Don Tomas are a well-made Honduran cigar blended with select Dominican, Mexican and Columbian Cuban seed fillers, wrapped in either a natural Indonesian or Mexican Maduro wrapper. The cigars have silky construction and mild to medium bodied smoke with subtle coffee and toast flavours with a hint of spice and C.Gars Ltd offer the full range!

Now if you haven’t figured out a reason to smoke these beauties then I am here to give you a few. To start with they’re all reasonably priced so you won’t find yourself waiting for payday to purchase one of these. If you have just started the art of smoking cigars these are perfect as a beginner cigar as they offer a mild to medium smoke. Each one has been tried and tested by me and I will say that I was very satisfied.

Don Tomas Corona:

I would give this a 4/5 stars. A smooth smoke throughout with constant coffee notes. Not only is it a great cigar but you won’t break the budget purchasing one. The draw was perfect and didn’t require any relighting. If you are looking for a 40-minute smoke for a walk in the morning this is perfect😊.

Don Tomas Petit Corona:

Like it’s big brother above this cigar deserves a lot of credit enough that I would give it 5/5. It has the classic Don Thomas taste but I found it to be slightly smoother than the corona, more of a cool smoke. Will be perfect in the summer with a nice glass of Tullibardine.

Don Tomas Robusto:

I would wait for the afternoon to smoke this one. It has more of a medium strength to it but with a creamy smooth draw. Such subtle hints of coffee and nut and a beautiful woody aroma. As you get to the final third it starts to get a little spicy which really adds to the complexity of the flavours, if you haven’t tried yet, you need to get yourself one.

Don Tomas Rothschid:

Last but definitely by no means least to try was the Rothschild. Now if you like coffee these are the cigars for you. Each one I’ve tried I definitely notice they have a classic flavour of Coffee but this one being a slightly darker wrapper had a sweet taste during the second half, why made this, one of my favourites. The final third added a slight leathery taste topped off with subtle nutty notes. Perfect in the evening.

So, if you’re still working your way through Cuban and New World cigars, I would recommend your next stop to be Don Tomas. Four different sizes all with a variety of flavours and aromas. These really will update your palate to new tastes.

Have a great weekend,

Liam

Apologies to Turmeaus Liverpool customers for lack of access yesterday as I understand the road was closed due to high winds! Looks bright and sunny today so welcome back 🙂

I visited Liverpool earlier this week for a Barcelo rum and H .Upmann cigar sampling event. In fact two very sold out sessions and a lot of happy customers I reckon. The H. Upmann Magnum 50’s paired perfectly with the delicate character of the rum.

Our builders are hammering away like crazy on the second half of our Turmeaus Liverpool development and if all goes to plan they will be completed at the end of next month. The design is quite stunning and I can’t wait to see it finished. The development provides us with a rather huge bar, a tapas and whisky/cocktail lounge and an additional Turmeaus cigar shop and sampling lounge that will be open until 11 pm.

Back in the London office for the rest of the week as my GM Michelle took a few days off (I know, I know, I really should not allow her any time off at all!) and I have been incredibly busy showing clients the auction Lots for the upcoming auction this Sunday which is always the best part of my job 🙂

I did manage to get out of the office yesterday for a magnificent lunch at the RAC Club with Edward and Eddie Sahakian from Davidoff of London followed by a rather excellent Cohiba Corona Especiales in their beautiful cigar shop at St James’s street. Eddie plonked a Davidoff Art Edition in my hand and told me to have a  ‘takeaway that you haven’t smoked before’! I duly sampled it this morning and it was a bit of a beast! Very full bodied, full and complex flavour cigar.

That was followed by a whisky sampling with the Managing Director of Robert Graham Ltd Steve Johnstone who popped into our office with a bottle of 1995 Dancing Stag Speyside that we paired up with Partagas P2’s (that worked beautifully!) Robert Graham Ltd have just started to do whisky auctions online through their Global Whisky auction website. I followed the first auction very closely and it worked very well. Together with the unbeatable 0% commission deal I think this will be a very popular whisky auction site and a massive success.

