It is Tuesday, the day of Phase Two of the preliminary round of the Habanos World Challenge. That morning, Taher and I woke up early to review the material for the knowledge test and practice measuring cigars with our palms for the blind tasting. We chose the hotel terrace overlooking the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta as our study spot.

We were lucky to have ample time to review everything carefully, since the competition would not begin until 2:30 p.m.

Unfortunately, we missed most of our friends that morning. Their plantation visit coincided with Phase Two, which was disappointing. In previous years, all four challenges in the preliminary phase took place on a single day. That allowed competitors to visit the plantations the following morning. This year’s schedule removed that chance, perhaps as a subtle sign from the universe that we should return to Havana next year.

Phase Two feels very different when you are watching compared to when you are competing. For spectators, it seems quiet and uneventful. For those of us involved, it is intense and mentally exhausting, with an overwhelming amount of information to recall and the pressure of blind tasting.

We arrived at Room 3 shortly before the official start. Soon after, the judges handed out the test papers. We had twenty minutes to answer thirty-five multiple-choice questions. If well prepared, fifteen minutes would be enough.

We did well overall, but one mistake still bothers me. I forgot the release year of the H. Upmann Half Corona. I had reviewed it the night before, expecting questions about festival-featured brands. But in the moment, the answer vanished from my mind. As soon as we submitted the papers, I rushed to check my phone. We had missed it. For anyone curious, it was 2011.

After a short break, we began the blind tasting. In this challenge, each team receives two unbanded cigars and forty minutes to identify them. Most participants rely on a process of elimination rather than specific flavor notes. This is by far the most difficult part of the competition. So many variables affect a cigar’s appearance and taste.

Our strategy was simple. Each of us smoked a different cigar, and we set two aside for measuring. At first, we identified the sizes correctly: a Coronas Gordas (46 by 143 mm) and a Gordito (50 by 141 mm). But I started doubting the latter. It was surprisingly full bodied, and no cigar of that size typically has that much strength. The closest full-bodied cigar in those dimensions was the Allones No. 3 (52 by 138 mm). After discussing it, we agreed on selecting it as our final guess.

In the end, we identified only one size correctly and failed to name either cigar. The Corona Gorda turned out to be a Punch Punch, something I would never have guessed. The other was a Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial, which we had both found surprisingly full bodied.

The results were disappointing. My only consolation came when we found out that only one team correctly identified a cigar. This confirmed that the blind tasting was particularly challenging this year. Later that afternoon, the judges announced the finalists: Spain and Curaçao.

Our competition journey ended sooner than we hoped. I had mixed emotions hearing the results. I was proud of the preparation we had done over several months, yet I could not help but wish we had gone a bit further.

Still, the overall experience was unforgettable. I am deeply grateful for the support of Mohamed Almansour, La Casa del Habano Kuwait, and Al Sawani Company. I also want to thank Hasan for his constant encouragement and mentorship. A special thanks to Phoenicia Ltd, especially Tonis and Waleed, for their guidance and support throughout this journey.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing at Hotel Nacional in the company of Khaled, Mohamed Usman, and friends from the UAE. Khaled gifted me a Quai d’Orsay Capitolio, a regional French edition from 2018. It was a delightful smoke. Contrary to popular opinion, I find large-sized, light cigars age exceptionally well, such as the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas and the H. Upmann Sir Winston.

That evening was the first real opportunity I had to enjoy Havana with friends, free of any stress. While puffing on my cigar, I recalled something a friend had told me during our preparations. He said, “You’re in a win win situation. If you win, you become champion. If you lose, you get to fully enjoy Havana.”

And enjoy Havana I did.