CSWC BY OLIVA - MACEDONIA 2025 QUALIFIER: A MASTERCLASS IN UNITY AND GENTLEMANHOOD
- expertcigar
- May 13
- 3 min read
The CSWC BY OLIVA continued its 2025 season with a truly inspiring event in North Macedonia — an event that wasn’t just about slow smoking, but about something far deeper: the power of unity

The CSWC Macedonian Qualifier was organized through the exceptional cooperation between Farel Cigars, the official Oliva importer, and Heco a Mano Macedonia also cigar importer, but who provides CSWC Judges. These two companies, despite being competition entities in business, joined forces for the greater good of their national cigar community — delivering a powerful message to the world: when the community comes first, egos step aside, and gentleman values rise above all.

Their collaboration was a perfect example of how the cigar industry should function — with elegance, mutual respect, and a shared passion for the leaf. This spirit was evident throughout the event and was praised by all attendees.

Nikola Popovski Returns as a Champion
The star of the evening was Nikola Popovski, a name already well known in the Balkan CSWC circuit. The two-time qualifier champion (Balkan 2023, Kosovo 2024) made a grand return — not only taking the victory but breaking his personal record with an impressive smoking time of 2 hours and 8 minutes.

With this performance, Nikola firmly established himself as one of the most successful and decorated CSWC competitors in the Balkan region, standing shoulder to shoulder with Croatia’s own Ivan Zizic when it comes to consistency and elite performance.

His result also further confirms that the new CSWC Oliva cigar is his perfect racing partner — a blend that has brought out the best in his already sharp technique.

A Rising Star & A Podium of New Faces
Right behind him, Marko Manev delivered a strong performance and secured second place — his first ever podium finish, and surely not the last.
The third place went to Tasko Gudzov, who also showed great form with the new CSWC Oliva cigar. This was his first time among the top three, and his performance was a testament to dedication and growth.

Former Macedonian champion Saso Dukovski also returned to competition after a long break. Though not on the podium this time, his calm and composed smoking style shows promise — and with time, he is expected to be back among the top contenders.

A Toast to the Organizers
This extraordinary event would not have been possible without the exceptional work of both organizing teams:
From Farel Macedonia: Filip, David, and the ever-charismatic Vasko Atanasov
From the CSWC Judging Team: Marko Trenfadilov and Gabriel Stibel
Together, they delivered an event that didn’t just meet expectations — it set a standard.