HISTORIC HEAT AND A HISTORIC WIN: CSWC UZBEKISTAN MAKES ITS DEBUT IN STYLE
- expertcigar
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
The time has come – Uzbekistan officially joined the Cigar Smoking World Championship circuit, and what a fiery debut it was!
With the thermometer reading a scorching 43°C, the very first national qualifier took place in the capital city of Tashkent, hosted by Uztobacco, the official distributor of Oliva cigars, at the elegant Chaychona Restaurant.
But don’t let the “debut” label fool you – slow smoking is already becoming a trend in Uzbekistan’s rapidly growing cigar scene.
“This has become a new trend in a country where cigar culture has been developing at a breakneck pace for the last few years,” said CSWC organizer and judge Yevgeniy Zhidkov. “Cigars are sold in more than 30 Uztobacco stores across the country, a few days before the tournament the country’s first La Casa del Habano opened and Davidoff of Geneva is expected to open soon. So the participants of the tournament, even those taking part in it for the first time, knew the rules quite well and only asked the judge for details.”
The competition was as heated as the weather. Many participants pushed their cigars close to the one-hour mark, but one man rose above all – Azer Mirtagavi, who claimed his first-ever CSWC title after many close attempts in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
“I am really happy with this victory, and I thank the organizers for taking the tournament to Uzbekistan too,” said Mirtagavi. “The new cigar is very interesting to smoke, and it has a very pleasant taste and aroma. I will continue to study it, and of course I hope to compete for a worthy place at the World Championship grand final in Split!”
As a true champion, Mirtagavi went on to improve his time at the CSWC Kazakhstan final as well – hitting an astonishing 2:10:10. That result would’ve placed him at the top there too, had he not already taken the crown in Uzbekistan.
This debut marks a milestone for Central Asia on the CSWC map – and it's clear Uzbekistan isn’t just joining the movement, it’s bringing serious contenders to the global stage.
Welcome to the family, Uzbekistan – see you in Split!
