexandre Avellar.
- The Art of Whisky: the refined selection of Tormore spirits was illustrated by Angelo Canessa, Ambassador of Velier SpA., a global reference figure in the sector of excellent spirits, champagne and fine gastronomy.
An excellent outcome for the opening day
The first day of seminars at the XX Amigos de Partagás in Matelica concluded with an extremely positive outcome. The two events confirmed that the synergy between exceptionally crafted cigars, fine spirits, fine tea crus, and authoritative teaching represents the event's winning formula.
The extraordinary response from an attentive public, combined with a lively shared passion for slow smoking, lays the foundation for an edition destined to go down in the annals.
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