After a year of anticipation and international rollout, Hunters & Frankau (H&F) has officially launched the Ramón Allones Absolutos Edición Limitada 2024 to the UK market.

The launch event took place from November 10 to 14, 2025, featuring 52 events organised by Habanos Specialist retailers in cities across the country, including London, Edinburgh, Belfast, and Cardiff.

In this post, I will cover the brand’s history, details about the cigar, the events leading up to the UK release, and share my experiences and review from the UK launch events I attended.

A brand with deep UK roots

The Ramón Allones brand is one of the oldest in the Cuban cigar industry, founded in 1837 by Antonio and Ramón Allones at Havana’s La Eminencia Factory. This brand has significantly influenced modern cigar packaging, being the first to introduce colour lithography on cigar boxes.

Ramón Allones has a strong connection to the UK, particularly through Hunters & Frankau. In 1908, ownership moved to Allones Limited, linked to one of H&F’s founders. Ownership and production shifted to the Partagas factory in 1927, where it still operates today.

Over the years, H&F has released several milestone Ramón Allones cigars, including the world’s first-ever Habanos Regional Edition: the 2004/2005 UK Ramón Allones Belicosos. Other notable releases include the 225 Aniversario in 2015 and the Private Stock 230 in 2020.

The brand has also been featured three times in the Habanos Limited Edition series: Allones Extra (2011), Club Allones (2015), and Allones No. 2 (2019), which marked the first global online launch in Habanos history.

The 2024 Limited Edition: Ramón Allones “Absolutos”

The Absolutos is a new vitola in the Habanos portfolio. Known in the factories as Nuevos (“new”), it measures 6⅛″ (156 mm) by a 49 ring gauge and is described as medium-to-full-bodied.

The details:

Length: 6 1/8″

Ring Gauge: 49

Strength: Light – Medium

Vitola: Nuevos

Origin: Cuba

Handcrafted with long-fillers and made entirely from Vuelta Abajo tobacco, each cigar is aged for at least two years, as required for all Limited Editions. Absolutos are presented in boxes of 20, each cigar bearing double bands with the 2024 Limited Edition insignia. Pricing ranges from roughly £64–£68 per cigar, or about £1,250 per box.

Habanos S.A. launched the Edición Limitada series in 2000. Produced in small, time-limited batches, these releases are known for their rare—often completely new—sizes and their darker shade-grown wrappers, all aged for a minimum of two years. Quantities remain limited due to the reliance on these specially aged leaves.

The global journey before the UK release

XXIV Habano Festival Habanos 2024

According to the Cuban Cigar Website, the Absolutos was initially announced to distributors as the Limited Editions for 2022. But at Festival del Habano 2023, no new ELs were revealed. It wasn’t until the 2024 festival that these cigars were finally confirmed as part of the 2024 Limited Edition lineup.

February 3rd, 2025 – World exclusive launch event in Basel, Switzerland

Before reaching UK shores, the Ramón Allones Absolutos debuted in Basel, Switzerland. Habanos S.A. and Intertabak hosted a glamorous dinner with over 120 guests.

Seven distinguished “Habanos” folk from across the globe—including Vahe Gerard, Urs Portmann, Dominique Gyselink, Francesco Minetti, Samuel Menzi, our very own Jemma Freeman, and Urs Tanner—unveiled the cigar.

The moment of the unveiling is captured in this video below by KD Leaf Diaries.

UK Launch Week – November 10th, 2025

Fast forward a couple of months and this year’s UK launch was BIG — a full week of events from 10–14 November, involving 52 cigar retailers nationwide. Cigar newbies, enthusiasts, and connoisseurs gathered to be among the first in the country to sample the Absolutos.

This builds on H&F’s evolution of large-scale launch events:

• 2020: RA No.2 online launch (39 venues)
• 2023: Por Larrañaga 47 (47 events)
• 2024: Trinidad Tasting Time (55 venues)

This time, the week-long format allowed folk to attend multiple events—at least theoretically, one every night!

Why did it take so long for the UK to launch?

A common question — and the answer comes down to two things: quality control and stock fairness. H&F insists on inspecting every single box before release under their English Market Selection (EMS) guarantee, and they also make sure there’s enough stock to supply the UK’s extensive network of Habanos Specialists and La Casa del Habano stores before attempting any kind of national launch.

And word on the street is that once the host country — in this case, Switzerland — completes a global launch, the cigar stays exclusive to that market for several months, typically at least six, before it finally becomes available to cigar folk around the world.

The format of the cigar tasting events

The event begins with an introduction to the cigar from an H&F representative, followed by a guided tasting of the Absolutos. Guests can compare it with Ramón Allones favourites—such as the Specially Selected and Small Club Coronas—which may also be offered depending on the venue. The experience is complemented by thoughtfully paired drinks and canapés. You also get the chance to ask the experts any questions you have about the cigar.