Our current cigar auction finishes this Sunday and there has been quite a lot of bidding action up to now but the finish is always great fun to watch. At one stage last night, I understand there were almost 500 bidders online viewing Lots which was pretty impressive. Lots of interest in good quality aged and mature cigars as well as the Davidoff and Dunhill sections of course. Very best of luck to all of our bidders and of course our sellers.

Next week I’m zipping off to Havana for the annual Festival del Habanos. It’s my zillionth trip to Havana since 1997 (I have now officially lost count!) but I still enjoy it as much as the first trip. (probably more!) I’ll be on the Hunters & Frankau table as always and can’t wait to try the H. Upmann Sir Winston Gran Reserva that will be introduced at the gala dinner.

Who knows if it will ever be released? We are still waiting to see the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill Gran Reserva from 2 years ago! One thing is for sure, they are all worth the wait when they finally do get released.

In then baggie this weekend I have quite a few treats 🙂

Trinidad Topes
 – I can’t get enough of this cigar
Inca Secret Blend Reserva D’ Oro Robustos
 – The sweetest blended Peruvian cigar I have ever made.
Regius 200^th Anniversary of Turmeaus Orchant Seleccion Robusto
 – Rapidly selling out / our most popular cigar over the last week
Oliva Orchant Seleccion Shorty
 – A total flavour bomb Nicaraguan.
Macanudo Inspirado Robusto
 – Now on my daily rotation they are so good.

Have a smokey weekend

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell

The stunning Dictador rums and the exquisite Dictodor Gin from Columbia are a treat not to be missed, and I was privileged to  attend a Dictador masterclass tasting very recently!

First tasting was the Dictador Columbian Aged Treasure Gin 43%. Columbian Treasure Gin is based on a unique Columbian fruit Limon Mandarino which blends the exotic s
weet taste of the tangerine and the acidity of the lemon to give fantastic balance.

The base spirit for the Columbia Gin is made from a neutral spirit distilled up to five times from sugar cane. The berries, botanicals, citrus peels and spice when combined with the ageing process merge to create this unique gin.
To give an extraordinary smoothness, the spirit is placed in oak barrels which was previously used to age other Dictador rums for 35 weeks.

Colour: Slight amber colour reflective of the time spent in a barrel – its clarity and brightness boasts of a truly revolutionary product.
Aroma: Initially tangerine enhanced with lemon notes before a secondary aroma of the botanicals that provide the freshness and balance. Mint, spearmint and pepper and a bit of sweetness from the wood and berries.
Palate: The pleasant notes and roundness from the tangerine, lemon, mint and pepper, with the traditional flavours of gin enhanced by the time spent in oak barrels results in a truly unique gin.

Colombian Treasure Gin – Enjoyed on the rocks, garnished with a twist of tangerine peel.

Next up was the Dictador Amber 100 Rum  40%

This Dictador is a Columbian Rum which is part of Dictador’s 100 range. This Amber expression, which is aged for 100 months (hence the name) in ex-bourbon barrels made from white American Oak. The rum is carefully removed from the solera using only gravity to preserve the stunning natural colour, aromas and taste before bottling at 40% ABV.
This rum is well suited to neat sipping or cocktail making.

Colour: Intense dark amber.
Nose: Sweet warm notes of vanilla and fudge, with a smoked hint from cigar tobacco notes.
Palate: Light oak and vanilla with a smooth body and yet more aromatic cigar smoke.
Finish: The smoked note continues throughout the finish as it lingers.

Dictador Cafe 100 Rum 40%

Moving on the something I was really excited to try especially as I’m a big fan of coffee was the Dictador Cafe is a 11 month aged rum which uses ex-bourbon oak barrels after distillation in a continuous column still.

This is then filtered through Colombia’s most well known agricultural product – Arabica coffee beans which provides a vast and deep flavour for those who are seeking something more in their rum,

Cafe 100 is the perfect partner for the most discerning of drinkers who value their rum as much as their morning coffee.

Colour: A deep vast colour which stands out in the glass.
Nose: Rich coffee nose, plenty of sweetness with fresh vanilla blends together nicely with malt and biscuit aromas.
Palate: A light palate of dry cocoa. Aspects of the nose continues, such as coffee and fresh vanilla.
Finish: Aspects of the palate creates a lingering finish.

