BERGAMO TAKES CENTER STAGE FOR THE CSWC BY OLIVA CIGARS ITALIAN FINAL

 The Italian capital of slow smoking, Bergamo, hosted this year’s Italian Final of the Cigar Smoking World Championship by Oliva Cigars, drawing the nation’s top competitors to the refined setting of Bes Hotel Villa Zoia in Boltiere

Meticulously organized by Enrico Maria Puglisi, the event represented Italy’s dedication to the sport’s precision and tradition.

This year’s championship featured the newly introduced Oliva Mareva, the official competition cigar exclusively produced for the CSWC circuit. Twenty finalists from across Italy pursued mastery over ash and burn, navigating a competition that spanned two intense days.

At the close of the event, Marian Nedelea secured the national title with an impressive time of 1 hour, 39 minutes, and 34 seconds. Close behind was Francesco Saia (1:38:46), with Florindo Lauriello (1:33:08), Rinaldo Mazzetti (1:25:37), and Stefano Tarletti (1:24:01) rounding out the top five.

A surprise appearance by Marko Bilić, founder of the CSWC format, underscored Italy’s importance on the global stage. With palpable enthusiasm, he confirmed the expansion of the event to 55 participating countries by 2026.

“This edition of the Italian Final exceeded all expectations,” Mr. Bilić remarked. “Italy continues to lead with elegance, competitiveness, and deep-rooted passion.”

Celebratory proceedings included a formal dinner curated by Chef Michele Capelli, during which attendees received commemorative cigars A moscato tasting by Manuel Biava offered a refined close to the evening.

The following morning’s breakfast at Hotel Terme di Palazzago featured Ramon Allones Absolutos cigars, courtesy of La Casa del Habano Zug – represented by Massimiliano Rocci — a stylistic bookend to the competition’s elegance.

Italy’s presence in CSWC has grown through the leadership of Ambassador Gino Iannillo and a team of respected judges: Aurelio Tufano, Fabio Ventura, Francesco Ventura, and Alberto Mancinelli. Their consistent rigour upheld the integrity of the competition throughout all rounds.

This edition also marked the announcement of a new online slow-smoking course, unveiled by Dino Tomic of the CSWC central team, designed to develop future generations of slow-smoking experts.

One of the special guests was and representative of official CSWC timkeeper Cuervo y Sobrinos Maco Longhi who personally handed beautiful Cuervy y Sobrinos masterpeice to the Marian Nendela

Bergamo’s two-day saga of resilience, poise, and tradition—now officially wrapped—confirms Italy’s pivotal role in the international CSWC by Oliva Cigars narrative.

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