A second LCDH in Berlin Germany opened. This happened amid the covid-19 pandemic. Yet the La Casa del Habano Berlin II pushed on and opened anyway. It’s the fifteenth La Casa del Habano in Germany. Germany is one of the most important markets for Habanos. The sheer amount of La Casa del Habanos franchises further confirms the warm relations between Habanos and German cigar enthusiasts.

The first-ever La Casa del Habano in Germany opened in 1998. In Berlin, and it’s one of the oldest La Casa del Habano franchises in the world. The man behind the La Casa del Habano Berlin II is Maximilian Herzog from Zigarren Hertzog. He is the Habanos Man Award winner in the category Business. Together with Heinrich Villiger, CEO of Habanos distributor 5th Avenue, he’s the only German winner of that award.

Germany and cigars

The German market has always been one of the largest for premium handmade cigars when it comes to Europe. But it played second fiddle to Spain for decades. That has changed in the last few years. The German cigar market is the largest in Europe. Amidst the current pandemic, the demand for cigars, both from Cuba and new world cigars, grew almost 20%.

Due to the flight restrictions, distributors had to find alternatives to import cigars. 5th Avenue, Germany’s Habanos distributor, used air-conditioned containers and sea freight to get supply for the German market. The refrigerated containers ensured that the cigars arrived in good condition, even though the journey takes much longer than by plane. Due to that solution, the new La Casa del Habano Berlin II is fully stocked with all the Cuban cigars they can offer.