The final rum in the tasting was the incredible complex Dictador 20 Year Old Rum 40%

This Dictador, 20 Year Old Rum from Columbia is made from the fermentation of virgin sugar cane honey, distilled partly in copper alembic and partly in steel continuous column, to achieve a medium body rum of which the honey is evident throughout the nose and palate.

The Dictador is then aged in pre-used oak barrels using the solera method and finally bottled under the highest quality control to ensure everything is contained in the liquid flavour.
Colour: Intense dark amber with red brown tones.
Nose: A big nose with soft caramel, vanilla and honey as well dry seeds, roasted coffee before a final rich rounded oak sensation.
Palate: Soft and rounded, dry delicate yet big and full of flavour. Caramel follows through on to the palate with more vanilla, honey and a hint of cocoa.
Finish: A strong, hard to come by texture, exceptional complexity and stunning finish.

Hope these tasting notes have inspired you to indulge in these luxurious drinks from Columbia!

Slainte

Pete

Smokey greetings from surprisingly sunny and mild London, so much so that the roof has been off the C7GAR car for most of the week. Hopefully the start of some good weather car herfing 🙂

It’s been a busy week with a very entertaining Jack Whitehall evening at Wembley Arena last Sunday and a superb Valentine’s day of herfing that started with a wet shave at Trumper in Curzon street and continued with a herf at Turmeaus Mayfair with some of my new hugely popular Orchant Selection Cigar Malt and Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills (well it was Valentines and that would be the suitably romantic brand!)

Pre-dinner drinks (or prinks as my daughter would say!) were at The Garden Room at The Lanesborough (Glengoyne 21) and Montecristo 80^th Anniversary cigars followed by dinner at Cecconis I love this restaurant and how I miss the days when we used to smoke cigars after dinner there.

To finish the night we had some plate smashing fun at The Elysee I hadn’t been there for many years but I reckon it’s as much fun as it always was.

Our auction catalogue is now online and this will be our 20^th Cigar Auction from C.Gars since the auction department was established in 2009.

There are some 280 Lots of Vintage, Mature, Pre Embargo, Davidoff, Dunhill and Limited Edition Havana cigars on behalf of estates, investors and collectors.

Auction Lots can be viewed online on this link.

PDF catalogue can be viewed on this link.

Some of my favourite Lots include:

Lot 222 Davidoff Chateau Latour 1980’s cabinet of 25 cigars at estimate of £1,800 – £2,200

Lot 234 Dunhill Estupendos 2 single 1980’s cigars at estimate of £1,200 – £1,400

Lot 229 Davidoff No. 1 1980’s box of 25 cigars at estimate of £1,200- £1,500

Lot 248 Partagas Anniversary humidor of 300 cigars from 2015 at estimate of £12,000 – £14,000

Lot 264 Montecristo 2004 Limited edition humidor of 100 cigars at estimate of £3,000 – £3,500

Lot 275 Ramon Allones Coronas Pre embargo cabinet of 100 cigars at estimate of £10,000 – £12,000

Lot 277 Romeo y Julieta Coronations de Luxe Pre Embargo cabinet of 50 cigars at estimate of £3,500 – £4,500

Lots are available for inspection by appointment Monday to Friday at our London offices. We are delighted to provide any further details or condition reports, simply email Laura Graham or Michelle Adler in our Auction Team at [email protected] quoting Lot numbers.

There’s a splendid variety of aged and rare smokes and should be a few bargains to be won I reckon. Bidding is fun and easy and works a bit like eBay. Think of it as cBay!

Supply of Havanas has improved marginally with the odd boxes of Montecristo 80^th and Cohiba BHK’s showing up now and again particularly at our La Casa del Habano. I’m down to my last few boxes of Cohiba Robusto Supremo so if you haven’t stashed them in your humidor by now …that boat is about to sail! The next best thing IMHO are the Trinidad Topes but they seem to be in short supply and we can’t keep them from flying off the shelves.

I’m heading up North to Turmeaus – Liverpool on Monday / Tuesday and looking forward to another great tasting event. Our tasting events are always sold out fast! Get booked up here to one of our events for a fun and informative evening of cigar sampling and whisky/rum tastings.

Have a smokey weekend

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell