Four exceptional Cuban cigar humidors have raised HK$6.2 million (approximately £597,000) at a charity auction in Macau, China bringing an unusual chapter in the story of the 2026 Habanos Festival to a close.

The auction, titled The Tradition Endures: Habano Festival 2026 Humidor Auction, took place on Friday 13 November, with four exclusive creations celebrating Diplomáticos, Rafael González, Cuaba and Saint Luis Rey going under the hammer through Madison Auction.

The highest price was achieved by the Cuaba 30 Aniversario humidor, which sold for HK$2 million (approximately £193,000).

The Diplomáticos 60 Aniversario achieved HK$1.7 million (£164,000), followed by the Saint Luis Rey Palatinos at HK$1.65 million (£159,000).

The Rafael González 90 Aniversario completed the sale at HK$850,000 (£82,000).

Together, the four humidors contained 900 Cuban cigars and generated HK$6.2 million, including buyer’s premium.

From Italy to Cuba and finally Macau

As I reported in my article earlier this week, three of the humidors were originally created for the 2026 Habanos Festival’s traditional gala dinner charity auction in Havana.

I had the opportunity to see these remarkable pieces first-hand in January 2026, during a visit to DeArt’s factory in Italy, where I met Massimo de Munari and witnessed the humidors in their final stages of preparation.

Following the cancellation of the Festival, the three pieces, which had actually travelled to Cuba before being returned to Italy, were subsequently sent to Macau. The fourth humidor, celebrating Saint Luis Rey’s Palatinos, was commissioned specifically for the Macau event.

Each creation combined bespoke Italian craftsmanship with specially selected Cuban cigars, including rare and discontinued vitolas.

Supporting Cuban public health

Beyond the impressive auction results, the event retained the charitable purpose associated with the traditional Habanos Festival auctions.

According to the organisers, proceeds after administration costs will be donated to the Cuban Public Health System.

For a collection I first encountered inside DeArt’s factory in January, seeing three of the original Festival humidors finally reach the auction stage has been fascinating.

What was intended to be a highlight of Havana’s cigar calendar has instead found its conclusion in Macau, generating HK$6.2 million for a charitable cause.

For more info on DeArt see: https://www.deart.it/