Box allocations are available to purchase on the day, and attendees receive gift bags that include cigar lighters, cutters, and drinks samplers. Tickets for the events last week were priced between £60 and £125.

Cigar sampling events offer excellent value, combining the enjoyment of the cigar with the ambiance of a specialist shop and lounge, curated pairings, and the opportunity to engage with experts and fellow enthusiasts.

My experience

Hunter & Frankau don’t mess about when it comes to launching a cigar. I had the opportunity to attend two of their 52 events—one at City of London Cigars on Liverpool Street in London, and another at Havana House’s The Cigar Emporium in Windsor. One took place on a Wednesday, the other on a Friday. Same cigar, two entirely different experiences.

City of London Cigars – Liverpool Street

My first Absolutos featured a dark, attractive wrapper and, while the draw was slightly tight early on, it opened up nicely as it warmed—likely just a touch of humidity variation. It kicked off with a surprisingly full-bodied profile, the kind of bold character I always hope for from a Bolívar. The flavour evolved through the second third and remained steady into the final third, with some pleasant oak notes appearing along the way.

Was it utterly mind-blowing? Not quite—but perhaps my expectations for limited editions were a bit high. Regardless, I genuinely enjoyed the experience and was very glad to have tried it.

We paired it with Hine cognac, sampling the VSOP, Hine XO, and the Hine Cigar Reserve XO. The Cigar Reserve XO was the clear standout for me.

We were also fortunate to have José Antonio Cejas Díaz of H&F with us. His remarkable career—including his time as deputy director of the legendary El Laguito factory—home of Cohiba, made his insights truly special. He spoke with sincerity and emotion about his journey from the legal profession into the world of cigars.

And the biggest surprise—and honour—was having Ismara M. Vargas Walter, the Cuban Ambassador to the UK, join us in the shop and lounge. 🙏

Havana House Windsor

Two nights later at Havana House, the second Absolutos showed a different side altogether.

This one smoked beautifully right from the start—softer, easier, and a touch more medium-bodied than expected. The wrapper also looked slightly more oily.

In the second and final thirds, those oak notes returned, joined by a faint floral hint and a lovely creaminess that really elevated the profile. I genuinely preferred this cigar to the first. Others mentioned some early spiceness, though I didn’t catch it.

It’s a great reminder that you can’t judge a cigar by just one experience. Also no matter what I say, reviews are always subjective—my experience won’t necessarily match yours.

This time we paired it with Taylor’s 10-Year-Old Tawny Port, which was an absolute treat.

Sean Croley Sales & Marketing Director of Hunters & Frankau guided the session, sharing a wealth of knowledge about Cuban cigars.

We had the chance to ask questions too, and I couldn’t help wondering what unusual questions H&F had encountered during their 52-event tour. Years ago, I’d have been too nervous to speak up at events like this, but now I’m like the eager kid in the front row of a classroom—putting my hand up asking questions. I just love learning about cigars. 😁

My favourite question of the night was whether Habanos are frozen before leaving Cuba for international markets like the UK as an extra safeguard against Lasioderma serricorne (that’s a weevil, to you and me). I’d always assumed it was a myth — but it turns out to be completely true.

After a couple of hours of sampling cigars, port, and some great conversation, it was time to leave the lounge.

My rating: 8.25 out of 10

A decent cigar-not my absolute favourite, but definitely worth trying, even if it isn’t exactly cheap. As noted above, the retail price is roughly £64–£68 per cigar. I think £45 would feel more appropriately priced (for the UK that is), but it is a limited edition, so the premium is to be expected.

I’ve heard many times that these will only improve with more age like any Cuban cigars. I’ve been having lots of interesting conversations about aging cigars recently. Some people buy a box of their favourites and smoke one every year, on their birthday, noticing it getting better and better. Others say there can be a “sick period” where the cigar actually becomes less interesting for a while when ageing after a certain amount of years.

I’m not intentionally aging much myself because I mainly sample at cigar lounges, so my cigars sit in the humidor at home and age passively. But the whole topic fascinates me.

Final thoughts

The Ramón Allones Absolutos Edición Limitada 2024 is a long-awaited addition to the Habanos lineup. It’s a solid, well-constructed cigar with plenty of potential—especially for aging. And as a national launch event, it was awesome. City of London Cigars and Havana House absolutely smashed it with their hospitality and venue for such an occasion – I had brilliant nights at both venues.

If you’re a Ramón Allones fan—or simply a collector of Limited Editions—this one is definitely worth seeking out.